Balisong and the town of Taal

[harimauhk]

Originally Posted by Dimasalang

Quick vent:
Balisongs in the Philippines are too commercialized now. They always have been, but I think it has taken a turn for the worst the past 5-10 years. They are churning out balis left and right, and the quality has seriously gone down and suffered. Even if you find one that is perfectly made, drilled correctly, and proportioned, it is just the pick of the litter of commercialized pieces. And now they are incorporating cheap plastic inserts and aluminum. As I mentioned earlier, I own several that I hand picked myself from Brgy Balisong in Taal. I remember seeing just boxes and boxes of Balis to be shipped out across the Philippines just made for the market. When I say boxes, I literally mean a box filled to the rim with Balis that are not in packaging. Sigh...what ever happened to taking pride in your work. I also have a Bali that I got from my friend who told me his father used to carry(made in the 60s or 70s). The workmanship surpasses all the recently made balis I own. Im curious to know what happened to all those Batangas smiths who put out those high quality bolos back during the revolutionary era. My roots stem from Batangas and I have traveled up and down that province. And I did not see any bolo that would compare to the quality and detail of the bolos from 100 years ago.

My uncle owns a barber shop here in the states and the wait is 2 hours average just to get a cut by him. There are two other barbers in the shop and their is no wait for them. My uncle always told me, the faster you cut, the quality goes down, along with your clientele...nobodys gonna want to come back. People always want quality, and if they want the best they will pay and wait. Thats how you stay in business.

Batangas still puts out higher quality blades then most other known blade towns and provinces in Luzon. But I can see the quality and trade slipping away. I'd hate to see that Batangas blade reputation go down the drain.

Interesting viewpoint--thanks for sharing. Yes, I believe balisongs are being made just for the market--the older FHMs I've seen look like they were much better made, and I've seen lots of aluminum used in current balis. I also saw a lot of Chinese balisongs and automatics in Barangay Balisong and Buli, which saddened me a great deal. You can still get quality items made, however, but you won't get them off the rack--you have to custom order them and the price is higher, but IMO it's worth it.

As someone who cuts their own hair and uses a straight razor to get it right, I totally agree with your uncle--quality always wins over quantity IMO.

It looks like the seven balisongs I sent myself didn't make it through--I believe the fat dude at the post office stole them, but it could have been Customs. I'll give PhilPost a call a little later. I sent myself four by EMS and another three by regular mail, so the last three might still turn up.

[Dimasalang]

^^^
Glad you understand what I was getting at. Not that recent Balis from Batangas are all junk...It is just that you can start to see a decline. I still wouldn't mind owning any..even a junked one, I can fix myself.

Good luck with the shipment. I ordered a aluminum training bolo from Manila. Took a hell of a long time to reach me. I got it yesterday and it was opened by customs. Youll know it was held up when you see all the customs and homeland security tape.

[harimauhk]

Originally Posted by Dimasalang

^^^
Glad you understand what I was getting at. Not that recent Balis from Batangas are all junk...It is just that you can start to see a decline. I still wouldn't mind owning any..even a junked one, I can fix myself.

Good luck with the shipment. I ordered a aluminum training bolo from Manila. Took a hell of a long time to reach me. I got it yesterday and it was opened by customs. Youll know it was held up when you see all the customs and homeland security tape.

Was your bolo sent by Regular Airmail or by EMS? I contacted the local post office and they said that the EMS package never even got here. Friday was a public holiday in the Philippines, and then the weekend, but my last EMS package from Manila got here in two working days. Some of the balisongs I had in the EMS package were very special. I sent a very lightweight bali with white bone inserts back. It was one of the two I first bought in January. I also sent back the one with the Eagle tang and the one with the exposed tip (called a busebuse, or circumcised penis, in Tagalog...lol). I also put in the 24 cm one with kamagong inserts (shaped to have 8 sides...forgot what it's called in Tagalog) and the double edged 24 cm with horse bone inserts. Three of those balis were in leather sheaths.

At least I got the kris, bolo and the new usa (stag) balisong back home safe.

[harimauhk]

Got the first four and the last three should be here Monday morning. Amazing it took so long when Manila is only a two-hour flight from HK!

[harimauhk]

All of them made it--the one with the exposed blade is a busese. Still learning.