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#31 |
Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 88
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Here they are open and latched.
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#32 |
Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 88
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Here are pics of the bearing groove on the stag-handled balisong, the actual stag inserts, the narra wood and horse bone on the kris balisong from Liza Villareal and a group shot of my FHM collection, with my balis ordered from left to right chronographically (oldest ones first).
![]() I actually think the grooves from the bearings are interesting from an ethnographic point of view. Who knows what will happen to the beautiful, sleepy town of Taal and the balisong industry in the future? |
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#33 |
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Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 338
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It's good to know they're not just making ones with the blade serrated at the back and with a bottle opener. you know, the "rambo" ones that were so popular a while back?
I quite like the simpler ones. |
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#34 |
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 88
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The three I bought from Ona were stamped "ONA'S" on the bottom--you can just about make that out in the first pic. I tried to get a pic of the marking, but I couldn't make one. I personally prefer bearing steel and brass (the kris bladed-one is all brass, while the rest have aluminum channels), but Ona carries aluminum-handled 29s with deer inserts and 440c blades. I guess his are good for EDC because of the light weight and corrosion resistance, but I like the durability of the brass and the razor edge I can put on the bearing steel.
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#35 | |
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 88
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![]() Mang Ona is a great guy and a real Batangueno barako! He's in great health for his age too--I think he's in his late 60s! Going to have him make me a matching pair of custom balisongs with clips soon. ![]() It might just be the kopeng barako, but I can almost smell the jeep and trike exhaust when I look at this thread! Last edited by harimauhk; 17th February 2010 at 03:59 AM. |
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#36 |
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Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 338
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Yeah, I'm not too enthused about stainless blades. They're okay for EDC folding knives, but even in balisong knives I'd probably want ball bearing/carbon steel of some sort if I wanted one. They'r illegal here so there'd be no use in me having a Balisong for every day carry though.
He looks like one of my uncles, except my uncle is in his early 50's (also, did you get my e-mail?) |
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#37 |
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 88
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I don't EDC anything stainless aside from my Nalgene and my SAK.
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#38 | |
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 88
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![]() ![]() The Customs guy at the airport said "kris!" when my bag went through the X-Ray--I had a two foot long kris and a bolo in there too, but he didn't comment on the bolo. A few minutes later, he came up to me and said, "you know, the fan knife in your suitcase is prohibited. The other guy said I should confiscate it." I told him I only had one and he said, "it's probably better you check in early. I'll tell the guys that you're a good guy. Don't worry." He didn't ask me for money (I thought he would), which was pretty cool. Apparently lots of balis get seized at NAIA, but I always seem to get through just fine (although I did get asked for cotong (is that the right spelling in Tagalog?) in January. |
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#39 | |
Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Manila, Phils.
Posts: 1,042
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![]() Because reading the shipping rules thru the balisongs in post no. 31 above, the balisongs don't fall under any of the prohibited items ![]() Those guys at the Manila [NAIA] airport customs & security are inconsistent, but they tend to be more forgiving especially to tourists and foreigners. PS - "kotong" is the usual spelling, but "c" is also ok. but of course kotong is not ok ![]() On a related matter, I passed by Lipa City, Batangas yesterday. I took that opportunity to go to the public market to look for some utility bolos. I was with my wife and both of us know the routine -- I check out the sharp and pointed things, while she checks out the household goods which I think we have enough already. The feeling is mutual as I'm sure all can surmise, and the modus vivendi works out very well ![]() The bolos' price range is from US$ 4, to 10 (the latter being the "disubo" [literally, "was made to swallow"], that is, a bolo with a harder steel metal insert along the cutting edge side. Here's a pic I took of the some of the bolos, with shop assistant taking the opportunity to pose with his goods: |
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#40 |
Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 88
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Thanks for posting that pic up Miguel! I was in Lipa twice last week and I never thought to check the palengke...I went to Robinson's looking for Batangas t-shirts with balisongs on them, but they were sold out.
![]() ![]() I also saw similar kris and bolo on Raon in Quiapo on Friday. |
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#41 |
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Manila, Phils.
Posts: 1,042
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harimauhk, looks like you've been places
![]() i've never been to raon in such a long time. i should check it out soon ... |
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#42 |
Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 88
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I bought a santa rosario outside Quiapo church on Friday, and 20 Piso of those roasted peanuts and a Barangay Police t-shirt on Raon.
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#43 |
Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 264
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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. ![]() |
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#44 | |
Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 88
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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. |
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#45 |
Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 264
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^^^
Glad you understand what I was getting at. ![]() 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. ![]() |
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#46 | |
Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 88
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![]() At least I got the kris, bolo and the new usa (stag) balisong back home safe. |
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#47 |
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 88
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Got the first four and the last three should be here Monday morning.
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#48 |
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 88
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All of them made it--the one with the exposed blade is a busese. Still learning.
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