Spyderco Forums

Will Spyderco make butterfly knives? I'm looking for a butterfly knife and have been considering the Benchmade balisong but I would much rather have a Spyderco. Also, it would be nice to find one in the $70-100 range.

We have asked in the past, and, paraphrasing sal here...
"Autos are illegal in Colorado, and thus, we will not/can not make them."

I'm in the same spot you are, but up here they are completely illegal. Buying one from a guy at work for $30... probably a POS, after working with spydies for the last 2 yrs, but it's a butterfly I'll have.

VampyreWolf, thanks for responding so quickly. I have seen a few cheap butterfly knives($20), but wanted something more reliable. Oh well, I guess there's always the Balisong.

clipiteer

Clip, if you do a search on the MBC forum I asked a similar question about MBC knives I would like to see...I got a great explanations as to why we will probably not see a butterfly knife from Spyderco....

clipiteer, check out "Paratrooper" knives... they fit in the gray area of autos...

I just picked one up on the way home today for $20 from Cutting Edge. Only a 3" blade, but it's actually quite nice.

Well, it seems that our GM, Jeff, checked with the local police and has determined that it is not illegal for us to make Butterfly knives in Colorado. It is apparently illegal to carry/possess them.

Although, with Benchmade, as well as a number of other companies producing many butterfly knives, I question whether or not it would be worth our time to venture into that arena.

sal

Hi Sal,

While there are a bunch of companies producing balisongs, only Benchmade is making one of decent quality. Microtech will supposedly be making an extremely expensive (over $200) high-tech modular balisong sometime in the future -- but I'll believe it when I see it.

IMO there is plenty of room in the market for a limited production, Filipino-style, latchless Spydie Bali. Perhaps another SKU in the collection could be eliminated to make room for a balisong?

Edited by - Carlos on 6/2/2001 7:23:14 AM

"Filipino-style, latchless Spydie Bali" -
Done up with:
4.5" Spyderedge blade!
Magnet in each handle to keep it closed
Bottom 2 holes larger for "drop" openings
Clip on one handle, tip up carry.
Hole on same or second handle to convert to tip down carry

Please consider Boron Carbide coating. This would look awesome and the knives I’ve had with this coating have worn very well. Not near as fragile a coating as the Blak-Ti (I love it but I know Sal has been hesitant to return the Blak-Ti coating due to “flaking”, “scratching” & “chipping” problems in the past.


You can bet I'd get 3 or 4.


-In Beer there is Strength...-In Wine there is Wisdom...-In Water there is BACTERIA... Old German Proverb

sal,
Consider that by not entering the Bali market because there are "a number of other companies producing many Butterfly knives", that's like saying that Spyderco doesn't need to make knives with liner locks or fixed blade knives or lockbacks or any other type of knife because someone else already makes plenty of them. With that philosophy, Spyderco would have never existed[:-( ]because there were already plenty of other manufacturers making knives. Making Balisongs would also expand Spyderco's market. Benchmade would be the only real competition, because who in their right mind would choose that poor little dull Balisong rusting in peace over a Spydie Bali? The least you could do would be to make a limited run of them(which would instanty become collector's items; the first Butterflies made by Spyderco)to see if people would buy them, and then, when they did, start making a production Bali in VG-10 or 440V blade steel with Titanium handles, a 3.5 to 4 inch blade in Spyderedge,50/50, or PlainEdge, the "magnet latch" that WTFOVER mentioned and a Weehawk blade. Fellow Spyder knuts, what do you think? Would you like to see a Spyderco Butterfly? How about "Spyderfly" for a name? Sal, hope you"ll consider this.

clipiteer

clipiteer

Would I like to see a Spyderco Butterfly? Of course! Would I buy one? If I could. <img src="smile.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle>

Living in California, I can OWN a butterfly, I just can't buy, sell or carry one. And if I can't carry one, I don't think I'd want to own it.

That said, I think it'd be a great idea for Spyderco to enter the Butterfly market. Like others have said, from what I've seen, only Benchmade is doing anything more than a mediocre job (and I think they've done an incredible work with theirs).

I know if I COULD buy/carry a butterfly, I'd like one a tad smaller than the Benchmade one (more of a 3" to 3.5 inch blade). Perhaps (should all this come to be someday) the guys and gals at Spyderco could produce a "full sized" and a "junior" sized edition?

Just my quickly depreciating two cents worth.

-Michael

An aside, does anyone know what the deal is with Butterflies and why so many states don't like them? I've never thought of them as "automatic"- no springs, levers or push buttons. In fact, they sometimes seem to take more work to open than a roundhole or thumbstud...

Edited by - TheMacGuy on 6/1/2001 12:07:38 PM

Dear Sal:

In case I never told you, I've been a balisong freak for a long time. As such, the idea of a Spyderco bali sounds phenomenal.

When I was in the military and working for DoD overseas, I carried a Benchmade Model 68 for about 10 years. It was my primary utility and defensive knife, as well as a great means of keeping myself entertained while waiting for helicopters and uncooperative foreign officials.

When I moved back to the U.S. and the prejudice against balisongs began to hit hard, I reluctantly retired my Model 68 and switched to a more conventional folder. Then one day I had the bright idea to circumvent the bali prejudice by creating a short-bladed butterfly with conventional handles that would be the equivalent of a California-legal switchblade. I promptly drafted a letter describing the concept and sent it off to Benchmade, but never received a reply.

How about Model 68-sized (about 4-inches)titanium handles (nicely rounded in cross section to roll easily), magnets in the handles, a pocket clip on the "free" handle (the one into which the blade edge folds), and a 1-15/16-inch blade with an extended, V-shaped tang for striking? The short blade/long handle combination would require a subtle technique adjustment to avoid getting nicked by the blade point, but I think it would be a great concept that might allow some bali fans to once again carry legally.

If that idea doesn't fly, make any other balisong design you want to the usual high Spyderco quality standards and put me down for three.

mike j

I would buy several spyderco balis. <img src="smile.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle>

My money is on bandages and cut-aids... *hee-hee!* <img src="wink.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle>

Sam

have spydies will travel

i'd defnitely love to see spyderco make a balisong. i have several cheapies and a benchmade (balisongs, that is), but i've always favored spyderco knives in any other area. if there were a spydie balisong, i'd love to have at least one. (besides, the design sounds pretty wicked! <img src="smile.gif" width=15 height=15 align=middle>)

Sal,

I believe that you would do very well in the Balisong market. This is an area which is about to explode with Microtech and others jumping on board. I know that there is a very active group of balisong folks over on bladeforums which are starving for quality made blades.

I've carried a Delica for the last... oh gosh, I forgot how long now... well since the early nineties. It is my favorite knife, even though it has seen a lot, and shows, a lot of use. The thought of a Spydie Balisong model definitely gets me excited.

I hope you recognize the potential in this market. I think you'll be happy with the results.

Regards,

Alan

I think another production balisong would be great. Right now Benchmade really only has one model.(handle colors and a comboedges are just preferences) On a second note, there isn't anyone making custom balisongs to order.(that is in a fast process) I would definately buy a high quality balisong from Spyderco.

Chung San

****! i thought that i'd posted this twice, but i hadn't, this forums i'm not used to!! i do need to be here more often!!
Anyway, i do want to see Spyderco come up with balisongs, i'd but more then a few...

Or maybe not, imagine how much blood i'd love if i had a bali with a spyderedge :O


"May all your detonations be expected"

Edited by - 2Sharp on 6/3/2001 7:31:15 AM

Edited by - 2Sharp on 6/3/2001 7:41:30 AM

Hi Sal,
now you have a serious new challenge: how to show that Spyderco can be successfull no matter which style or use has to be the knife for...
I'm sure you'll succeed, and I'll buy this Spyderbutterfly, because I know that it will be interesting in design, good in the quality of the materials, and original...like any Spyderco knife.

EX ALTO FULGOR

I like the quality and innovation off Spyderco knives. My EDC is a Starmate. So I would love to see a Spyderco balisong. For me it should have a blade shorter than 9cm to be legal. I would also appreciate steel or alluminium handles for a affordable price. It should be a user not just a collectors piece.