from web site
There were likewise really similar designs to the balisong produced in England in the late 19th century, presumably likewise originated from the pied du roi. But like the latter they were mostly utilitarian tools. Building and construction [edit] There are two primary kinds of balisong building and construction: "sandwich construction" and "channel building and construction". Sandwich constructed balisong knives are put together in layers that are typically pinned or screwed together.
When the knife is closed, the blade rests between the layers. For a channel built balisong, the main part of each handle is formed from one piece of material. In this handle, a groove is produced (either by folding, milling, or being integrally cast) in which the blade rests when the knife is closed.
Furthermore, the two building and constructions can be integrated to form the "chanwich building and construction", which involves two halves of a channel deal with screwed together. Although unusual, this building normally keeps the finest aspects of both constructions and discards the worst, as it retains the better handle shape channel building is known for, while still permitting modification of the tightness the handles are held together with to some level, as well as easier access to the within the manage for cleaning.
There are also 3 techniques of operation balisongs use: bearings, bushings, or just washers. Bearing operated balisongs have little ball bearings housed in a circular concavity around the hole in the pivot. Read This allow the deals with of the balisong to turn. Bushing run balisongs have a little metal bushing somewhat thicker than the tang in each pivot hole with a normally bronze disc called a washer on each side.
There are also washer-only run balisongs which are usually much cheaper and lower quality than the other kinds, as they do not require bushings, however the deals with will always bind to the tang when the screws are tightened up enough and the washers, tang and deals with all wear themselves down much quicker due to the increased friction.
Most modern-day balisongs, such as the Benchmade 51, do not use Tang Pins. Instead, they use "Zen Pins", which are two little pins embedded in the top of the deals with of the balisong which make contact with the bottom of the blade. A balisong with zen pins negates the problem of having the tang pins fall out (as is typical of some less expensive designs).