Description
The Black Crest is a dress balisong. Damascus blade, deeply engraved bolsters, dark horn scales, and a leather sheath to keep it in.
Bought most often by: collectors, and people buying a milestone gift. At 7.5 inches open it is compact for a balisong, which makes it pleasant to hold and look at but leaves less handle to work with than a full-size flipper. Buy it because you want the engraving and the pattern in the steel. Do not buy it as your first knife to learn drops on.
| Overall length | 7.5 inches |
| Blade length | 3.5 inches |
| Handle length | 4 inches |
| Handle | Dark horn scales with engraved bolsters |
| Steel | 1095 + 15N20 Damascus, 352 layers |
| Hardness | 58–60 HRC, oil tempered |
| Pattern | Damascus Steel |
Reading the pattern
The blade shows a tight, dense figure that runs the full length of the flat and tapers into a bright line down the center. That figure goes all the way through the steel, so it is still there after the blade is sharpened, and it will look slightly different on every knife because the billet is drawn out by hand. Two of these placed side by side will not match.
The horn and the engraving
Horn is a natural material and it behaves like one. It is warm to the touch immediately, it takes a deeper shine the more it is handled, and it can shrink very slightly away from the bolsters if it spends months in dry heat. Keep it out of a hot car and away from a radiator and that will not happen. The engraved bolsters collect skin oil in the cut lines, which darkens them and lifts the contrast. Most owners consider that an improvement. If you want it bright again, a soft toothbrush and warm water clears the recesses.
Care for a patterned blade
Damascus is carbon steel underneath the etch. It will spot if you put it away damp. Dry it as soon as you set it down, leave the faintest smear of oil across the flats, and never put it away inside the sheath. Leather holds moisture against steel, which is the single most common way these blades pick up freckles. One drop at each pivot keeps the swing quiet.
Will the pattern wear off? No. It is forged in, not applied. Heavy sharpening will slowly change how the pattern meets the edge, which is normal.
Is the horn dyed? Dark horn is naturally dark. Color varies piece to piece.
Can I carry it daily? You can. Most owners do not, because a working carry will scratch engraving that is difficult to restore.
Telling forged pattern from printed is worth five minutes before you buy any Damascus, and caring for a patterned blade covers the rest. If you would rather have something you can drop without wincing, the dyed bone D2 balisong is the working alternative.
Model: BMK-650
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