Description
Ram horn is the only material on this shelf that gives very slightly when you squeeze it.
| Overall length | 9.1 inches |
| Blade length | 4.4 inches |
| Handle length | 4.7 inches |
| Steel | D2 tool steel |
| Handle | – Stainless Steel with ram horn Inserts |
Chosen by: people who flip for long stretches and notice what a handle does to their hands. Horn is keratin, the same protein family as fingernail, and it is not rigid the way bone and metal are. Over an hour of practice that small amount of compliance is the difference between a comfortable session and a sore palm.
Ram horn over a decade
Horn grows in layers, and layers can separate if it is treated badly. Kept dry and cool it is close to permanent. Put it through repeated soakings and heat cycles and it will eventually delaminate along a growth line. The color is never uniform, running from translucent amber to nearly black and sometimes both within one insert, and it deepens as oils work into the surface. No two are alike and there is no way to make them alike.
Grip in the real world
Metal handles get slippery once your hands are warm. Horn does not, or does so far less. That, together with the slight give, is why it remains a working material centuries after harder and cheaper options arrived. The stainless bolsters at either end still take the impacts, so the horn is never the part that meets the desk.
Where this pattern comes from
The 9.1 inch frame is not a modern flipping design that grew out of a tool. It is a tool that flippers adopted. Balisong history and origins covers how the Filipino pattern arrived at these proportions and why the handles finish longer than the blade.
Care: horn wants humidity, or at least the absence of dryness. Do not store it above a radiator or leave it in a car through a summer. If it ever looks chalky, a trace of neutral wax on a cloth restores it, while oil does not and heavy oil will soften the surface. The D2 blade gets the opposite treatment, dried and lightly oiled, because its chromium content resists rust rather than preventing it.
FAQs
Does horn smell? Only when it gets hot or wet. Cool and dry, it does not.
Is it the same as buffalo horn? Similar material, different animal, different character. Ram runs lighter and more translucent, buffalo tends toward solid black.
What else here uses horn? The ram horn and resin Damascus balisong stabilizes it in resin instead. If you would rather avoid natural material altogether, the all-steel D2 balisong has none in it.
Model: BMK-461
Jeff Coulter (verified owner) –
I have to say this is by far the nicest ballisong I’ve ever owned! The blade is truly razor sharp. It flips very smoothly and is getting even better with daily flipping. Description says ram horn handle inserts but it looks more like some sort of a dark hardwood? I could be mistaken but it’s still beautiful either way. It took quite a bit of cleaning to get the packaging oil off the knife. The leather sheath is very high quality even though I probably won’t carry it in it. The only thing I customized for my preference,was wrapping shrink wrap around the handle latch so it will stay open while flipping. If not the latch hits the handles marking it up. Not an issue if you don’t practice flipping like I do. If your a novice ballisong flipper,I recommend getting a unfinished blade because this is insanely sharp! You could actually shave with this blade! The customer service was great when ordering this and I think you’re getting a high quality knife for the price. This is now my EDC knife. I will definitely be making my future knife purchases from Black Mamba knives! Thank you
Emily R. (verified owner) –
This shop is a hidden treasure for knife enthusiasts. The butterfly knife I obtained here is a testament to quality and craftsmanship. It has quickly become one of my prized possessions.
Oliver H. (verified owner) –
I’m impressed with the meticulous attention to detail on the steel butterfly knife I received from this shop. It’s not just a tool; it’s a piece of art that I’m proud to own.
Daniel J. (verified owner) –
The steel butterfly knife I purchased here is visually stunning and incredibly functional. It’s now my preferred tool for various tasks. Highly recommended!