Description
Brass ferrules at both ends of each handle with a dark timber section captured between them, and a forged blade with a pool-and-eye figure running the length of it. The DB-05 is 9.4 inches open, 7.7 ounces, and it is the heaviest knife in this group by a small margin.
| Overall length | 9.4 inches |
| Blade length | 4.7 inches |
| Handle length | 4.7 inches |
| Steel | 1095 + 15N20 Damascus, 352 layers |
| Hardness | 58–60 HRC, oil tempered |
| Weight | 7.7 oz |
| Handle | Damascus Balisong Butterfly Knife with handmade brass handle and wooden handle |
Where the weight sits
7.7 ounces is a lot for a frame this size, and because the brass is concentrated at the tips of the handles rather than spread evenly, the knife has more rotational inertia than the raw number suggests. Openings feel deliberate rather than snappy. Once a rollover is under way it wants to keep going, which is exactly what you want for fan and helicopter work and exactly what gets in the way of tight, fast chaining. Buy it for the former and it will please you for years.
How the brass and the wood are arranged
The metal runs the full length of each handle with the timber set down into it, so the brass absorbs the impacts and the wood provides the grip. That layout captures the timber on all four sides instead of bolting a slab onto an outside face, which is the main reason wood stays put on a knife that gets thrown around this much. A framed insert resists twisting far better than a surface scale does, and twisting is what eventually loosens wood on a balisong. It is more work at the bench and it is the difference between a handle that lasts a decade and one that starts rattling in a season.
Hand size is the thing to check
A 4.7-inch handle needs a palm that can close around it and still leave clearance for the second handle to swing past your knuckles. If your hand measures under roughly three and a half inches across, handle a shorter frame before you commit to this one. Weight compounds the issue rather than causing it: the same span problem on a lighter knife just means an awkward grip, whereas here it means an awkward grip holding half a pound of moving brass. Our most compact brass build sits at the far end of the same catalogue if that describes you.
One care note
Dry the blade after every session, without exception. The high-carbon half of the laminate freckles if you do not, and freckling on an etched face is much harder to remove than it is to prevent. The brass will go brown regardless and most owners come to prefer it that way. The timber wants nothing but a dry cloth and a little oil once a year.
The dressier version
If you like this construction but want a warmer, more figured timber and a more formal finish, see the rose wood build with brass bolsters, which can be personalised before it ships. Both are forged, ground, etched, fitted and finished in our Memphis shop. Local law on these knives is not uniform, so check your state and your country before you buy.
Model: BMK-DB-05
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Sharon Bishop –
Really solid quality for the price point. Weight is perfectly balanced for flipping. This one’s a keeper for sure.
Andre Lewis –
This balisong is a genuine work of art. Blade came shaving sharp straight out of the box. Great buy overall.
Linda Stewart –
Knew this balisong was special the second I opened the box. Weight is perfectly balanced for flipping. This seller nailed it with this one.
Harold Sullivan –
Been eyeing this balisong for a long time and it did not disappoint.
Miguel Brown –
My whole family passed this balisong around at dinner just to look at it. Black Mamba Knives is quickly becoming my go to shop for knives. Handles have a great grip even during fast flips. Comes with a nice pouch which is a nice touch. Bushings feel buttery smooth after just a bit of use. This one’s a keeper for sure.
Victoria Phillips –
Ordered late at night on a whim and woke up glad I did. Blade came shaving sharp straight out of the box. Comes with a nice pouch which is a nice touch. This maker clearly takes pride in their work.
Travis Myers –
This is one of those purchases that just makes you smile. Action is smooth right out of the box, no break in needed. Highly recommend this one.
Ronald Bishop –
My brother couldn’t stop talking about this after I unboxed it.
Walter Kelly –
Photos don’t do this balisong justice at all. Can’t wait to see what else this maker has to offer. Not my first order from Black Mamba Knives and it won’t be my last.
Deborah Thompson –
Photos don’t do this balisong justice at all. Action is smooth right out of the box, no break in needed. Comes with a nice pouch which is a nice touch. This company just earned a repeat customer.