Description
Four brass bolsters and the latch, all cut by hand with a flowing scroll, holding black horn panels either side of a hand-forged Damascus blade with a deep raindrop pattern. This is the most ornamented balisong we build that is still a knife rather than a display-only exercise, and the engraving is the reason to want it.
| Overall length | 9.1 inches |
| Blade length | 4.4 inches |
| Handle length | 4.7 inches |
| Steel | 1095 + 15N20 Damascus |
| Hardness | 58–60 HRC, oil tempered |
| Handle | – Black Horn with Brass Engraved Bolsters |
Engraving you can read with a fingernail
The brass bolsters here are cut by hand, not stamped. Run a nail across one and you feel the scroll catch, because a graver shears metal out and leaves a bright faceted floor inside every cut. Pressed ornament leaves a dull rounded floor and identical repeats. Hand work means the two bolsters on this knife are cousins rather than twins; look closely and the left and right patterns diverge. The latch is cut to match, which is a detail most makers skip.
Black horn against brass
Black horn is doing real work here, not just providing contrast. It holds a deep gloss with no coating at all, and polished brass reads warm beside it, so the handle shows two tones from across a room. Horn is softer than bone. It will pick up hairline scratches from a belt buckle or a pocket seam long before the brass does, and those scratches buff out with a rag and a little wax, which is an advantage bone will never give you. Where horn punishes neglect is heat. A car dashboard in July can lift a panel at its corner, so keep it indoors and out of sun.
Proportion and price
The handle is longer than the blade. That is the traditional Filipino proportion, and it is why the edge sits down inside the channel rather than riding against it when closed. This is a full-size flipper, not a pocket piece. At $290 it lands above our D2 bolster builds and below the fully engraved Ultra Line, which is about right for hand-cut brass on a Damascus blade. If you prefer the same horn with steel bolsters instead of brass, we build that pairing on a D2 blade.
The pattern in the steel
The raindrop effect comes from drilling or punching dimples into the billet before the final flattening, so the layers ripple around each depression instead of running straight. It is a specific, deliberate manipulation rather than the default result of folding, and it takes an extra heat and an extra set of passes to do well. Both faces carry it.
Care, kept short
Wipe the blade after handling and give it a light film of oil if it is going away for a while. Brass wants nothing; let it darken or polish it, as you prefer. Horn wants shade and a wax now and then. Do not leave the knife inside the sheath for long stretches.
Sheath, legality, and where it comes from
A tooled black leather belt sheath with a snap is in the box. Balisong law is not consistent between states or between countries and it is on you to check. The forging, the engraving, the horn fitting, the heat treatment and the final edge are all done at our bench in Memphis, and the knife carries our lifetime warranty.
Model: BMK-733
Nathan Edwards –
My uncle was speechless when I showed them this balisong. Action is smooth right out of the box, no break in needed. Bushings feel buttery smooth after just a bit of use. No hesitation recommending this to anyone looking.
Stephen Marsh –
Overall a good buying experience. Blade is sharp but not quite razor sharp out of the box. Minor nitpicks aside, good quality knife.
Grace Mendoza –
Couldn’t ask for a better balisong honestly. This flips cleaner than knives twice the price. Blade came shaving sharp straight out of the box. This is the kind of purchase that makes online shopping worth it.
Todd Smith –
Been eyeing this balisong for weeks and it did not disappoint. Weight is perfectly balanced for flipping. This flips cleaner than knives twice the price. Already telling my friends to check this out. Proud to support American made goods out of Memphis with this purchase.
Michael Freeman –
Rock solid quality for the price point. Pivots feel dialed in with zero blade play. Definitely bookmarking this shop for future orders.
Jose Chavez –
Really happy with this balisong overall. Would still tell others to give this a try. Not my first Black Mamba Knives order and it held up to their usual standard.
Antonio Alexander –
This is the kind of balisong you show off without even meaning to. Action is smooth right out of the box, no break in needed. This is my new favorite in the collection.