Balisong.

[arnisador]

What arts practice the balisong in full usage--hand load, partially opened as pincer/grabbing device, and flailing, as well as the obvious use as a knife once opened?

 

[tshadowchaser]

Sikaran teaches the balisong closed open half open as a flail
heck I've used one for a pair of plyers befor as well as a can-bottle opener.

 

[redfive]

Thats a good question. I have seen many instructors use it, or play around with them, but I have never seen a system dedicated to it. My instructor, Anding De Leon, always said that it was kind of a back street system in the Philippines. A gang art of sorts. He brought me one back from the Philippines a couple of years ago. It is called a veintinueve or 29, and thats how long the thing is un folded. Its a Balisong sword, but I sure don't flip it around like a do my other Balisongs. I have a couple of books by Jeff Imada, who is realy good with it, but as far as a stand alone system? .

well I am confused, thats supposed to me a smilies, how do I get the faces onto the post? yes I am stupid

 

[redfive]

Sorry, the smilies are there after all.

 

[knifeman.dk]

When I started in Modern Arnis in 1983 it was a must to be graded as a min. yellow belt in Balisong in order to take a Lakan Isa test. We had to change this in Denmark because the Balisong is illegal, but we can still be trained in Balisong by SGM Ernesto Presas. And his son (by the way) Jun Jun is a very good practisioner and teacher of the Balisong.
sincerely knifeman.dk
:asian:
PS: Datu Dieter Knuttel from Germany has made some very good videotapes - both for beginners and advanced - for balisong.
see - www.abanico.de

 

[arnisandyz]

I have never seen anyone teach balisong as a system on its own. I have always viewed it as another tool that fits into the knife portion of ______(fill in the blank) FMA. Typically the motions learned from a knife system translates to the balisong as well with the addition of a few special techniques as mentioned (pinching, flailing, loaded fist, and manipulation). I thinks its pretty much like a swiss army knife in the states, every boyscout has one, but how much are they formally trained to use the fork on the knife, they already know from a regular fork. The different manipulations probably come playing around with it. When my lolo grandpa gave me my first one he said all the kids have them in the Philippines. Similar to all the yoyo manipulations, it comes from play.

I could be wrong however. There could be a dedicated art on manipulation similar to the Japanese art of drawing the sword, but I've never seen it.

 

[arnisandyz]

I also heard of the "vientenueve", but the story I heard was of a fighter who dispatched 29 adversaries with a balisong (no mention of size). In any case I thing either story is an urban legend or myth.

 

[arnisador]

I've heard the balisong was for fighters who had lost a hand/arm but it seems to me that anyone might want a single-hand opening blade. Thinking of every kid having one is a bit scary though!