Folding Knives Archives

Flip Out: Four Balisongs To Trick Out Your Collection

Mike Haskew

March 3, 2023

Known By Many Names, The Balisong Is A Flipper’s Favorite Knife. These Four New Balis Are On The Cutting Edge Of The Style.

The balisong presents knife manufacturers with an excellent opportunity to express their design creativity and material preferences in a style that promotes pure enjoyment among flipping enthusiasts.

Long popular amid the knife-buying public, the balisong—aka bali, butterfly knife or simply butterfly—is a favorite of those who appreciate its mechanics, good looks and the sheer fun of flipping. With safety in mind, the manufacturers whose stock in trade includes the balisong provide new and innovative models on a regular basis.

Along with these, training versions are often available, while seminars, videos, instructional courses, and online conversations are always at hand for those learning to use the balisong for the first time, as well as seasoned veterans who want to broaden their horizons.

Squid Industries Krake Raken Bowie V2.5

Lucas Cao, president of Squid Industries, is excited with the performance of the company’s Krake Raken Bowie V2.5.

“It’s wonderful that everything about it is highly optimized for the best flipping experience possible,” he said. “Some notable special features are the machined handle texture and its unique balance profile. The mechanism is a combination of stainless-steel bushings and phosphorus bronze washers. What makes the bushings special is we manufacture them in-house on our own Citizen Cincom L12 Type 7 Swiss lathe with extreme precision. Our expert assemblers use the bushings to then create the glassy smooth swing that the Krake Raken is known for.”

The Krake Raken is available in both live and training versions, allowing users to become familiar with its operations without the worry of an injury, according to Cao. And reliability is a watchword from the factory floor to the buyer’s hand.

“All of our balisongs go through rigorous testing across a long period of time and with many different users,” Lucas explained. “Balisong flipping is highly subjective, so we make sure that the feedback we gather is from both beginners and experts inside and outside of the organization. While Squid Industries has several top-tier flippers in our own ranks, we also work with top flippers around the world to hear their thoughts on our latest developments.”

An accomplished flipper in his own right, the Squid boss sees customers in the balisong universe always on the lookout for excellent ergonomics, grip, balance and durability. The ideals are addressed at Squid with continuing revisions and upgrades to its balisong line that are generated through robust customer feedback.

Finding Squid in the marketplace is easy, and its commitment to the education and popularization of the balisong is evident in its sponsorship of the West Coast Flipping Championship, a 32-person-event live competition held each year at BLADE Show West. In addition, YouTube is well stocked with flipping and maintenance tutorial videos.

Knife Specs

Blade Length: 4.5 inches

Blade Steel: AEB-L stainless

Blade Closure: Latchless design

Handle Material: 7075 T651 aluminum

Weight: 4.33 ounces

Closed Length: 5.625”

Country of Origin: USA

MSRP: $284.99

Premium Alpha Beast Kukri

The Premium Alpha Beast Kukri is the latest from Bladerunner Systems and is another example of the continuing outreach the company provides relating to balisongs.

“Spreading the word has been part of our primary focus,” commented Bladerunner’s Edward Anthonis. “We have been active in the community, hosted online tournaments, provided video content, and partnered with retailers to spread the word about balisongs and what a fulfilling and amazing hobby and sport it is and has become.”

With the Premium Alpha Beast Kukri, Bladerunner puts its best foot forward.

“What makes any knife transcend being just a knife will always be the attention to detail given from a maker or designer that truly understands what makes a purpose-driven knife the best in actual application,” Anthonis remarked. “Our balisongs are built not only to be great knives but also to be great for balisong manipulation.”

The bushings of the Premium Alpha Beast Kukri are something special, and Edward says they are an integral component of most Bladerunner folding knives.

“We use bushings in most of our knives, and we find the action of a balisong on bushings works best for the intended application,” he stated. “Having the critical dimensions of a balisong in place combined with a well-tuned bushing system makes for the best flipping experience.”

For Anthonis and company, testing is always a part of a quality manufacturing process, particularly since he and co-owner Lawrence Ho are flippers themselves.

“Since we both flip and have our feet firmly planted in the balisong community,” Edward related, “we can test the products and also get them into the hands of other flippers to solicit their feedback.”

KnifeSpecs

Blade Length: 4.5 inches

Blade Steel: 154CM stainless

Blade Closure: Latch

Handle Material: Titanium

Pocket Clip: Yes

Closed Length: 5.375 inches

Weight: 5.3 ounces

Country of Origin: USA

MSRP: $439.99

Kershaw Moonsault 5050

“Our butterfly knives utilize four KVT-ball bearing systems,” explained Dominic Aiello of Kershaw/Kai-USA. “On each side of the two pivots is a ring of ‘caged’ ball bearings that enable the blade and handles to move quickly and smoothly.”

So it is with the Kershaw Moonsault 5050. Customer appreciation and response to knife offerings help move the company forward, and with its latest balisong the reviews have been quite positive.

“When we develop our butterfly knives, our goal is simple,” Aiello related. “We want to offer a high-quality USA-made product that is affordable and fun for everyday knife users and flippers. With that said, smooth flipping, comfortable handles, and good weight balance are keys with butterfly knives.”

For beginners interested in learning more about the fun of flipping, Kershaw offers the Lucha trainer. It closely replicates the size, weight and design of the original Kershaw Lucha bali.

Knife Specs

Blade Length: 4.6 inches

Blade Steel: 14C28N stainless steel

Blade Closure: Latch

Handle Material: Stainless steel

Weight: 6.1 ounces

Closed Length: 5.65 inches

Country of Origin: USA

MSRP: $249.99

Benchmade 85 Billet Ti Balisong

The Benchmade 85 Billet Ti Balisong is the product of modern technologies, processes and materials applied to a very traditional knife, says Vance Collver, company director of product line management. The knife’s best attributes include smooth, consistent action, and those who experience it are the best judges of that slick performance.

“If a balisong has any drag or ‘sticky’ spots in the rotation, it can affect timing during flipping,” Collver reasoned. “Durable materials—think about how often these knives get dropped when flippers are learning or trying out new or complex tricks—and style since it must look good too, are important factors. A balisong must be ‘cool,’ solid and function flawlessly.”

Benchmade folks take pleasure in walking customers through basic, fundamental flipping techniques at shows and various customer interactions, and several balisong enthusiasts and experienced flippers on staff at Benchmade put the company’s new product offerings through their paces.

“This knife is not available in a trainer version and is intended for experienced flippers or collectors only,” Collver advised. “Balisongs are part of our DNA at Benchmade. Our company was founded in the pursuit of the balisong, and to this day our logo remains a butterfly harkening back to our origin.”

Knife Specs

Blade Length: 4.4”

Blade Steel: CPM S30V stainless

Blade Closure: Latch

Handle Material: Titanium

Weight: 5.28 ozs.

Closed Length: 5.6”

Country of Origin: USA

MSRP: $750

Read More

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Trainer Butterfly Knife: Options To Hone Your Tricks
How To Close A Pocketknife

Spyderco Starmate: 25 Years Of The Definitive Terzuola Tactical Folder

Michael Janich

November 18, 2025

Spyderco Starmate: 25 Years Of The Definitive Terzuola Tactical Folder

Sprint Run Spyderco Starmate salutes Bob Terzuola and Sal Glesser.

“If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants.”—Isaac Newton

Although Newton penned these words centuries ago, the spirit of his quote is timeless. Applied to the world of knives, today’s high-performance, state-of-the-art tactical folders are the direct result of two cutlery industry giants: legendary custom knifemaker Bob Terzuola and Spyderco co-founder Sal Glesser.

Both members of the BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall of Fame®, independently these men each had a tremendous influence on the knife world. However, when they joined forces their impact was even more profound. One of their more influential collaborations was the Starmate, which combined the best elements of Terzuola’s iconic ATCF (Advanced Technology Combat Folder) and Glesser’s revolutionary CLIPIT platform.

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of this pivotal design—and commemorate several other important historical landmarks as well—Spyderco has introduced a limited-edition Sprint Run expression of the Starmate. To truly appreciate the knife, however, you need to appreciate the men behind it.

Brooklyn Boys

Sal Glesser (left) and Bob Terzuola (right).

Robert G. Terzuola was born in Brooklyn, New York, on Sept. 14, 1944. A diligent student, he earned a full scholarship to New York University, where he majored in vocational education. Upon graduation, he joined the Peace Corps and served in a variety of roles in Panama, Puerto Rico and Guatemala. During that time, he taught himself the art of jade carving and ultimately became the general manager of a jade jewelry company in Antigua, Guatemala. There he met Col. James Atwood, a former U.S. military intelligence officer, military edged weapons historian and CIA contract worker. Recognizing Terzuola’s skills as an artisan, Atwood suggested he try his hand at knifemaking and introduced him to many of his earliest customers—adventurers and soldiers of fortune in Central America.

With Atwood’s encouragement, in 1980 Terzuola began crafting handmade fixed blades. In 1982, he joined The Knifemakers’ Guild based on endorsements from the legendary Bob Loveless and Frank Centofante, Cutlery Hall of Famers in their own right. That same year Terzuola met Glesser at the New York Custom Knife Show.

A fellow Brooklyn native, Sal was—and still is—a passionate entrepreneur and inventor. He operated several successful businesses before he and his wife Gail founded Spyderco in 1976. Sal’s first knife-related product was the Tri-Angle Sharpmaker, an improved expression of the ceramic Crock Stick knife sharpener he and Gail sold at fairs and shows across the country.

A broad-based, four-position pocket clip supports all carry modes for the revival of the Starmate.

In 1981, Sal introduced the first Spyderco knife: the Worker. Its revolutionary design was the first to include a pocket clip for convenient, top-of-the-pocket carry and Spyderco’s signature Trademark Round Hole for swift one-hand opening with either hand. The inaugural member of Spyderco’s groundbreaking CLIPIT family, a year later the Worker was also the first commercial folder to offer the aggressive cutting power of a serrated blade. Together, these features defined the form of the modern folding knife that still endures today.

Synergy For SpyderCo

When Bob first met Sal at the New York Custom Knife Show, he was impressed with Sal’s showmanship as a salesman of the Sharpmaker. Terzuola was equally taken with the CLIPIT folding knife concept and its revolutionary features. Similarly, Sal appreciated the impeccable craftsmanship of Bob’s knives and their no-nonsense style. The fact that both men hail from Brooklyn gave them additional common ground, and they quickly became good friends.

In 1984, Terzuola moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico, and began making knives full time. A year later, he learned the intricacies of making a linerlock folding knife directly from its inventor, renowned custom knifemaker and Cutlery Hall-of-Famer Michael Walker. Bob also asked Sal’s permission to incorporate the pocket clip into his folding knife designs. Sal not only gave Bob his blessing but generously sent him a box of Spyderco’s early three-screw clips.

Eric Glesser (right), today’s driving force behind Spyderco, was the catalyst behind the Starmate project.

Armed with the knowledge he had learned from Michael Walker and the inspiration of Sal’s CLIPIT concept, Terzuola turned his focus toward making folding knives. His first two designs—the Model 1 Utility and the Model 2 Mariner—were primarily utilitarian in nature. Both offered one-hand opening via a thumb disk, which Terzuola pioneered, and early versions were crafted with Spyderco clips.

After the success of those designs, Bob turned his focus back to the needs of his original clientele—soldiers and armed professionals—to create a low-profile, no-nonsense folding knife suitable for both defensive and utilitarian use. His third folder design, the ATCF, became Terzuola’s most iconic model, and Bob was attributed by many with coining the term “tactical folding knife,” aka “tactical folder.” With that, he became a pioneer of the genre.

First Collaboration

At the 1989 SHOT Show, Sal and Bob were discussing Spyderco’s growing line of CLIPIT knives when Bob commented that, despite their groundbreaking features, they were ugly. Sal quickly countered with an offer: “You design a pretty one and I’ll make it.” Terzuola took Sal’s challenge to heart and not only delivered a design that showcased both his personal style and Spyderco’s Trademark Round Hole, but a series of specific conditions for its production.

Spyderco ultimately discontinued the first-generation Starmate but reintroduced the knife in 2012. Crafted in Japan, the reintroduction featured full stainless-steel liners and a VG-10 stainless steel blade.

That design, the C15 Bob Terzuola, established Bob as Spyderco’s first collaborative designer. It also made history as the company’s first made-in-the-USA model, the first Spyderco knife to feature a linerlock, the first production knife to use ATS-34 stainless blade steel, the first factory-made knife to use a laser-cut blade, and the first CLIPIT to offer two-position carry. Introduced in 1990 with machined aluminum scales, in 1994 it made history again as the first factory knife to feature a G-10 handle. It was later joined by a smaller counterpart, the C19 Bob Terzuola Jr., which also was made with both aluminum and G-10 scales.

The Starmate

By 1999, Terzuola had established himself to many knife enthusiasts as the “Godfather of the Tactical Folding Knife” and among the world’s premier custom makers. Drawing inspiration from his acclaimed ATCF and his Century Starfighter designs, he partnered with Spyderco again to create the Starmate.

Manufactured in Golden, Colorado, the original Starmate featured a hollow-ground blade crafted from CPM 440V particle metallurgy stainless steel, smooth black G-10 scales, a single, nested stainless-steel liner, a linerlock, a round Spyderco/Terzuola inlay, and a pocket clip with a broad, triangular base configured for right-side, tip-down carry. It was produced in both PlainEdge and partially serrated CombinationEdge formats, and was an immediate hit with serious tactical knife users.

The original Spyderco Starmate was introduced in 1999. Here’s a first-generation model with an original product box. Note Terzuola’s distinctive dragon head blade logo inspired by the Mayan god of flint tools and edged weapons, Etz Nab.

Although the first-generation Starmate was ultimately discontinued, in 2012 Spyderco resurrected and updated the design. This time it was manufactured in Japan with a saber-ground VG-10 stainless steel blade, full stainless-steel liners, peel-ply-textured G-10 scales, and a four-position pocket clip configurable for left or right-side, tip-up or tip-down carry. The rebirth of the model introduced a new generation of knife enthusiasts to Terzuola’s exceptional designs, which included two other Spyderco collaborations—the non-locking C131 Terzuola SLIPIT and the C174 Double Bevel.

Milestones

Reflecting on the rich history of Terzuola’s many accomplishments and his longstanding relationships with Glesser and Spyderco, in 2025 Sal’s son and heir, Eric, decided to create a special Sprint Run expression of the Starmate. Eric’s goal was to commemorate Bob’s 45th year as a knifemaker, his 81st birthday and the 35th anniversary of his first Spyderco collaboration. Like all Sprint Run projects, this limited-edition version of the design features a combination of materials unique for Spyderco and that the company will produce only once. Manufactured at Spyderco’s factory in Golden, Colorado, it pays homage to the profound impact both Terzuola and Glesser have had on the knife industry and their pioneering roles in creating the genre of the modern tactical folding knife.

Bob Terzuola (left) delivered the induction speech for Sal Glesser (right) when Sal entered the BLADE Magazine Cutlery Hall of Fame® in 1999. Terzuola was inducted in 2023.

The Starmate Sprint Run edition faithfully revives Terzuola’s iconic design and elevates it with a blade crafted from CPM 20CV—a highly wear-resistant, powder metallurgy stainless steel that contains a high volume of vanadium carbides and the highest amount of chromium of any vanadium-rich stainless steel currently available. This distinctive alloy composition gives it a remarkable combination of edge retention, corrosion resistance and toughness and makes it ideal for the Starmate’s intended scope of use.
The knife’s hollow-ground blade features a handsome satin finish and a prominent swedge (unsharpened bevel) on the spine that adds distinctive style while ensuring an acute, utilitarian point. It also includes a large Trademark Round Hole accessible for ambidextrous one-hand opening and announces the knife’s Spyderco pedigree. A section of gimping above the hole provides a high-traction thumb purchase for enhanced control during use. The blade’s reverse side features a laser-engraved dragon head—Terzuola’s distinctive logo inspired by the Mayan god of flint tools and edged weapons.

The Starmate’s blade is supported by a sturdy linerlock and housed in a handle of black G-10 scales and nested, skeletonized stainless steel liners. The scales have a peel-ply texture for a non-slip grip and, like the original version, are accented by an inlaid Spyderco/Terzuola logo. To allow convenient carry, keep the knife poised for instant access and pay homage to the time-tested CLIPIT concept, it includes a four-position hourglass pocket clip. The broad-based clip is easily configurable for left- or right-side, tip-up or tip-down carry and, in the tip-up position, straddles a lanyard hole that allows the easy attachment of fobs, lanyards or security lines. In keeping with the knife’s tactical styling, the clip and handle hardware all feature stealthy black coatings. To complete the package, every knife comes complete with a zippered nylon pouch embroidered with the Spyderco “bug” logo and a detailed product information guide explaining the design’s history.

Bob Terzuola was Spyderco’s first collaborator and still reigns as one of the company’s most prolific collaborators. Here’s a selection of Terzuola-designed Spyderco folders.

Spyderco’s limited-edition Starmate is a proud tribute to two of knifemaking’s most legendary and influential figures. It is also a vivid reflection of their individual innovations, their longstanding friendship and mutual respect, and the powerful synergy of their collaborative efforts. This elite expression of the Starmate will be available while supplies last through Spyderco’s worldwide dealer network and directly from Spyderco.com.

Spyderco Starmate Sprint Run Specs
Designer: Bob Terzuola
Blade Length: 3.74”
Blade Steel: CPM 20CV stainless
Blade Thickness: 0.145”
Blade Grind: Hollow
Edge Length: 3.68”
Handle Material: G-10
Lock Type: Linerlock
Pocket Clip: Ambidextrous; 4-position
Knife Weight: 4 ozs.
Closed Length: 4.99”
Country of Origin: United States
MSRP: $450