Notes

Butterfly Knife - The Prohibited Weapon
A butterfly knife , also referred to as a batignolles, fan knife or Butterfly knife, is a relatively small type of folding knife that originates from the Philippines. Its unique features are two handles opposite each other on the tang, thus, when closed the blade is completely hidden inside groves on the handle edges. The distinctive blade shape is what gives it its name, as well as the use of two handles; one on the top of the knife and another on the bottom. This feature gives it the ability to be used as both a pocket knife and a fixed blade.

Like many other types of traditional Filipino weapons, particularly those from the Philippines and China, the butterfly knife can trace its history back to the Philippines and the time of the Spaniards. The weapon was first used in hand-to-hand combat during the early days of the Philippines when the locals used the curved edge of banana plants to inflict injury and create openings in enemy lines. From there, they learned how to sharpen and shape their sharpened edges into usable blades for a variety of purposes. It was not until much later that the locals began creating the basic designs for the modern butterfly sword, which was derived from the utility of the Filipino knife and the need to create a compact and concealable weapon for use in battle.



The basic design of a butterfly knife is comprised of a flat tang with a v-shaped edge. The flat portion of the knife is composed of a heavier iron material. On the reverse side of the blade is a thinner but harder metal. These two materials, or alloy, are pressed together at the point where the knife blade meets the handle so that the knife can be rotated around both sides of the tang for ease of use. The result is a compact, concealable weapon ideal for rapid self-protection and open-hand battle drills.

As mentioned, the v-shaped edge of the actual blade is designed to twist and curl when the user moves his or her arm in a circular motion. Because of this, the Philippines and other countries have placed a heavy amount of focus on ensuring that their citizenry is well-equipped with the proper butterfly knife. To do this, they have developed two important standards that all manufacturers must adhere to if they want to be considered legitimate suppliers of the device. One such standard requires that any butterfly knife that is manufactured in the Philippines must incorporate a flip-out bite handle in order to allow the user to rotate around both the oblong and v-shaped blades.

Aside from a bite handle, a second, even more stringent standard requires that any butterfly knife that is manufactured in the Philippines be encased in a specialized, tamper resistant sheath. In the United States, butterfly knife manufacturers are required to incorporate a switchblades that are encased within a durable sheath. However, according to reports from the Philippine police, many manufacturers of these concealed weapons have been found to have left out one critical element that can make these knives illegal in the country - the switchblade. While the United States has made every effort to ensure that its citizens are equipped with adequate self-defense weapons like pepper sprays and stun guns, the Philippine government has not followed suit and continues to enforce an extremely strict set of laws regarding butterfly knife and switchblades.

Although the Philippine government has placed restrictions on the sale and distribution of butterfly knives and switchblades, they have yet to eliminate these highly popular and widely held instruments. Many tourists traveling to the Philippines and other Asian countries have been known to carry balisongs with them. The Philippine National Police have also alleged that Balisongs have been used in a variety of criminal cases, despite the fact that balisongs are strictly banned in the country. The sale and distribution of balisongs is also a huge industry in the Philippines, particularly among the poor. Despite being illegal, the sale of balisongs is still very lucrative, especially because many of the poor locals are believed to own at least one baliong.

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