How to make a butterfly knife at home: drawing, template, sketch and photo for making it yourself

Many fans of the balisong, popularly known as the butterfly knife, find uses for it in their own way. But every self-respecting owner can make a splash by showing the ability to effectively handle a knife.

A kind of culture has emerged - flipping, spinning, turning over, throwing, tossing the balisong. The artist handles him so bewitchingly that the audience falls into a kind of trance from the tricks. Flipping lovers themselves note the calming effect of its spinning.

How did balisongs or butterfly knives appear?

Experts cannot agree on a definite version of the appearance of the device. Philippine historians associate the pieces with heirlooms passed down by family members from generation to generation in the 18th century.

According to another version, the products were a symbol:

water;
sky;
land.

However, excavations did not confirm this assumption.
The second name is balisongs. Means "thundering" or "broken" horn. Scientists have found that the most ancient handles were made from animal horn. There is written information about this device, which dates back to 1905. At the same time, in Batangas there was the first production of products similar to modern models.

Blacksmith Perfect de Leon was the first master craftsman. It was based on noble metals, and the total length of the handle and blade reached 29 cm.

The European version was in demand in the 18th century. The ruler was designed on the blade and handle. Thus, the product is a direct descendant of the conventional folding model. There is an opinion that Europeans modified the Philippine exotic version.

Americans consider themselves creators. During the fighting in the Philippine Islands, the knife passed from American soldiers to Japanese soldiers. It was accessible even to local residents.

Butterfly knife.

Design features and repairs

Before you make a knife from plywood from scratch, study the characteristics of blade steels. Most likely you will have to order a blank, since it is very difficult to process high-strength alloy yourself. Spring or valve steel is more often used, but the handles can be made of anything, including waterproof plywood.

Wooden butterfly

Drawing of a balisong.

Butterfly or balisong knives were invented by Filipino fishermen.

They spread throughout the world after World War II, and are still popular today in various fields of application:

Before you make a butterfly knife from plywood, or rather make handles, carefully study the characteristic features of the product.
Absolutely symmetrical handle parts are comfortable for both right-handers and left-handers. The knife is considered folding, since the halves of the holder cover the blade when closed.
There are no springs in the mechanism; the halves are fixed on two hinge axes and a latch.
In order to make a product from scratch, you will need a drawing of a butterfly knife made of plywood, or a real example as an example.
When turning the blanks, make sure that when opening the balisong the halves turn 180º. They should rest against the transverse lower pin, fixing the blade well.

Finished plywood butterfly.

It is worth noting that your plywood butterfly knife can acquire an exclusive appearance and a solid look if you pay special attention to the decoration.

Note! Original carving and careful polishing will give the item an expensive look. Glued plywood after processing has a pattern identical to expensive types of wood, due to stains.

Waterproof varnish, applied in several layers and allowed to dry, will help to finalize the product.

Karambit knife

Karambit drawing.

The object has a rather frightening appearance, which enhances the effect if the knife is equipped with brass knuckles and teeth on a curved blade. If you don’t know how to make a karambit knife from plywood that is indistinguishable from the real thing, look at the interesting products in the photographs.

You will be surprised not to see two similar models, since there is no limit to the imagination of the masters of their craft:

Prepare a jigsaw, drill, files and sandpaper.
It’s good if you ordered or sharpened a high-quality blade in advance. It is easier to adjust the handle to it in terms of design and size.
For a preliminary sketch, it is better to use ready-made drawings of a karambit knife made of plywood, they are available on the Internet.
Cut out the drawn blanks with a jigsaw, mark the places for rivets or screws.

Ready product.

Amateur craftsmen who are confident in their skills can simultaneously make an imitation of brass knuckles. Plywood is not the most durable material, and a menacing appearance is more appropriate here for intimidation than for combat.
The halves of the handle are glued together and the blade with liquid nails and fastened with self-tapping screws. Next, the product is dried and finished completely.

Note! The Criminal Code of Russia does not consider a knife to be a bladed weapon if the length of the blade does not exceed 90 mm. When engaging in this kind of hobby, take this rule into account, and you will not have problems with law enforcement agencies.

Butterfly knife design

Folding mechanism. Opening, the blade comes out of the handle in which it is hidden. The handle consists of 2 plates with an area for the blade.

A blade connects to each half of the handle. This is what contributes to the opening and rotation of 180 degrees in the direction opposite to the blade.

Full opening results in exposure. A one-piece structure is formed by connecting two handles. Opening makes it possible to fix the handle. The product does not fit very comfortably in the hand. Not ergonomic.

The structure consists of:

blade;
latches;
2 pins;
handle (divided into 2 parts);
2 hinge axes.

Steel butterfly is the modern name. The blade is based on high-quality metal, and the handle is cheap and light steel.

This contributes to:

maintaining mass balance between the handle and blade;
bringing into combat mode by inertial movement with one hand.

Trick "Ventilation"

DIY for the kitchen.
DIY knife stand Element from the protozoa section. To perform it correctly and safely, you must follow the instructions:

The knife is taken by the safe part.
The blade is lowered down, and the fingers are folded into a tube so that the thumb and forefinger lightly hold the blade. The handle should move freely between the unused fingers and the hand.
The knife can be rotated using any comfortable method.
To return to the starting position, you need to catch the moment when the handle is located above the hand and slow down its movement as much as possible. The balisong should close on its own.

Performing the “Ventilation” trick with a butterfly knife.

DIY butterfly knife

For production you need to prepare:

grinder;
cutting and grinding wheels;
vice;
drill;
nozzles for metal carving;
center punch;
hammer;
set of screws;
flat and round needle file;
sandpaper.

DIY way of working:

Draw and print the sketch.
Stainless steel is used (thickness 2 – 4 mm).
Transfer the diagram to the metal blank.
Fixed and processed.

Butterfly knife: drawing.

Step 1 disassembly and cutting

Working method:

Remove the blade and copy. The result is a 6 mm stainless steel plate.
Next comes roughing.
Redraw and cut out the remaining part with an angle grinder with a cutting disc (thickness 1 mm).

Step 2 sanding to shape

Algorithm:

Using a thin grinding disc, the metal is removed to the required blade condition. Use a disc surface without an edge.
Using a folding disc, a smooth edge is achieved.
Use a file to remove burrs.
The width of each plate should be up to 14mm.

Step 3 drilling and installation

Working method:

2 holes of the same size are drilled in the blade. Stainless steel is easy to drill. A sharp drill and plenty of lubricant will help with this.
A wire is passed through a hole with a diameter of 1.6 mm. They are welded using a welding machine.

Step 4 painting and playing

The blade can be painted any color. It all depends on taste and desire. But most often they choose a black tone.

How to handle a butterfly knife so that it lasts a long time

When handling a butterfly knife, you should follow several rules:

training ones, which have a lot of holes on the handles and the blade itself, should be regularly cleaned and washed so that dirt and debris do not disturb the balance of the product;
the same rule is true for a real balisong; the blade and other metal parts must be wiped dry;
Regardless of the type, keep an eye on the fasteners that secure the shank, Bite and Safe, since the main disadvantage of tools of this type is backlash;
moving steel elements must be lubricated from time to time with gun oil;
if tricks are performed with a sharpened knife, you should do it not at home, but where it is not a pity or possible to spoil the floor and wall covering;
do not throw the weapon at the wall, it is not throwing, such handling will quickly deteriorate;
The instructions for using a butterfly knife require monitoring the condition of the pin on the blade; if it doesn’t hold well, you can slightly flatten it with a hammer, but not bend it.

Flipping with a balisong can be simple or complex. The first one is available to everyone. Complex things require more attention, memory, and dexterity, but they can also be learned.

What are some tricks with a butterfly knife?

Butterfly knife tricks can be divided into simple and complex. You should start learning effective techniques from the very beginning. These include several balisong tricks:

Basic Open,
Open Close,
Icepick Spin,
Icepick Close,
Fast Open,
Fan,
Lunch Dock,
Vertical Chaplin,
Aerial Balance,
Fixed Flipping,
Basic Reversal.

More complex feints with a butterfly knife are:

Backhand Aerial,
Scissors,
Orbit,
Around the World,
The Fun Rollover,
Chaplin's Icepick,
Behind The 8 Ball,
Fakeout
Index Roll.

They are classified as an average level, but the techniques are available only to those who have mastered the first group of feints. Those who have reached the highest level of difficulty, that is, advanced tricks, manage to spin the butterfly very beautifully:

Kiss Goodbye,
Shortstop
Og Chaplin,
Twirl Ladder,
Knuckle Duster.

Balisong lovers are constantly coming up with new exercises, so their list is likely to grow.

Tips for Beginners

A real balisong is a serious weapon, so to learn tricks it is better to buy an inexpensive knife, for example, from Viking Nordway. Or a training one, with holes on the handle and blade. They are light and balanced, which is what you need for learning.

A beginner will also need a few safety rules:

It is necessary to distinguish between the balisong handles. There are two of them – Safe (safe) and Bite (dangerous). On the second there is a clasp that holds both parts together. To avoid confusion in the names of the handles, you can paint them in different colors.
Cover the cutting edge of the blade with adhesive tape. A fabric one is needed, it is denser. If the blade somehow hits your hand, you will avoid getting cut.
Break each trick into several stages. And learn to perform them one by one, and not strive to do each feint in its entirety at once.
For flipping, use only a working knife. A common problem with balisongs is the loosening of the fasteners connecting both handles to the shank. You can tighten the butterfly knife using thread locker or glue. First, the fastener is unscrewed. Then, using a pin, apply a little glue (not quick-drying, but hardening within 24 hours) to the thread. The mount is screwed into place and the gun is left alone for 24 hours.

To properly twirl a butterfly knife, while learning, you should have a video of the action you are interested in before your eyes.

Swiss knife model

You can also make a Swiss knife out of paper. It received this name because it was used as a weapon in the Swiss army. It was red. The finished craft can be used in gameplay or presented as an interesting gift to fans of such weapons.

The design of a knife is carried out using the following tools and materials:

cardboard, preferably white;
a simple pencil;
bolt with nut or rivet;
glue and needle.

Manufacturing process:

Sample

download the template, print it and cut it out;
take white cardboard, apply the cut out elements, trace them with a pencil, and cut them out too;
now we take a needle and pierce the blade, body and saw at once, take out the needle and insert a bolt or rivet;
Next, we take glue and drip a little onto the workpiece, but it is worth considering that the blade should not be in the glue;
then we place one part of the body on the other and fix the workpiece.

The knife is ready, now you can decorate it, if you wish, of course. So we have made the main versions of knives, now we will tell you how to make a karambit knife out of paper.

Simple rotation

Basic Twirl is a more complex trick compared to the previous ones. The knife is taken with the safe side, held with all fingers except the thumb - it should remain free. The rotation of the butterfly begins with the brush. While moving, the knife should be moved with your fingers. The balisong is thrown over the middle finger, while the ring finger is moved to the safe side. The entire process is carried out while the butterfly is open. Then the sharp handle is thrown onto the index finger. During such a rotation of the butterfly, it holds the part first with the middle and index fingers, then the middle one is replaced by the thumb. The main thing in this trick is to make sure that when connecting the two handles, the thumb is removed at a sufficient distance so as not to damage it.

Performing the “Basic Twirl” trick with a butterfly knife.

The tricks presented above and the instructions for them will allow you to master a base that anyone can do. And it is also worth remembering about personal safety. At first, it is advisable that the blade be sealed with adhesive tape. A responsible approach to learning will lead to the desired results very quickly.

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Opening and closing the knife

The knife in its classic form appeared on the Philippine islands. The Asian version of the appearance of the knife is similar to an ancient legend. This story dates back to the 8th century, it was then that Filipino sailors seemed to come up with such knives. One part of the handle symbolized the sky, the second part the earth, and the blade the surface of the water. Fishermen passed on their knives to their children and grandchildren. This version is refuted by scientists who have not found a single ancient knife of a similar design.

So, for a normal training process you will need:

butterfly knife;
step-by-step instructions (training video);
adhesive plaster.

Opening and closing is the simplest and most basic element; only after it has been mastered perfectly can you move on to the next trick. To deftly open the knife, you need to turn its safe handle towards you. All fingers, with the exception of the thumb, should be on the dangerous side.

With a sharp movement, turn the balisong so that your index finger holds the safe handle on the right, and all the rest remain the same.
After this, you should lower the lower part of the knife so that it is in a free position.
Raise your hand up and move it forward, thus placing the lower part of the knife on it, and the blade, on the contrary, down. In the next motion, grasp the safety handle from below, keeping your thumb slightly higher.
Next, you need to sharply raise your hand and remove your thumb, after which the handles will connect.
To close the butterfly knife, turn the blade away from you. Together with him, throw the dangerous handle behind your index finger.
Lower the blade down, holding the second handle at your sides. And then, with a sharp movement, return them back.

Offers from European manufacturers

DIY knife stand: how to make stylish hanging and tabletop homemade stands

Before you treat yourself to a new acquisition, it’s worth familiarizing yourself with the rating of the best and most popular folding models. These products are characterized by the highest build quality and long service life.

The top best devices in the world rightfully include:

Kershaw Launch 1. A very famous American model, made of high quality steel. The build quality is truly second to none

The blade is covered with black resistant enamel, due to which there are no glares on the surface of the blade that can attract unnecessary attention. The product fits comfortably in the palm of your hand, the aluminum handle is very light, which has a positive effect on the speed of striking. Spyderco Autonomy

The device has a blunt end and is perfect for cutting part of the rope. This knife was created specifically for the American Coast Guard and only recently went on sale. Autonomy has been extensively used in rescue operations. The flow model is made of H-1 steel, and therefore does not rust, even if placed in salt water. The device has a large, convenient release button and is comfortable to use with gloves. Benchmade Black Infidel. An unusually sharp and incredibly durable unit. The blade is made of ultra-strong D2 steel. The model will be convenient for both right-handed and left-handed people. The product looks thin, but this impression is deceptive. When unfolded, this is a very large knife (almost 9 inches). Boker Kalashnikov. The most inexpensive device on the entire list. This is a Chinese assembly of excellent quality. The unit is very similar to the AK-47 clip and got its name in honor of the Kalashnikov assault rifle. The knife has a very convenient button location and a safety mechanism, so you won’t accidentally open the device and cut yourself. Protech Godfather. This knife is not only an extremely effective device, but also a real work of art. The narrow blade is very similar to the one with which Italian stilettos are equipped. It is designed more for making short stabbing blows than for cutting fishing line. The spring mechanism allows you to unfold the knife in a split second.

Plywood knives: how to repair kitchen utensils, design features and repair of a wooden butterfly and karambit