All About Pocket Knives

Hi - I’m new to collecting knives and this forum. Can you help me in identifying what this type of knife is called? Is it used for a specific purpose. No markings, so I guess it’s considered unbranded? Are the handles bone? Thanks!

George25 wrote: ↑Sun Jul 13, 2025 12:33 am Hi - I’m new to collecting knives and this forum. Can you help me in identifying what this type of knife is called? Is it used for a specific purpose. No markings, so I guess it’s considered unbranded? Are the handles bone? Thanks!

Welcome here,George.
That is what is called a "Butterfly Knife" with bone handles.
I am truly unfamiliar with them but a lot of folks like them.
I'm sure more and better comments will be forthcoming.

I agree with Joe. Also known as a Balisong knife.

The “Butterfly Knife” moniker came about because Benchmade made one of, if not the first, Balisong knife and Benchmade’s logo is a butterfly.

My memory is extremely vague on the subject but it may have been “ Pacific Cutlery” who made the first Balisong knife.

Pacific Cutlery is the former name of Benchmade.

Thanks to all. This is very helpful info.

George25 wrote: ↑Sun Jul 13, 2025 2:51 am Thanks to all. This is very helpful info.

You’re welcome and thanks for joining the forum. We are glad to have you here.

Just to clarify, my post above was for informational purposes only. I am far from an expert but I do not believe that your knife was made by Benchmade or Pacific Cutlery.

It appears to be made by a different manufacturer whose name I have no clue. Good looking knife though and again, thanks for posting.

There are "butterfly knife" patents going back to the 1800's. The design has been around a long time, and variations have been produced since the 1800's in a variety of countries and continents, although they could have been produced long before the design was patented. No one knows for sure where the design originated, but many assume the Philippines.

Balisong is actually the name of a barangay (village) in the Philippines, where butterfly knives have been produced for a very long time, and still are.

Your knife looks like a typical Filipino-made butterfly knife. They crank them out by the thousands in the Philippines, with varying degrees of quality. They are often sold as tourist souvenirs.

They use them for everything that anyone else might use a folding knife for, but they are also commonly used as weapons.

Those handles look bone....but maybe ivory? Could be an old German made, maybe Bonsa aka Bontgen and Sabin

ThatWeirdKnifeGuy wrote: ↑Mon Jul 14, 2025 1:32 pm Those handles look bone....but maybe ivory?

That was my first thought too; coloring has the look of aged ivory. I looked at the handles long and hard under magnification but can’t tell for sure if bone or ivory. Are the black specks Haversian canals or just battle scars? I think it's bone but the only way to know for sure is to hold in hand.

Killgar is correct, these have been made for a long time, especially in the Phillipines. KA-BAR made one as a fishing knife in the 1920s-30s. Benchmade is a relative newcomer to the market of these.

George25 wrote: ↑Sun Jul 13, 2025 12:33 am Hi - I’m new to collecting knives and this forum. Can you help me in identifying what this type of knife is called? Is it used for a specific purpose. No markings, so I guess it’s considered unbranded? Are the handles bone? Thanks!

Filipino handmade balisong. Blade profile is called Debuyod (bowie) in the Philippines. Handles made of maybe horse bone because it tends to turn yellowish after some time.