Magic Tricks for Kids

Before we talk about easy balisong tricks, let us know something about its interesting history. Balisong is a popular and glamorized type of Filipino pocket knife. Also known as a ‘Butterfly Knife’ (due to its twin handles) and ‘Beinte Neuve’ (Spanish for Twenty Nine) in some parts of the world. Other popular names include ‘click clacks’ and ‘fan knives’. A typical balisong is made up from layers of aluminum or brass connected together with pins. The two handles between which the blade is sandwiched are often covered with scales of rosewood, horn or other materials.

The word balisong is supposed to have been derived from a word in the Tagalog language (an Austronesian language spoken in Philippines) called baling sungay (meaning ‘broken horn’). That is because the original balisong knife was made from broken horns of animals. The first use of balisong type knives can be traced back to province in Philippines called Batangas. These knives are handmade there locally by specialists.

If we go way back in history, the first mention of a balisong like weapon called a ‘butterfly knife’ was made in a French book called ‘Le Perret’ in 1710. It has a detailed description of this knife and says that it was developed as a utility type of knife in the 16th century. There are two conjectures about its origin in history. One is that the balisong is an invention of ancient Filipino natives and it dates back to 800 AD being an integral part of a ancient fighting system in Philippines called Eskrima.

The other theory is that this kind of knife was transported to Philippines by the Spanish people who ruled the country. The spread of this weapon to United States of America occurred during the second world war. American soldiers returning to US from the Pacific islands brought the balisong to US and popularized it there as a pocket or utility knife. It is also used as a fighting weapon by some people and for amusement in the form of flipping it as an art form. In the next section we will have a look at basic balisong tricks that anybody could learn.

How to Do Balisong Tricks?

Before we go ahead with basic balisong tricks, let me talk about some safety measures. Wear protective boots while practicing and make sure that you put thick tape over the sharp edge of the knife to prevent injury. Even with the tape practice carefully.

Partial Open Vertical Flip
Let us have a look at the most basic trick called the partial open flipping trick. There are many more ways to open this type of a knife, but this one’s the simplest one. Open the latch of the balisong which is normally on the handle that is other than the safety handle. Begin with the initial position. Hold only the safe handle of the balisong and let the other hang down in vertical fashion. From this position, the objective is to open the blade fully, without using hands. Make sure that your thumb is safely out of the way.

Give a slight vertical jerk through the wrist which will move the other handle (which is hanging down) to move upward due to the jerk. It must complete a total 270 degree arc and fall upon the other back of the hand to open the knife. Then you can close both the handles together. It is only a matter of judgment; as well as delicate and quick wrist movement which will enable you to pull it off easily.

Partial Open Rotational Flip
There is one more variation of this partial open flip that you can try. Just start with the same initial position and let the latch blade handle hang down. Then start twisting the handle clockwise through total of 360 degrees. As you twist it clockwise the latch handle will fall down and the blade will open automatically! You can create more variation of these basic balisong tricks. Once you master the basics, you can learn more. Watch balisong artists perform and learn more tricks!