Making the Balisong
Although, some balisong are made from pure ingots or billets of stainless steel or other high grade steels, the blade of the balisong is often made of recycled tool steel or other carbon steels. Car parts such as bearings or leaf springs are gathered to serve as raw materials.
Seen here is a typical forge used by a panday or master blacksmith just outside Barrio Balisong. The forge and bellows design is the same as it has been for centuries. The bellows are pumped using a piston to drive the air. The air of the bellows is channeled into the forge to fuel the charcoal fire, which must of course be done to heat the metal to a temperature above its recrystalization point and therefore suitable for hot forging.
The panday uses an assistant for the heavy forging. The panday supports the assistant's heavy hammer with a smaller one [not shown] and moves the metal stock around the anvil to shape and condition the blade.
Here, the panday guides his assistant to cut the blank by wedging another steel piece through the malleable, hot metal. Each part of the process requires repeated heat treating so the blade can be fashioned.
Eventually, the blank is shaped into a blade, and tempered in oil or water. An edge is created and later sharpened. These blades are later assembled with handles and decoration by another craftsman or group of craftsmen.