Making the Balisong
Handle materials for the balisong include, but are not limited to brass, wood, bone, and horn from the carabao (water buffalo). The horse bone seen here, is first cut to shape from the raw materials and prepared for shaping.
Another artisan shapes the brass elements used to line the handle. Brass is often used for bolsters and handle tips. It is used to contain the swinging mechanism that allows a balisong to open and close.
Eventually, all the parts are assembled and the elements of the handle and blade are ground into a unifying shape.
This final blade and its handle are then polished and ready to be displayed for sale in one of the many shops along the small roads of Barrio Balisong and neighboring towns in Batangas.
