Something I just noticed about the 42, as opposed to the 51 & 31. On the 42, there is a spot right behind the choil where you can grip the bite handle (way up high,) and not get "bit" by the blade This doesn't exist on the 51, so there are more possibilities with the 42 than I previously thought.

Sure, there are ways to flip either one by the bite handle without cutting yourself, but I prefer the relative safety the 42 offers.

But I still don't flip any balisong without taping the blade. My fingers are FAR more valuable to me than my ego, as are my feet. A dropped bali can murder your feet - I speak from experience!

That little bit sticks out and hits the back of the handle so that the blade's sharp edge doesn't. It's not on the 51 or 32 because they aren't channel-construction knives, so there's no need for that bit. It's usually called the "kicker".

It seems like that could be used in flipping at first, but honestly in practice you would be hard-pressed to find any use for it. What you'll find is that it's painfully impractical for your finger to ever be that high on the handle, and if it is that high, then the space between the blade and the handle becomes too wide.
Practically speaking, it's much easier to simply do zen-style rollovers and twirls when working with the bite handle than to try to wedge your finger into that tiny space.

quote:

But I still don't flip any balisong without taping the blade. My fingers are FAR more valuable to me than my ego, as are my feet. A dropped bali can murder your feet - I speak from experience!

Im glad im not the only one

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Originally posted by TheDoctor:
A dropped bali can murder your feet - I speak from experience!

I actually checked into the Urgent Care just a few days ago for this...

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Originally posted by World Crafter:
That little bit sticks out and hits the back of the handle so that the blade's sharp edge doesn't. It's not on the 51 or 32 because they aren't channel-construction knives, so there's no need for that bit. It's usually called the "kicker".

It seems like that could be used in flipping at first, but honestly in practice you would be hard-pressed to find any use for it. What you'll find is that it's painfully impractical for your finger to ever be that high on the handle, and if it is that high, then the space between the blade and the handle becomes too wide.
Practically speaking, it's much easier to simply do zen-style rollovers and twirls when working with the bite handle than to try to wedge your finger into that tiny space.

Oh, I definitely won't argue that, my friend. There are a few tutorials on YouTube where the technique is used, but I'm nowhere near accomplished enough to even attempt it. My mention of it here is due to the fact that I prefer the 51 for flipping and I was giving a "nod" to the 42 for something the 51 doesn't really have.

Your point is quite valid, and your advice welcome. Thank you.

To me, what the 42 has that the 51 doesn't, is a filing of solidity. That said, the 51 is so light it's worth it IMHO.

So, Korz and BMfan both have experienced the the anguish of "Balipodiatry?" My experience happened over 25 years ago with a Manila Folder (which I still have, BTW,) in Ft. Walton Beach, FL. I don't know if you've ever seen one, but they are extremely heavy, with very large brass handles and a "½ dagger" blade. By that, I mean the blade is sharpened halfway up the blade on the back. I also hade to make a trip to the clinic, as it was sticking out of my instep by itself. The weird part was, there was no blood running out of the wound after I yanked it out - just a slit with a tiny red pool in it. I had trouble walking for a good while afterward.

That incident is why I put it away and didn't pick it up again until recently. I did have a computer at the time - an Apple IIc, back when Apple was the best thing out there. However, the Internet wasn't what it is today, what with YouTube tutorials, web sites devoted to almost anything you can imagine, etc. Back then, you either had a 300 or 1200 Baud external modem and connected to a local Bulletin Board, or you got an account with CompuServe or Prodigy. Even then, though, there was nothing even remotely approaching a fraction of what we have online today.

So, I sit here, thankful for the others whose scars have prompted them to show me how NOT to slice myself to ribbons via YouTube and sites like The Flipping Arena. But, through my own experience, I have learned that, to flip, is to wear shoes. Better yet, riding boots!

Oh, yeah...and to TAPE THAT BLADE!

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Originally posted by BMfan:
To me, what the 42 has that the 51 doesn't, is a filing of solidity. That said, the 51 is so light it's worth it IMHO.

I agree, the 42 feels very solid. But the 51 just feels more comfortable to me. I think a lot of it is the beveled edges on the scales, which don't pinch like the 42 does.

Another big factor, I'm sure, is that I was flipping a 51 before I ever bought a 42, whereas anybody who has been seriously flipping for more than a year or so has been used to the 42, which has been the benchmark for balisongs for a long time, now. Sure, there are others that compare - some say they are far superior, but nearly every video you see, especially competitive flipping, the 42 is what you see.