Balisong Making

The balisong takes its name from a barrio of Taal in Batangas where it has been made for well over a century: a folding knife whose blade is concealed between two handles that swing apart on pivot pins, allowing it to be opened with a flick of the wrist. Workshops in the barrio still make them by hand - blades forged from truck leaf springs and other salvaged steel, ground and hardened, handles cut from carabao horn, brass, wood or steel, and the pins fitted and peened individually. Watching the assembly is the interesting part; the fit and the swing of a good one are the whole craft. The complication is legal: the balisong is a knife, restricted or banned outright in many countries, and buying one as a souvenir means checking what your own jurisdiction and your airline permit before you carry it home. Taal itself, a few minutes away, is one of the best-preserved heritage towns in the country.

What you actually see

• The forging - blades worked from salvaged spring steel.
• The handle fitting - horn, brass and wood cut and shaped.
• The pinning - pivots fitted and peened by hand.
• The finished swing - the balance and action of a good knife.

When to go

November to May for travel. Weekday working hours; workshops are small family operations and close on Sundays.

Honest expectations

Balisongs are illegal to possess in many countries and cannot be carried in hand luggage anywhere - check your own law and your airline before buying. Workshops are small, hot and not set up for visitors; ask before photographing.

Nearby

Taal's heritage town and basilica are minutes away; Taal Lake and the Tagaytay ridge are north.