Schrade Manilla Stainless Balisong Knife Review

If you are ever on the lookout for a classic old timey knife, there is no better place to begin your search than with Schrade knives.

Schrade Cutlery Company had its roots in the New York Press Button Knife Company, formed in 1892 by George Schrade, an inventor from Sheffield, England. Unable to raise sufficient capital to begin knife production, Schrade sold a partial interest in the company to the Walden Knife Company. The company’s unusually name arose from its first knife design, a switchblade or automatic opening pocket knife with an operating button mounted in the knife bolster. First patented by Schrade in 1892, the knife was eventually produced with a unique style of clip point blade. In 1903, Schrade sold all of his interest to the New York Press Button Knife Co. to Walden Knife Company. The following year, Schrade formed the Schrade Cutlery Company in Walden.

IN 1906-07, Schrade patented the Safety Pushbutton Knives, an improved series of switchblade knives with side-mounted operating button and a sliding safety switch. Later developed in slightly modified form as the Presto series, the Schrade switchblade would come to dominate the automatic knife market in the United States for the next fifty-five yeas. In the 1920s, Schrade bought the defunct Walden Cutlery Company in order to obtain their stocks of handle material for his knives.

From 1911-1916, George Schrade resided in the knife making center of Solingen, Germany, where he ran a small workshop. There Schrade developed a new type of switchblade knife, which he titled the Springer. However, in 1916 the German government seized all of Schrade’s assets in Germany to assist its war production. Schrade returned to the United States, though his Springer switchblade would live on; now unprotected by patent, the type was manufactured by several Solingen shops for many years thereafter.

In 1917, Schrade licensed a fly lock switchblade design to the Challenge Cutlery Company, which he then joined. Schrade pursue his knife making interests of both Challenge and at Schrade, where his brother George now managed one of the company’s factories.

Not long after the doors were closed, Taylor Brands LLC quickly picked up the brand name to revive Schrade, Old Timer, Uncle Henry, and Imperial brands. Taylor Brands was already a licensed manufacturer of Smith & Wesson knives; so it was clear that these knives were in good hands.

Today we will be talking about the Schrade Manilla butterfly knife.

The Blade:

The blade on this knife is made out of D2 Tool Steel. This is a high end steel that is often referred to as a “semi-stainless” steel because it falls just short of the required 13% chromium that would make it a full stainless steel. But, because it is semi-stainless, it still proves a good amount of resistance to corrosion. Also, D2 steel is going to be much harder than other high end steel such as 154Cm or ATS 34 and because of this, it will hold an edge longer than the others. But, because it is much harder, it is a lot harder to sharpen; you will probably require a master-sharpener to really get a fine edge on this steel. The last drawback that this steel features is that it is not as tough as other steels.

The blade has been finished with a satin finish, which is created when the manufacturer repeatedly sands the blade in one direction with an increasing level of fine abrasive. This blade finish style is the most traditional blade finish that you are going to come across; its luster falls right in the middle of the spectrum, with a highly polished finish being much more reflective and a coated finish being much less reflective than a satin finish. The satin finish is created and designed to show off the fine lines of the steel while also showcasing the bevels of the blade. This finish is going to provide your knife with a very traditional look that will never go out of style.

The D2 steel has been carved into a clip point style blade. This is one of the most popular blade shapes that is in use today. This blade shape is also a great all-purpose blade. The shape of this blade is formed by having the back edge of the knife run straight from the handle and then stop about halfway up the knife. It then turns and continues to the point of the knife. This cut out area is straight and is referred to as the clip of the blade, which is also where the knife style got its name. Clip point knives looks as if the part of the   knife from the spine to the pint has been clipped off. The clip on this Schrade Butterfly knife is much subtler than other clip point blades that you will see. Because of the clip, the point on this knife is slightly lowered, which helps to give you more control when you are using the knife. And because the tip is more easily controlled, while also being sharp and thinner at the spine, the clip point blade style is perfect for stabbing. The clip point blade shape is also a very versatile blade shape because of the large belly that it features. This large belly makes slicing much easier, and slicing is going to be one of the most used abilities on this knife. Unfortunately, because the clip point has a narrow and sharp tip, it is prone to breaking because it is weaker than a knife style such as the drop point. But, with this blade shape and specifically with this knife you will be prepared to take on a wide variety of tasks.

 

The Handle:

The handles on this butterfly knife are made out of stainless steel. Stainless steel provides excellent durability and resistance to corrosion, but it is not lightweight at all. Also, stainless steel handles can be pretty slippery, so the manufacturer has to incorporate etchings or ridges to provide the required friction. Stainless steel is very strong, durable, and resistant to corrosion, but, it is heavy and can be slippery.

The two handles each have seven holes drilled down the length of the handle. This is to add an aesthetic component as well as to cut down on the weight of these stainless steel handles. Like most butterfly knives, the handles taper towards the blade and flare out near the butt.  The latch is also made out of stainless steel that matches the handles of the knife.

 

 

The Mechanism:

The Schrade Manilla is a butterfly knife. This style of knife is also known as a fan knife, or the more traditional name of a Balisong knife. This style of knife is a folding pocket knife that has two handles that counter-rotate around the tan such that, when closed, the blade is concealed within grooves in the handles.

The balisong was commonly used by Filipino people, especially those in the Tagalog region, as a self-defense and pocket utility knife. These were used form anything such as a razor to entertainment. In the hands of a trained user, the knife blade can be brought to bear quickly using one hand. Manipulations, called “flipping,” are performed for art or amusement. Blunt versions of these knives, called “trainers,” are for sale to practice tricks without the risk of injury.

The style of knife is now illegal or restricted in many countries, often under the same laws and for the same reasons that switchblades are restricted, and in their country of original (the Philippines) they are no longer as common in urban areas as they were.

While the meaning of the term balisong is not entirely clear, a popular belief is that it is derived from the Tagalog words baling sungay, which is literally broker/folding horn. This is believed because this style of knife was originally made form cared caribou and stag horn. Balisong is also the name of a barangay in the town of Taal, Batangas province, which became famous for crafting these knives. Some of the original butterfly knives were actually made form steel taken from railroad tracks, which gave them a decent amount of durability and hardness.

This Schrade Manilla is a channel balisong knife, which means that the main part of each handle is formed from one piece of metal. In this handle, a groove is created in which the blade rests when the knife is closed. This style is regarded as being stronger than the other style of balisong knife, the sandwich construction.

Some of the important parts that are unique to a butterfly knife is that latch, which is the standard lock system that holds the knife closed. The tang pin which is a pin meant to hold the blade away from the handle when closed to prevent dulling. The pivot joint, which is a pin about which the tang/blade/handle assemblies pivot. And lastly, the kicker, which is a portion on the blade that prevents the sharp edge form touching the inside of the handle and suffering damage. This piece is sometimes supplanted by an additional tang pin above the pivots.

 

The Specs:

The blade one this Schrade Butterfly knife is 4 inches long with a handle length of 5 inches long. When the knife is opened and the handles are attached together at the bottom, the knife measures in at an overall length of 9 inches long. This is a heavier knife, because of the stainless steel handles, weighing in at 7.9 ounces. The Schrade Manilla Stainless Steel Butterfly knife is made in the United States of America.

 

The Pros of the Manilla Stainless Butterfly Knife:

• D2 tool stool is a high end steel that has high levels of corrosion resistance.
• D2 is a very hard steel, which means that it will hold its edge for a longer period of time.
• The satin finish is very traditional.
• The stain finish shows off the bevels of the blade.
• The satin finish has a medium luster.
• The satin finish helps to cut down on corrosion slightly.
• The satin finish shows off the fine lines of the steel.
• The clip point blade is very versatile.
• The clip point blade features a large belly that is perfect for slicing.
• The clip point blade features a lowered tip, which makes it more controllable.
• The stainless steel handles are very rust resistant as well as tough and durable.

 

The Cons of the Manilla Stainless Butterfly Knife:

• D2 steel is only semi-stainless, not full stainless steel.
• D2 is not the toughest steel.
• D2 is extremely hard to sharpen.
• The clip point has a fine, thin, sharp tip, which means that it is going to be more prone to breaking.
• Stainless steel handles are very heavy and can be slippery.
• Butterfly knives are tricky to learn how to use.
• Butterfly knives are illegal in many areas.
• This is a very heavy knife because the handles are made out of stainless steel; you are going to really feel the knife in your pocket, and it might weigh you down.

 

Conclusion:

The Manilla balisong butterfly knife is one of many new models released by Schrade this year and their first-ever balisong model. Each model features a hollow ground blade comprised of air-hardened D2 tool steel which provides top-notch edge retention and corrosion resistance properties. Additionally, the pin construction offered by each Manilla balisong translates to smooth action and the nature of the handle design offers a balanced feel when in action. The legacy of Schrade knives and tools is built on fine craftsmanship, quality and dependability. Their expansive line consists of assisted opening, folding and fixed blade knives, as well various multi-tools and accessories in an effort to offer something for every need and every job. This model features a skeletonized stainless steel handle, a clip point style blade in a satin finish and, like a true balisong, this knife does not come with a pocket clip feature. Pick up this classic butterfly knife today at BladeOps.