Are you looking to learn how to flip Balisong knives? Well, you can go out and buy a real butterfly knife but, if you don’t know what you are doing, you can easily cut yourself. Not a fun experience, trust me. This guide will walk you through the 3 best butterfly knife trainers.
It’ll teach you what to look for in a butterfly knife as well as one simple trick to maximize the utility of your purchase. Really, with this one trick, your butterfly knife trainer will last forever–guaranteed.
Oh, and if you’re super serious about this, we’d highly recommend some decent education on the topic. This DVD instructional is invaluable!
A Balisong butterfly knife trainer is a standard balisong/butterfly knife without a blade. It is 100% legal in the US and, unlike a real knife, you can’t cut yourself. The trainer will help you learn how to flip without getting injured but note that you can develop bad habits if you stay on the trainer too long.
For example, you can ingrain some poor flips that, with a trainer, won’t hurt but, with a real balisong, will hurt a lot. I recommend you train with a butterfly knife trainer until you feel confident enough to move on to the real thing–no more, no less.
Not everyone needs to buy a butterfly knife trainer. If you already own a Balisong (but aren’t that good at it), you can just use some electrical tape to tape up the blade. This will protect your hands from getting cut. You can also just use this tip to skip the trainer and get yourself a real balisong.
If you don’t own a butterfly knife yet or if you are wondering if flipping is for you, get a trainer and try it out! One of the great things about a training knife is that it is much cheaper than a real Balisong.
What to Look for in the Best Balisong Trainer
- Material – some manufacturers produce knives that are made with cheap metals that will bend/break after a few flips. Some trainers are designed to last for a few weeks until you get the hang of it and are able to move on to the real thing. A lot of cheap butterfly knife trainers will break if you drop them on the floor. We also would love to draw your attention to a relatively new option in the area of materials and that is CNC precision-engineered and manufactured PVC composite. We’ll show you some samples in the next section.
- Hinges – to make your balisong last longer, use Loctite to prevent the screws from falling out. You’ll need Loctite 242, a 1.5mm hex, and a 2mm hex. Some butterfly knife trainers do not allow you to unscrew the screws. These ones will last longer than a screw-out balisong without Loctite but, with proper maintenance, the Loctite balisong will last forever. Avoid non-screw balisongs at all costs.
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Squid Industries White Plastic Practice Balisong Dull Blade Knife Trainer
The Squid is the world’s first CNC machined plastic balisong (butterfly knife) made completely from CPVC. The “C” is CPVC stands for chlorinated which has a higher impact and heat resistance than typical PVC, making it great for a balisong trainer. Additionally, this trainer is safe, legal everywhere (including airplanes), and perfect for young folks whose parents don’t want them shredding their new sofa with a sharp butterfly knife.
If you’re looking to train with a … well … balisong trainer, it might not be a bad idea to grab this one of a kind balisong and add it to your collection.
This ultra-light butterfly knife is constructed from durable PVC-C in a brilliant light gray color. It utilizes the same hardware as our other premium models—phosphorous bronze washers and stainless steel zen pin construction create a smooth flipping the action you’ve come to expect from Squid Industries.
This is true as “high-end†as a trainer gets. There are cheaper ones, but we think at this price point it might be best to stick with the best on the market.
3. Squid Industries Squiddy-C Butterfly Clear Plastic Practice balisong Dull Knife Trainer
Squid Industries Squiddy-B Butterfly Black Plastic Practice balisong Dull Knife Trainer
Here’s another entry on our list from Squid Industries. Why? Well, because we appreciate quality and most of our readers do as well. It’s easy to go onto Amazon or BladeHQ and find cheap stuff, but the trick is to find high-quality items at a decent price and then be able to articulate why they are better quality and worth a few extra dollars.
This butterfly knife trainer is fully made in America which is always a good place to start in any of our reviews! Then, it’s precision CNC (computer-operated) machined and features channel-constructed PVC-C handles which make for a strong and lightweight build. Each trainer is not only assembled carefully but tested in California before it gets packaged and shipped.
Each of our trainers is TSA (Transportation Security Administration) approved, which means you can take them with you on an airplane and practice in your seat if you like. It does not feature a blade at all so it can’t actually stab anyone or even look like it can. It’s incredibly harmless-looking, and in fact, since this one is transparent, people may not even know what you’re doing!
It’s the perfect sophisticated “fidget spinner” for use in public places. It features strategically placed metal weights to add to the overall weight for easy movement and proper balance and overall weight. Also, if any part of this knife smacks against your arm, it won’t hurt like a metal trainer! This is a big plus for kids.
Established in 2015, Squid Industries is committed to the flipping community and they provide the highest-quality and most diverse trainers on the market. That’s why they are more expensive, but it’s not that much more. It does, however, give you a whole lot more that you won’t get with a cheap steel one like airport/travel/public perception compatibility, safety and peace of mind!
What is the Best Balisong Trainer or Best Butterfly Knife Trainer?
I can only tell you what I think is the “best†trainer. I suppose it really depends on the context in which you are training, so I can’t really speak to that. I will tell you my own context though. I am not out to intimidate or impress anyone. I’m comfortable in my skin and at age 52, I care little about how I am perceived, and I’m not impressed with others who are out to impress. To that end, I REALLY like the last set of trainers on our list.
The Squiddy-C clear trainer is light, clear, and incredibly public-friendly. I like to take it wherever I go (though I don’t carry my own set with me everywhere – I still want that option should I choose to do it!).
If you are interested in flipping knives, you might also be interested in throwing knives as well as survival hatchets. Every dude I’ve met who loves knives loves to throw them and abuse them as well ;-).
Make sure to check our other reviews and buying guides:
and more!