My son wants a balisong

[ArcadiaGP]

He's 14. I want something that is relatively inexpensive, but not complete trash. Odds are, he'll flip it a few times, and throw it in his drawer. $200 is not what I'm looking to spend.

The Bear & Son 117s is pretty highly rated for a budget balisong. It'll definitely get the job done.

Bear & Son Cutlery 117S Butterfly - Silver Vein - Knife Country, USA

 

[Bradsknives]

In most cases, I could agree with this, but Benchmade has made this very difficult.

They made the best Bali ever with the BM42. Then, inexplicably, stopped making it. So now the value has shot up 350%.

Their other balis don't compare to the 42, causing other companies to do what they can to recreate it and fill that void.

I've never seen a market with so many clones to choose from with this knife... to the point where they get reviewed as seriously as the original.

They created demand, not supply.

I can't believe I didn't think of it this way. You've truly shown me the light with your eloquent and thorough rebuttal.






I'll repeat, I own the knife in-question. What are the potential buyers supposed to do when a company doesn't supply (or re-release) an item that set the standard in it's genre? People want to buy it, but Benchmade won't make it. The BM51, 62, etc... all pale in comparison to the 42. It has a following. I see weekly threads in the Balisong subreddit of people willing to shell out $450-550 for the damn thing.

Third-party companies have sprung up to create custom titanium scales and addons for other Benchmade knives to try and replicate what the 42 brought to the table. The weight of the handles, the spring in the release...

If you ask a company to continue providing the amazing product they introduced... and they don't... it's up to the free-market to step in and fill that void.

Your justification/reason for the emergence of clones, counterfeits, and fakes by blaming Benchmade for discontinuing the 42 and creating a demand for them is the problem. That is like saying, because a company discontinues a popular product that it is alright for clones, counterfeits and fakes to be manufactured with that company's name and logo on it. That is not a justifiable reason for doing so, or acceptable. There are plenty of companies that have the skill set and manufacturing capabilities that can manufacture a balisong close to the 42 without infringing on copy rights (company name and logo) and patents....... That is the free market that you speak of, and don't confuse the free market with the illegal market that produces these clones, counterfeits, and fakes. I have no problems with companies that can make a balisong as close to the 42 in style and function as long as they are not infringing on anything that Benchmade has protected.

Clones, counterfeits, and fakes that are blatantly marked with a company name and logo is the problem for the reasons that have already been stated in this thread.

 

[ArcadiaGP]

Your justification/reason for the emergence of clones, counterfeits, and fakes by blaming Benchmade for discontinuing the 42 and creating a demand for them is the problem. There are plenty of companies that legally make similar models to the 42 without infringing on copy rights (company name and logo) and patents....... That is the free market that you speak of. I have no problems with companies that can make a balisong as close to the 42 in style and function as long as they are not infringing on anything that Benchmade has protected.

However, Clones, counterfeits, and fakes that are blatantly marked with a company name and logo is the problem for the reasons that have already been stated in this thread.

I don't want it to sound like I'm justifying it. It's a shoddy practice, and I assume illegal. But it's definitely the reason for the copious amounts of copies that were made.

I obtained my clone because there's no way I was going to damage a $500+ knife (after I found out it's worth.) I'm happy to have the original high-quality Benchmade product... and a "close-enough" copy to trash if I wanted to.

 

[Bradsknives]

I don't want it to sound like I'm justifying it. It's a shoddy practice, and I assume illegal. But it's definitely the reason for the copious amounts of copies that were made.

I obtained my clone because there's no way I was going to damage a $500+ knife (after I found out it's worth.) I'm happy to have the original high-quality Benchmade product... and a "close-enough" copy to trash if I wanted to.

I just don't agree that the discontinuing of a popular product is the reason behind the creation/emergence of the clone/counterfeit/fake market. I'm more in line with the thought that it is because the product is popular and there is a demand, whether the product is currently being made or not. There are plenty of clones, counterfeits, and fakes out there of other products (besides knives) that are currently being manufactured that are being copied/counterfeited.....like high end watches, designer bags, tennis shoes....etc. To assign the blame/reason for the creation/existence of this illegal market to the company that produced the original product seems far fetched to me.

We will just have to agree to disagree on this, and move on.....good day sir.

 

[Expat]

[video=youtube;Y0Rjn6W9jYk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0Rjn6W9jYk[/video]

 

[tradertator]

Regardless of what reason you can conjure up to justify the purchase of counterfeit property, it's wrong and unethical. They were making fakes long before the 42 was discontinued, and the ChiCom ripoff **** is not exclusive to it. Strider, Chris Reeves, Microtech, Emerson, and many others in the knife community that have built their name on a quality product, have been plagued by this type of thievery and you couldn't pay me to take one.

 

[danielocean03]

Regardless of what reason you can conjure up to justify the purchase of counterfeit property, it's wrong and unethical. They were making fakes long before the 42 was discontinued, and the ChiCom ripoff **** is not exclusive to it. Strider, Chris Reeves, Microtech, Emerson, and many others in the knife community that have built their name on a quality product, have been plagued by this type of thievery and you couldn't pay me to take one.

I agree.

 

[seedubs1]

Same here. I won't buy a clone. It's a plague, and I refuse to pay scummy people my hard earned money.

I agree.

 

[RAMBOCAT]

As a Member of the U.A.W, I totally agree; clones are not right for so many different reasons. Especially the clones made in foreign countries.

 

[chubbs]

U.A.W With a brother so true, **** him before he can **** you!

I've been out of the union for a couple years, is this still the motto?

 

[RAMBOCAT]

U.A.W With a brother so true, **** him before he can **** you!

I've been out of the union for a couple years, is this still the motto?

NOT IN MY LOCAL !!!!!

 

[kawtech87]

So OP did you ever get your son his Bali? If so what did you get him?

 

[Rookie]

I went with my gut and bought a twenty dollar cheapo from amazon. He messed with it for a day or so and got bored with it.

 

[HKUSP]

I went with my gut and bought a twenty dollar cheapo from amazon. He messed with it for a day or so and got bored with it.

Spock said it best: “After a time, you may find that having is not so pleasing a thing after all as wanting. It is not logical, but is often true.”