The Filipino balisong is a formidable self-defense tool but its reputation as a weapon may have been eclipsed by its more popular reputation as a flipper.  Usage of the balisong evolved into a captivating art form and a competitive sport known as flipping.  

Flipping was originally defined as the ability to open the balisong knife with one hand.   Over time, flipping became known as the rhythmic, gravity-based manipulation of the balisong’s handles to rapidly open the knife. Flipping evolved into a performance art used to showcase skill, speed and dexterity. 

Based on the construction of the balisong, flipping is the act of using centrifugal force and inertia to swing the two handles around a central pivot point (the tang).  By manipulating the “safe handle” (the side away from the knife’s edge) and the “bite handle” (the side the knife’s edge closes into), the flipper is able to open and close the knife without getting cut.  

In the art of flipping, the manipulation of the two handles is less about utilitarian need to open and close the knife in one hand but more about the flow of movement to execute performance tricks.   A good flip isn’t just fast; it’s smooth and exciting to watch.  Flipping is the art of making a mechanical object look fluid.  Generally flippers are performing these types of movements:

• Aerials: tossing the balisong into the air and catching it mid-spin.
• Chaplins: spinning a handle around a single finger.
• Rollovers: flipping the knife over the back of the hand or thumb.

Thanks to the internet and YouTube (which started in 2005), flipping became a global art form.  Flippers started to share videos of themselves flipping.  With the ability to easily share tricks and with the availability of balisong trainers, more people started to learn and perform this art.  Flipping practitioners  invent new and more complex tricks that were never part of the traditional Filipino movements – like aerials and chaplins.

Here’s a YouTube video showcasing 24 Levels of Butterfly Knife Tricks (Balisong): Easy to Complex, Wired, YouTube, September 29, 2021.  

It was only a matter of time before flipping became competitive.  Competitions like the Bali Royal Showdown at Blade Show West (starting around 2017) and West Coast Flipping Championship (WCFC)  transformed flipping into a judged sport focusing on flow, difficulty, and creativity.  To see a list of flipping competitions and champions since 2006, view this article A Look Into The World of Balisong Competitions by KPL, March 15, 2022. 

Filipinos “flip” the balisong to be more efficient to do their work.   Filipino martial arts practitioners “flip” the balisong as a self-defense tool and for the art portion of martial arts.  “The balisong is unique and has given rise to an art form – the art of balisong openings and closings.  It should be noted that this art form is quite distinct and separate from the practical application of this lethal Filipino fighting knife.”¹  

Grandmaster Rene Latosa of Latosa Escrima shared his thoughts on usage of the balisong via YouTube Coaching Tips: Balisong – Filipino Martial Arts, rene latosa, YouTube, April 23, 2020.  

Filipino Martial Artist and edged-weapons specialist Doug Marcaida talked about using the balisong for self-defense in his YouTube video Doug Marcaida Teaches Balisong Tactics for Self-Defense with Tomas Alas | SHOT Show Exclusive! 2025, Sharp Talk, YouTube, Feb 4, 2025. 

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1. The Pananandata Balisong article by Prof. Amante P. Mariñas Sr., Tambuli Journal 20th Anniversary Edition, edited by Mark Wiley, 2013. ↩︎