The Balisong Quick-Start Guide
Step Three
The Single Flip Up Opening

In these pictures, I have put some YELLOW TAPE on the OPPOSITE HANDLE of my Benchmade Model 43 balisong. I'll perform this opening with my right hand.

Unlatch the balisong. Curl your fingers, and hold the balisong as shown:

Place your thumb on the side of the safe handle:

Press the safe handle between your thumb and index finger:

While holding the safe handle between your thumb and index finger, uncurl your fingers . As you uncurl your fingers, the opposite handle will drop and the blade will follow:

Curl your fingers back around the safe handle. Because this is the safe handle, you will not get cut even if the blade should, for any reason, swing back up:

Once your fingers are curled securely around the safe handle, move your thumb up and out of the way:

With a little forward and upward nudge, the opposite handle will swing up and land on top of the safe handle. The blade will follow until the tang pin stops the blade in the open position.

Wrap your thumb around the handles:

You now have the knife open and gripped. Notice, though, that the knife is not latched. To achieve the full potential lock strength of the balisong, you'll need to latch it.

After you've practiced this whole process just a few times, you'll be able to do it in a single, fluid motion:

Click on the icon above to watch an mpeg movie (879KB, 3 seconds)