Rehandled balisong

[MoBali]

Hello.
Several people requested that I post pictures of my new custom knife. So I thought that I would start a new thread for it.
This a customized BM 239. I had broken the original handles off of it, from over-use. They were made of Zmak.
These new handles are made of stainless steel and feature mammoth bark inserts, adjustable pivots, hand made pivot bushing and phosphorus bronze washers.
The handles were hand made by Matt Cook dba Pinoy Knives.
It's a great knife. I have allready put a couple of hours into flipping it. It's as smooth as can be.





Thanks Matt!

[ghostrider]

snazzy. Thanks for sharing.

[ken]

Matt-

Very nice work. Heck that thing is better than new!

Beautiful knife,
ken

[MoBali]

Matt-

Very nice work. Heck that thing is better than new!

Beautiful knife,
ken

It sure is!
This was my first venture into the world of custom knives. Using a salvaged blade allowed me to go thru the whole experience for about half the price.
I really wanted to get mammoth ivory this first time around. I plan to get it or fossil-walrus on my next full-custom. I don't own any other ivory.
So I wanted to find out if I really liked it or not on this less expensive knife first.
I do like it! It's beautiful. These pictures don't really show the grain and colors of it as well as in real life.

[David Lowry]

Dude that's a real nice bali.

Thanks for sharing

[MoBali]

Just incase anyone is wondering...
It now weighs 5.6oz.
I believe it originally weighed 6.5oz.

[Piet.S]

Beautyful piece MoBali, especially the Mammoth. Most be a pleasure to hold and behold. Congrets and thanks, and don't hesitate to show us any new treasures. Btw, nice pics too.

[MoBali]

Thank you everyone!

Beautyful piece MoBali, especially the Mammoth. Most be a pleasure to hold and behold. Congrets and thanks, and don't hesitate to show us any new treasures. Btw, nice pics too.

If everything goes according to plan, I should have my full-custom in about a month.

[Piet.S]

Keep us informed MoBali, any plans in fitting a custom blade in this one later? Damascus would be nice I think.

[DAYWALKER]

Matt-

Very nice work. Heck that thing is better than new!

Beautiful knife,
ken

worth repeating! Great work, and nice pics!!!

God bless

[greencobra]

Hey MoBali, beautiful job on the Bali, really different and striking handles.

I'm about ready to purchase my first Bali but I'm trying to choose which one. I will get the SpyderFly of course, but I want a couple more "traditional" ones.

[The Deacon]

Beautiful knife MoBali! Mr. Cook did an excellent job. Those handles clinched it, I have to get a Kiwi done up with mammoth ivory.

[MoBali]

Thanks for the compliments and the interest!

Keep us informed Matt, any plans in fitting a custom blade in this one later? Damascus would be nice I think.

Naw, this thing is done. I allready have plans to get a full-custom from Matt. Of course, Matt makes his own damascus, so I am definately getting a damascus blade.

Hey MoBali, beautiful job on the Bali, really different and striking handles.

I'm about ready to purchase my first Bali but I'm trying to choose which one. I will get the SpyderFly of course, but I want a couple more "traditional" ones.

A Spyderfly is a very good choice for your first bali!
I don't know if I should be pumping other companies balisongs other than Spyderco here. So lets just say that they are some very nice balis available for about double the price elsewhere.

[MoBali]

Beautiful knife MoBali! Mr. Cook did an excellent job. Those handles clinched it, I have to get a Kiwi done up with mammoth ivory.

Mammoth ivory comes in many different colors and textures. The ivory on my knife is called "mamoth bark" or "mamoth shell ivory" because it is made from the outside edge of the mammoths tusk. As opposed to being made of the material from the inner layers of the tusk.
I ordered this peice of ivory from Miles of Alaska . Miles is an artist and a supplier of exotic natural materials.

Notice that the ivory is deeply colored. Those colors were caused by mineralization. The tusk was buried in the ground for at least 10,000 years. During this time menerals from the surrounding soil fused into the ivory.
The deep blue/black color penetrates about 1/8" into the ivory.
I was kind-of hoping to keep more of those deep colors on my inserts. But it didn't work out that way. Mostly because of the small size and extreme curve of the inserts.
Next time I will get window-inserts. That way I can avoid the extreme curve that these full-inserts have.
The inserts on my knife have blue/black lines in the grain. Those lines were from ridges in the tusk that allowed the minerals to penetrate deeper into the material. They remained after most of the rest of the top material was sanded off.
Notice that my inserts have a Caramel color instead of the creamy color that elephant ivory has.
This Caramel color penetrates all the way thru my piece of ivory because it is "shell ivory". That means that this piece of bark naturally eroded and separated from the mammoths tusk at some point thousands of years ago.
Most "mamoth bark" is cut from a complete tusk or section of a tusk.
Because this piece was separate and much thinner than a complete tusk, the minerals were able to fuse to the ivory from all sides and completely penetrate the ivory with a brownish tan color.
Too much info?

[greencobra]

Hell no, not too much info. I know your post was not directly aimed at me, but enjoying the education all the same.

[MoBali]

Hell no, not too much info. I know your post was not directly aimed at me, but enjoying the education all the same.

Great! I have learned a whole lot about custom knives this month and I am glad to share. It has been very exciting!

[Piet.S]

Hm, talking about holding a piece of history.

[MoBali]

Hm, talking about holding a piece of history.

Yep. I've got a piece of this guys face stuck on my knife.
Luckily for him, he got to die of natural causes a long long time ago.

[The Deacon]

Yep. I've got a piece of this guys face stuck on my knife.
Luckily for him, he got to die of natural causes a long long time ago.

I dunno, being disemboweled by a rival in a dispute over the sexual favors of some young cow, bleeding slowly to death from the multiple bites of a hungry pride of saber-toothed tigers, or drowning in a quicksand pit don't seem THAT much more appealing than a well placed bullet.

All kidding aside, very interesting info on mammoth bark ivory, thanks!

[MoBali]

I dunno, being disemboweled by a rival in a dispute over the sexual favors of some young cow, bleeding slowly to death from the multiple bites of a hungry pride of saber-toothed tigers, or drowning in a quicksand pit don't seem THAT much more appealing than a well placed bullet.

All kidding aside, very interesting info on mammoth bark ivory, thanks!

Can't forget about the cavemen. Unga Bunga!