Keeping your balisong maintained and running at its best should always be a priority for any collector or flipper. If you're looking to spec out the ultimate kit for on-the-go repairs, adjustments, and mods, you’ve come to the right place.

In today's article we'll outline what you what you need to stay fully equipped to keep your knives in great shape.

Tools

Number one on any list of balisong maintenance kits is a set of high quality tools.  Tools are an investment and although they're not incredibly expensive, it's best to spend a bit more to get high quality tools. 

Cheap bits are a no-go (Source: BladeForums)

Opting for cheaper, lower quality tools will almost surely get you poorly toleranced tools made from cheap steel. These inexpensive tools lead to a higher risk of stripping screws, damaging parts, stripping or bending bits, and losing hardware.

It's definitely worth it to pick up a quality set of tools that will last you a lifetime, and will keep your balisong working safely.

Almost all butterfly knives are constructed using Torx screws. The torx design maximizes the application of torque to the metal of a fastener, while minimizing the opportunity for slippage due to its high incidence angle relative to circumferentially directed forces. 

For almost all of your Torx bit needs, this WIHA Torx Kit will do perfectly. All blades on Wiha premium screwdrivers are made with an exclusive formula chrome-vanadium-molybdenum tool steel, super hardened and nicely finished for unmatched durability.

Wiha also precision-machines tips and includes comfortable grips, making sure you can get the job done properly. The kit comes with T6, T7, T8, T9, T10 and T15 bits, which should cover all the main bases that you’d need for most, if not all, balisong knives and trainers.

If you are really looking to impress, you might also consider a custom driver in titanium from a specialty maker like Journey Tool Company or Cur Knives.

These artisan drivers tend to use high end materials like Mokuti, 6AL4V titanium, brass, or copper, and come in custom finishes of all varieties.  They are also typically equipped with high quality bearing heads to maximize performance when working on knives.

Journey Tool Company Driver in Mokuti Titanium with Wiha Bits

While you’re taking your knives apart to maintain, it’s important to keep track of and store your hardware safely while it is off of your knife. This Mini Magnetic Parts Tray by Tekton Tools is perfect for the job. It is made of stainless steel and features a rubber covered magnetic base that will hold all your hardware securely in place, with the rubber helping keep the dish itself in place.

This also makes sure it won’t scratch any surfaces that it is placed on. You won’t need to worry about losing screws again with this tool.

Cleaning

Using proper cleaning supplies to deal with grime and gunk on your balisongs is always a good idea, as it makes sure to get rid of all the impurities that could be messing with your knife's performance.

Magic Eraser sponges are perfect for deep cleaning G10 handles

The supplies for cleaning are very basic and easy to find, but make sure you use the right kind. Mr Clean Melamine Sponges are really useful for cleaning G-10 scales and liners thoroughly without any harsh chemicals.

All you need is some Isopropyl Alcohol (70% and above works). This will help clean off any excess grease, grime and dirt as you clean your knife. Q-Tips are great for cleaning smaller areas or harder to get to areas, such as pivot areas, pivots or spacers. Kitchen paper is also useful for cleaning screw threads and inside of pivots.

Assembly

Once you’re at the stage of assembling your balisong, you’ll need to make sure your knife stays together long after you turn those screws in. For this, you’ll need a threadlocker of some kind.

The most commonly used threadlocker is Loctite Blue 243. It is a liquid adhesive that takes 24 hours to cure. When used properly it should hold your screws in place for quite a while.

A lesser known alternative to Loctite are methods like Teflon Tape and paracord. The Reddit thread here may help you in understanding the methods mentioned above.

If you need help on cleaning and assembling your balisong, our previous article may help you here.

Knife Pivot Lube with a Kershaw Lucha (@MattLawer)

After assembling, you’ll need a lubricant to keep your balisong smoothly running. We recommend Knife Pivot Lube Original Blend, as it’s formulated and designed for use with knives in mind.

KPL keeps gunk and debris in suspension, allowing for ultra-smooth action and reducing wear on your balisong. It even cleans your pivots from gunk as you apply and use it.

After this, you should be set and ready to maintain your balisong knives whenever you need without any worry! Thanks for reading, and don't forget to use code BLADEQUEEN at checkout!