The Butterfly knife, or Balisong, has been around for a very long time. Many people claim it originated in the Philippines of the early 1900's, but documents and drawings discovered since that time point to earlier beginnings in 17th century France. All the same, the Philippines do play a part in the evolution of the knife by the fact that it has long been used in Filipino martial arts. Because of its quick blade display, it has excellent potential for use as a weapon and consequently has been banned in several countries.
