The Unique Features of Real Butterfly Knives!

Butterfly knives are small, foldable pocket knives with handles attached to two pivot pins. They are opened and closed using one hand, with the blade typically locked perpendicular to the handle for safety purposes.

The Real Butterfly knives date back to Chinese origins as a utilitarian agricultural implement, but their design and use have evolved vastly over time. Originally they were used primarily as tools for harvesting crops such as fruits and tubers from orchards and other fields. The blades could be swung rapidly in a circle and into plants so that no part of the plant would be missed.

Unique Features of Real Butterfly Knives:

If you want to buy a butterfly knife, it’s important to know what you’re looking for before you go shopping. This article will discuss the features of real butterfly knives. These knives are good for opening boxes or packages, self-defense, throwing, or just having around as a collector's item. So if you're thinking about buying one - here's what we've found!

Handle:

The handle can be constructed of stainless steel (or another metal), plastic, or sometimes wood with a metal lining at the top. These handles are often (but not always) ergonomically designed. See our post about handles for more info.

Length:

Butterfly knives can vary greatly in size. They range from small to large, with the vast majority of them being under 12 inches long. Some butterfly knives designed for throwing are much longer than this - these 'larger' knives can vary from 14 to 26 inches long. Make sure you're aware of your state's butterfly knife laws (see the 'Purchasing' section below).

Opening Mechanism:

Butterfly knife blades open via a 'butterfly' lever located at the end of the handle - in between your index and middle fingers. This lever is found on both sides of the handle, and each side operates independently. Because butterfly knife handles have two levers, butterfly knife blades can open and close faster than any other type of knife on the market.

Blade:

Real Butterfly knives come in a wide variety of blade styles. You'll usually find the traditional straight-edge blade (beveled or non-beveled), but you'll also find serrated, double-edge, and spey blades on butterfly knives. The steel on butterfly knives ranges from stainless steel to high-carbon steel. You may see some with 'S30V' stamped on their blades - this stands for 'stainless steel clad with vanadium'.

Tang:

The 'tang' refers to the part of the blade that goes into the handle. Butterfly knife tangs are often hidden, and you can usually only see them by opening the butterfly knife up. Larger butterfly knives (i.e. those designed for throwing) will often have a tang that runs all along the bottom of the knife so it's easier to catch and hold onto when throwing.

Pivot Pin:

The pivot pin is what keeps the butterfly knife's 2 sides connected to each other, allowing easy opening and closing. Many more 'modern' butterfly knives that are available today don't have a pivot pin.

Lanyard Hole:

Often found on butterfly knives designed for throwing, this hole allows you to attach it to your survival bracelet or lanyard so you can always have it with you. A number of butterfly knife manufacturers will include this in their packaging - or sometimes they'll make it an option (for example, they might sell 'lanyards' separately instead).

Benefits of Real Butterfly Knives:

With all the talk about dangerous weapons, it's easy to forget how useful they can be. Maybe you're not an assassin, but chances are that you need a safe way to open boxes and cut through certain materials. It's also true that many people have hobbies that require more force than they can muster with their bare hands.

From hunters looking for a quick clean kill to chefs who need something sharp enough to slice through bone, there are many uses for butterfly knives that don't have anything to do with killing. Real Butterfly knives are primarily used for opening and cutting, but since the blade is so long, it can also be used as a stabbing weapon in an emergency. If you're one of those people who don't like to carry knives on them every day, butterfly knives are a perfect solution.

Just because they're small doesn't mean they lack the power needed to handle your everyday needs. Butterfly blades have a very thick edge that's curved in a non-standard way. This means when you close your hand around it, instead of folding over the edge like most knives do, your index finger fits perfectly behind it.