Customer Reviews

Balisong: Iron Butterfly

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Herrnandez is someone who knows what he is talking about in this book. This book is not about the balisong knife exactly, but rather about Herrnandez's life and how much the martial art of the balisong and Arnis de Manao are a part of his life. To say he was a brawler would be an insulting understatement. Though written in a way that shows a minimum of education, it is insightful. This is the real thing, gritty and from the heart. Though not intended as an instruction book, it does lay down a few knife basics and provides some helpful street survival tips from Herrnandez's own life of fighting experience. Herrnandez sounds like Bruce Lee at times, in that fixed forms and positions do not a true fighter make and that if one wants to learn, one has to get in the water, so to speak. Practice, pain, dedication, and sense are what you will find about Herrnandez. You may like him, you may not, but this book holds truth.

This book is a gem, that should be reprinted. The philosophy of Cacoy Hernandez, is worth much more than the original price of the book, many times over. Anyone can attack using a blade, but if you train enough you might get lucky to live through a knife fight, if ever you get into that situation. The Karate store nonsense that often instills a false sense of security isn't what this book is about. Good luck on obtaining a copy, and good luck on handling situations in a non hurtful way.

Guro Dennis Servaes

This was a great book. Basically, it is a memoir of Mister Hernandez's life growing up in some of the toughest waterfront areas in the world. He talks about learning the art of balisong -- old school. You drop yer knife, you get a kick in the chops and 50 pushups! No fancy moves like "rolls" and "ariels" here! No, you just get that puppy open and go to town! He talks about a number of ways to open the balisong in a single fluid movement -- from every possible grip. Then, he discusses angles of attack, as well as a few "dirty tricks" that have worked for himself and others. Loads of memorable anecdotes and numerous pen and ink illustrations. Too bad this great piece of history is currently out of print -- unless you've got money to burn, [this price]is a bit too much to have to spend on a paperback!

All interested in Balisong knives should at least read this book!
I loved this book ..though I accidentally left it at an airport in one of my bags some years ago ..to bad its out of print (though still available some places).
As mentioned the book is gritty story of survival with the butterfly knife, starting in the 'back in the day' Philippines :) ..it also covers a basic array of balisong manipulation moves with illustrations (is what i first learned from in fact :)
I first got this book as a gift with a cheap Butterfly knife..the combination of Book + Knife made for a very cool gift.
I still love and keep balisong knives in my collection many years later ;)