Disclaimer: These products are balisong trainers, NOT real knives. The DULL blades are for SAFE practice and educational use ONLY.
🎉Big congrats to the TOP 3
(listed in alphabetical order)
Thank you to everyone who voted! Every single vote counted and meant so much. And an even bigger thank you to every designer who entered. Your time, creativity, and passion are what make this contest so special.🫶🏻
⏰Stay tuned!
The final round of voting begins May 26 (PST). You won't want to miss it.
(listed in alphabetical order)
I'm Eric Thurn, and this is the Architect.When setting out to design my balisong, I knew I wanted to create something that had never been done before. The Architect, visually, is a combination of several things I love - balisongs, Bauhaus, and my Rotring 600 mechanical pencil. The latter being an especially major influence in the aesthetics of the balisong, being based on the black-red and silver-red colourways the pencil typically comes in.
The Architect embodies the form-follows-function philosophy of the Bauhaus style. No unnecessary embellishments, every detail intentional. Every part of the balisong is designed for a practical function - with both the handles and blade featuring measurement scales, as well as a fully functional compass mode for drawing perfect circles.
The Architect is both a flipper and an EDC tool, and my attempt at creating the balisong equivalent of a swiss army knife for architects, engineers and balisong enthusiasts alike.
"The Bee" is a project designed by me and my sister Weronika, for the createwithnabalis contest, which was meant to be a challenge to put our creativity to the test by trying to incorporate the characteristic features of a bee and transforming them into a balisong.
"The Bee", true to its name, is a balisong inspired by the elegance and form of a bee. The blade design draws inspiration from the intricate shape of bee wings, carefully refined to preserve the proportions of a functional knife blade. Our project (despite not being depicted in the image), thanks to its unique design featuring numerous holes, allows the possibility of adding blade inserts, offering users the ability to personalize the balance to better suit their preferences. The front of the handles features an exceptional grip, enhanced by full-surface hexagonal texture cutouts that mimic the structure of honeycombs, with strategically placed holes for weight reduction. On the sides, we have incorporated deep, aggressive jimping and two cutouts, designed to further improve the overall grip and handling of the balisong. The gradient finish on the 7075 aluminum handles adds a unique and elegant touch to the knife's appearance.
The "Bobasong V2," (or "Boba" for short) designed by Disuko with Milky Labs, aims to provide a cute, friendly, and pastel approach to balisongs. It is inspired by boba tea and is very bubbly! It is designed to fit right in at home with Nabalis' other whimsical designs, like the Cheese.
One thing I wanted to highlight with the Bobasong is customization and individuality. While the design fits within my personal aesthetic, the G10 scales can be dyed, many teflon coating colors are offered, and the weights can easily be swapped out to different balance profiles. My favorite part about the balisong hobby is the diversity in both flippers and their knives, and I hope everyone enjoys the ways the Bobasong shows that!
The Crescent started when I saw the Create With Nabalis competition post. After that, I jumped into designing the handles and the trainer blade. The Crescent represents my design philosophy, which is minimal but pleasing to the eye, with straight lines and a simple hole pattern. The problem was I didn’t know how to create a 3D model, so I decided to team up with @jappiebalisong to model and bring the idea to life. The balisong went through many revisions over a week, with many hours spent on redesigning, hearing out feedback, and rendering. It honestly was a thrill to work with @jappiebalisong and submit for this competition.
My name is Aaron, and the "Endless" is a balisong I designed inspired by the weapons and armor of Infinity Blade. Infinity Blade is a game that existed on IOS from 2010–2018, but the community around it remains dedicated, if small. I saw this competition as an opportunity to bring one of my favourite games into the public eye and give back to the community. I want this balisong to have a light handle bias, with blade weight focused towards the tip. The handles are narrow, and the faces are rounded for comfort. Lastly, it of course runs on well tuned Nabalis bushings.
The Flare is a modern balisong where bold design meets flawless balance. Born from a passion for flipping, every angle and cut reflects speed, control, and style. With its vibrant, sporty aesthetic and meticulously crafted form, it's more than a tool — it's a statement in motion.
The Flare didn't just come from a sketchpad — it became a reflection of my own attitude towards flipping. As a flipper myself, I've always seen balisong not just as a hobby, but as a form of sport and choreography. It's movement, rhythm, and precision — and I wanted The Flare to reflect that. That's why its design is fast, athletic, and full of contrast — as a sport uniform or inventory.
But beyond its sporty roots, The Flare also breaks away from traditional balisong design language. I wanted it to feel modern — clean, deliberate, and distinct. The colored frame, partial blade accents, and bold contrast details are not often seen in the balisong space. These elements give it a crisp, contemporary look that sets it apart — not just as a tool for flipping, but as a design object in its own right.
NYX – The Goddess of Night
In the vast universe, Nyx, the Goddess of Night, creates the dreamlike sky with her mysterious presence. Inspired by her, we created the "NYX" butterfly knife—a stunning blade for those who appreciate beauty and smooth handling.
Design Inspiration
The NYX knife is inspired by Nyx’s mysterious essence. Made from high-quality aluminum alloy, the blade has a black finish that gleams like the night sky, shimmering with hints of starlight. The handle is designed for comfort and ease, providing a smooth, ergonomic grip.
A Dream in the Dark
The NYX knife is more than just a tool—it’s a symbol of courage, beauty, and the pursuit of the unknown. Every flick of the blade challenges your limits, representing freedom and self-expression. Choosing the NYX means embracing a journey with the Goddess of Night. Let this blade be your symbol of adventure, lighting up the darkness in the name of Nyx.
A balisong companion for everyday intergalactic travels.
This design was an imaginary project about designing a balisong for astronauts. Physics always amazed me and drives my attention to skill sports. Slingshots, balisongs, unicycles, are my favorites. I travel a lot and that comes with a lot of hassle and waiting for long times. The idea of the Shuttle balisong was born on a railway station, when I was reaching out to flip to pass time. Despite having a hard time in the late night wait, flipping gave me the chance to leave the struggle behind and found myself in a better space. The CWN24 Overlord was in my hands and suddenly the connection was made and the idea of the Shuttle was born.
Check more about specs in the "IDEAL SPECIFICATIONS" section.
A beautiful unison, the Treble is the meticulously crafted love child of two of my biggest hobbies: knives and music. When the base idea was brought up with the help of some wonderful people in the BladeBias Discord server way back in September of 2024, I knew I needed to fully design a balisong. Behind this design is 8 years of trumpet playing, 4 years of knife collecting, and the passion of making a dream come true.
In a hobby dominated with sharp angles and sleek lines, the Treble is a refreshing contrast. The Treble embodies both the graceful elegance of flipping and the beauty of song. However, it’s not here just for looks. Heavily rounded handles ensure seamless transitions between tricks and comfortable rollovers, while surface texturing, speed channels, and tall jimping work in harmony to guarantee that the knife does as you wish. The simple handle construction allows for lower production costs, while blade inserts provide the much needed balance customization to make the knife truly yours. It is my hope that the files for the inserts would be accessible to everyone, allowing for complete customization, cheap replacements, and infinite possibilities of materials.
Introducing the Wave. This trainer has a unique blade design that doubles as a bottle opener. It's also customizable, with swappable inlays and adjustable weights for any flipping style. The tapered handles and textured surface ensures the trainer stays securely in your hand, while the distinctive bubbles on the sides adds a touch of style and grip for all your tricks. The inspiration for the trainer came from the fluidity and movement of the ocean. The name reflects the origins of the design and the joy I felt while sailing the high seas in a pirate game I would play with my friends. Whether you're just starting out or you're an experienced veteran, this trainer will help you make waves with every flip.
