Why did we set out to design the Canyon?
When first getting into the balisong flipping, too many people felt discouraged by a cheap, heavy steel balisong that just doesn't perform, and gave up before they could ever have a chance to explore a better flipping experience. They could also spend way more money to buy an aluminum balisong. But one big issue is that after anodizing, the aluminum gets super slick against your skin compared to steel. Poorly designed aluminum balisongs swing way too freely, get distorted over time from drops and heavy flipping tricks. They bend out of shape, the coating gets all scratched up - and just like that, it's disappointing when you put in the work practicing, only for the aluminum handles to degrade and lose that buttery smooth action you want. We knew there had to be a better long-lasting solution.
So starting in late 2022, we researched how to create a full steel balisong with bushings - the ideal starter balisong to bring more people to this amazing hobby.
The Birth of the Canyon
We started by looking at stainless steel. Stainless steel is near perfect for balisong handles. It's crazy hard yet really durable, gives just the right friction against skin, and holds up to heat treating without deforming. Steel solved so many issues as a trainer material.
But it also brought us a big hurdle - it's just so damn hard and heavy for machining. For the weight, we managed to optimize the design and cut out unnecessary steel mass to keep it under 4.5oz. But we were super meticulous about retaining enough material to support the handles without any deforming, while still giving an ergonomic grip contact area and that solid, confidence-inspiring heft in hand.
The hardness was the real beast though. That made CNC machining an absolute nightmare. We were burning through drill bits left and right as the hard steel just kept shattering them. Machining the same amount of material took way more time and costs compared to aluminum or titanium.
We tried countless approaches before landing on annealing the stainless to a softer state for machining, still way harder than aluminum though. Then heat treating it back to final hardness. Combating warping on those tight bushing tolerances during heat treat was seriously tough.
Tons of trial and error tweaking parameters. But we cracked a viable, cost-effective machining process without breaking the bank for newcomers getting their first quality balisong.
So, What is the Canyon?
The Canyon isn't just another balisong made to the same old aluminum standards. It's a completely new design, built from the ground up for stainless steel. Its creation wasn't about practicing on a trainer until transitioning to an aluminum live blade. It's meant for you to experience the entire flipping journey, from beginner to advanced, with one unified steel balisong.
Make no mistake, the Canyon flips exceptionally well. It has a distinctly different feel from aluminum, yet it can still pull off any move or trick you throw at it. You won't find a single thing it can't do. It's like the difference between a mid-engine and rear-engine car, or a dry clutch versus wet clutch. We're stoked to have found that ideal balance in a balisong.
Rock solid yet flowing smoothly - that's the Canyon. We want it to be your majestic companion for the full balisong adventure, standing strong like the Grand Canyon itself. Are you ready to explore your next adventure on balis with the Nabalis Canyon?
By Aaron Well, the Fouder of Nabalis.
