How to Transition from Trainers to Live Blade Balisongs! 🔪

[@Costell0]

I started with live blades, don't really regret it. I feel like I learned to be careful and respect it a lot faster! Plus I always have a knife on me so it's nice not needing to carry another knife just because my balisong can't cut anything.

[@meltdown537]

The fear is very real! I am still nervous about aerials for this very reason. I can nail them all day on my trainers but it's scary with a live blade. It took me a while to do rollovers with out that fear. Thanks for sharing.

[@ghost.of.aleksz.salad.]

if u just have a dull not sharp blade it not scary at all. still a knife for cutting but it cant eat u in one bite

[@furiousseasons1]

Thanks very much for this. Been carrying a live blade to work the last week or so (stead of the usual trainer). Found that even the trainer version of the 'same' live bladed model has a very different feel after you've carried the trainer long enough. Been just spending time getting used to the difference in swing and general open/close of the live blade. To get used to rollovers, I've had an office chair (or at home, a bedspread) to normalize dropping the live blade without a buncha nicks and dings. Really appreciate this

[@catjesusbean]

This man can read minds. I was wondering about the transition to live blades

[@josephseymour5386]

I literally just got my live blade today lol

[@ManHoldingTheSun]

Same

[@ghost.of.aleksz.salad.]

if u still need info, try using a real but kinda dull blade. real look without the chopping off fingers part

[@catjesusbean]

@@ghost.of.aleksz.salad. I'm way more confident now! I have 2 RoS now so nothing really is scary to me

[@otokonoko_]

These points are great when I got my lucha earlier this month I was pretty scared of getting cut but I was able to brush it off as soon as I messed up my first aerial and it stabbed me in the palm, after that the fear kinda just went away

[@Lucas_Yang]

bro I'm just mesmerized by your flipping, the ariels, reversals, and transitions are too smooth and clean!

[@CTom1988]

So much truth and facts in this video. My idea for a video subject would be about sharpening and keeping live blades sharp. I didn't for years and my knives basically became usless for edc cutting tasks. Just now learning to sharpen and strop knives and I'm enjoying the learning experience.

[@SwitchFeathers]

I started flipping around a decade ago (just got back into it these last couple months thanks to your vids, Will!) and I _wish_ I'd had trainers back then. My first ever decent bali was a live blade and that's what I learned on. Only now am I investing in a proper trainer in a Vulp and I am very much looking forward to being able to practice more complicated tricks without slicing my hands up.

[@Cjordan180]

Just uploaded my first few videos! Thanks for being a great mentor and role model for my balisong journey.

[@bigpapi2581]

Will your tempting me to buy a live blade

[@Kenoji8]

Thank you for the tips and advice, Will. I actually just picked up my first live blade, the Schrade Alkemyst (yeah, you've probably never heard of that one, lol), and I took it out and just practiced doing a standard open and close and I wasn't too scared -- until I got cut on the back of my pointer finger...aaaaannnd then on my pinky a bit. This thing is SCARY SHARP, BUT I did pay attention to which handle is the bite handle (by which way the blade was facing when closed) and took my time and dude, I'm LOVING this thing now! I'm not too much of a "trickster" yet, but this is a great EDC for the price that I got it at. And I did all this before watching this video, so, yeah I learned some good stuff. I'm still not "afraid" of the blade, but I'll probably just learn some more tricks on other stuff and take my time with them on this once I get more proficient. (Also, I took the latch off and AND I got it at a pretty awesome discount; it retails for about $220 but I got it for about $150 -- and it's suppose to "compete" with the Lucha, but not at that price point. But honestly, it's a pretty awesome bali if you can get it discounted! I wonder how much you'd like it...?)

[@timrodriguez1]

The tip is what usually gets me.

[@DONK0]

I have my first live blade on the way, so this video was recommended at a good time.

[@eltjorietman3688]

Maybe talk about bushings vs bearings vs washers.

[@ryder9428]

Bearings are better 0_0

[@WillHirschFlips]

Will do!

[@BardouWolfVideoEditor]

Step 4 was a bit of life advice

[@alvinharp3437]

I've started with a live blade, and the first few days got about 7 cuts. 6 were on the top of my index finger. None hurt, all bled a little. Pretty much like paper cuts. None really hurt much at all. Cleaned them with an alcohol pad, then put a dab of Neosporin and a bandaid. Then back to practicing. I've got a couple of trainers waiting for me once I get home, I drive a semi long-haul. Anyway, I wanted them because I want to learn some harder moves and don't want to keep getting my practice interrupted by having to fix cuts. Once I get usec to doing the new tricks I'll try them with the live blades. What you've said totally makes sense, treat them all like live blades, and don't be afraid of getting cut. Most won't be bad.

[@wh6ts]

Can you make a video on the different pivot systems and how they work

[@WillHirschFlips]

For sure!

[@killroygodfrey2985]

You were taking about your worst cut in about the middle of this video and I thought I’d share mine. My worst cut was probably when I dropped my hybrid rep with the tanto blade onto my thigh. Got it tip down and it was a pretty deep cut and I probably should have gotten stitches but I didn’t because I didn’t feel like it and now it’s fine a few months later

[@ghost.of.aleksz.salad.]

i was stabbed in the leg and never got help for it too. i was like 7.. so it be that way. i still have fake lead in my leg from the pencil

[@seanfs]

Dude, Your flipping is so satisfying to watch. So relaxing 😌.

[@joshuafredrickson3132]

Lol, I am listening to this on a decent set of headphones (Senheiser 58X Jubilee with back foams removed) and I keep hearing the people in the background of the vid and thinking they are in my living room and getting freaked out.

[@whiles3834]

hey will are you gonna do a balisong collection video 2021 edition?

[@WillHirschFlips]

Yes!

[@Nicky_Boy]

I rarely pick up a live blade. I’m a musician, if I get cut I can’t work. Also I’m in Jersey so can’t legally carry a live balisong as an EDC. So I mostly flip my trainers. But still I have mad respect for those who can really flip well with live blades. And lastly it is still mesmerizing to watch someone flip well even if it’s just a trainer. So shiit it’s all good!

[@ghost.of.aleksz.salad.]

yo i am musician too heres how u can use a real one, just dull it so if it hits u it wont slice you, real look and some usability but it wont hurt u

[@essenkillerthezombiektz5026]

17:09 bruh wtf How many interesting jobs have you done??? Also no wonder you’re so smooth with Ariels Mans a pro over here

[@commandermongo2267]

Thanks bro! Didn't think that would work.

[@genlj8998]

Hey man I had an idea. What if all the butterfly knife youtube and influencers collaborated and made the absolute best balisong he could and then do a limited run of them imagine how lengendary hat would be. Because all of the great fillers would be able to change anything they didn't like and we could make the perfect knife also every one would want one because it's from their favorite content creator. What do you think

[@WillHirschFlips]

That would be cool! The only problem is a lot of us who make reviews know a lot about flipping, but little about design and engineering, so we'd need a lot of mentorship and guidance to actually make anything good at the end of the day

[@genlj8998]

That's were a company that dose engerneining comes in. you wouldn't physically be making the knife just we start with a base idea then we try and make it and then we make changes and adjustment from there depending on what each of the content creators like

[@genlj8998]

So imagine your doing a review for a knife that already existed exept if you don't like anything you can change it. Maybe you want to have blue handle or maybe the grip isn't nice. We can even change design completly, so yeah you guys only need give your comment and thought and I think collectively if we can make something that fits all of the said influencer needs I'm pretty sure it would be great pretty great knife also we could do a fund raising, maybe each of the creators make a vidoe about and people can donate to it.

[@genlj8998]

And if they donate 10 dollars or more then they get something special like being the scenes or maybe a special vote on design features. But I don't know this is the only part I about yet, we need to think of a fund raiser like that to cover the start up cost, where is the money going the come from. Maybe we can do it like a raffle and anyone who donates more than 10 dollars stands a chance to a special edition knife with all the content creators name engraved on it or something special like that. I don't know that were we have to make some ideas

[@genlj8998]

It's a weird concept but come on if it worked even remotely I think kit would be awesome. And we make it a knife that has a limited run so it's gets a reputation (if it's jgood which I'm sure it will be) but if we sell all of them, it might be enuf profit to start making a simular version of and make it constantly.

[@ila763]

Thanks man helped a lot keep up good work

[@whitericeallday]

learning on a talisong z trainer and hoping to transition to a live blade talisong for an edc :)

[@MrNoAvail]

I have trainers I use for flipping and I have live blades for carry. My live blades I only do basic opens for when I need my knive for something. I treat my trainer like a live blade jsut like you say and it is a fantastic tip Will.

[@judetran725]

Very good advice again 👏 😌

[@josephjasonsantiagolacour]

I love the way you use percentages. I'd bet if we add them all up, we'd get the mathematic formula to open the stargate.

[@inksword6029]

Thank you! I'm gonna buy an atropos knife soon :))

[@Nitsua_Atayha]

I only take a trainer with me to work and flip on breaks but anytime else I’m always flipping a live blade. Ppl look at me funny in Walmart but that’s about it. I’ve only dropped my live out in public a few times that I remember. The reason y I don’t drop it much is because flipping a live blade especially in stressful situations teaches you to respect the blade and be the upmost of careful with it.

[@maazali2731]

Bro ur bali comp vid on insta was sick

[@WillHirschFlips]

Thank you!

[@krole2277]

Yeah, yeah, it's cool and all. But I'm here to put the video on 0.25x and copy his tricks. 🤭

[@TheMattdunkum]

Live bladed cuts typically arent too bad unless you try to catch a knife while it is falling in my experience. The second you feel the live blade ready to drop you clear your body of the landing zone. Do not catch it like you could a trainer

[@yeheyuan]

yeah my worst cuts with my lucha are when I drop it and end up grabbing it midair like a dumbass xd

[@v4n1ty92]

I started on a live blade without ever using a trainer before about 2 months ago and just recently tried out thumb rollovers. Needless to say, I got a pretty nasty cut from that 🤣 This was really good advice, even for me, who has no experience with a trainer. Just overthink less and practice slowly 👌

[@thickflips9913]

Thanks for answering😁

[@anthonyspinozzi1312]

"and you're fighting against the acceleration of gravity so you're going to be moving at at least 9.8 m/s squared" will the physics man

[@Coolestkid69]

OMG Thank you SOOOOO MUCH!! I needed this badly lol.

[@donahue2508]

Why

[@Coolestkid69]

@@donahue2508 so I can have some tips on how to get used to a live blade? Why else would I have needed it?

[@donahue2508]

@@Coolestkid69 i thought you already knew you had an alpha beast at one point

[@Coolestkid69]

@@donahue2508 nope I got a kraken now

[@donahue2508]

@@Coolestkid69 cool

[@MiniPekka1010]

Hello I’m trying to buy my first trainer. My budget is 100$-200$, where can buy one and which one do you recommend?

[@calebmcclain438]

Trust me a ring of sham fucking hurt like hell and if you get it on your pointer finger you can really not flip your knife

[@pj4667]

Hey will. i was wondering if you were planning on doing a video on your new case and full collection on this channel because i would love to see that :)

[@danielmcbride3096]

I love your content, what was that flip you did right at the 2:00 mark that started reverse grip and went around your middle finger, that was really cool

[@thedisturbedone5026]

Me sitting in shorts with a razor sharp Medusa barefooted doing aerials: *Interesting*

[@Loonie867]

the main issue with flipping live blades for me is scissors, like you said about catching a knife in free fall thats all a scissor is but you just catch the safe handle every time. If you whiff a scissor on a live blade you are just catching a blade or the bite handle.

[@lollol1856]

Me in a country where live blades are illegal: Mmmmh interesting

[@squidcultist0022]

Me in a country where the legality is anything but clear

[@danielmcbride3096]

@@squidcultist0022 for real, I’ve done a tone of research to be confident and the best I can find is “nobody knows, they are technically gravity knives (illegal) but nobody has brought a case against them”

[@Nathan-ol2xo]

Question: how do you become more consistent with parabolics, choker fans, etc? The knife usually ends up slipping out of my hands.

[@maxkostelecky510]

just practice, just pick one or two trick you wanna get good at. thats worked for me.

[@Kraumyke]

That's a weird spot for me too sometimes they just click but other times they're very unpredictable

[@sinfulgamer9019]

@@Kraumyke so with parabolics I've personally learned you aren't pinching with your thumb you're pinching with the squishy part of your palm below and thats put my parabolics into consistency

[@TreyLitchfield]

@@sinfulgamer9019 Where did you learn parabolics? are there any tutorials on youtube?

[@sinfulgamer9019]

@@TreyLitchfield there are very few on KZbin but Will Hirsch has one. That's where I started learning and from there it was weeks of practice

[@s701m5]

is the squiddy still a good beginner balisong?

[@essenkillerthezombiektz5026]

Here’s what I practice when it comes to drops (Now I have knives that Osage queen but even then I still do this cuz it ain’t worth the risk. Besides just flip over soft shiz Dirt Carpet A fricken pillow Whatever) I practice jumping back when I drop a knife Doing what In the sword community is called a “leg void” I stick my legs backwards and pull my hands away from the falling knife Works pretty dam well Never been seriously cut

[@hati7582]

How do you get better at using you non dominant hand for flipping

[@WillHirschFlips]

I need to answer that myself...

[@donahue2508]

Use it often I use my non dominant almost as much as my non dominant and it can do almost every trick but slowdr

[@disuko]

every time i try to do an aerial i sonic and drop it/ nick myself, even with a taped blade. it’s honestly really weird that it’s all mental! i’m sure after some more live blade flipping ill get used to it

[@chymous]

Hey will, I have 200 bucks to spare and want to buy my first "premium" trainer, the nautilus seems to be to my liking however I don't have the funds for that, what would your recommendation for getting into proper balisongs be?

[@WillHirschFlips]

Nautilus is great, so is the prodigy mod C by Jerry hom!

[@extratoastable5678]

i find the squiddy trainer to be superior to the krake raken trainer, but not the live blade. its just under 200 and will last a lifetime

[@anthonyspinozzi1312]

might be too late but I recommend getting into flipping with live blades just because they teach you to respect the blade more quickly, building better flipping habits and technique sooner and saving you that transitional step and having to relearn on a different live blade once you practice a trick on a trainer. unless you have the same knife as a trainer, in which case it saves you having to buy the same knife twice. some might say they'll never flip a live blade so they only need a trainer, and that's okay, but if you intend to get into live blades in the future, unless you know nothing at all about flipping I'd suggest getting a live blade first or as soon as you can

[@statha3624]

I started flipping a week ago and I already dropped it on my foot and had to get stitches 😂. It's not going to stop me though

[@calebmcclain438]

And another thing that I like to do I don’t k ow if this is a good thing but I like to listen to music while I flip and it takes my mind away from the knife it makes me focus on a different thing but your also focusing on a different thing so you might mess up but idk it helps me

[@KyberFlips]

Dropping your knife without getting hurt is really a skill in itself, kinda like bailing from a bike or skateboard. It’s a ‘separate from riding’ skill that takes practice.

[@darrellscales8146]

When I get my first live blade I’m going to get 2 different handle colours so I can keep track of the bite handle

[@alex72829]

I’m getting my first live blade tomorrow, hopefully I won’t get cut

[@the_rustydoornob1164]

Can u do a shorter vid about transitioning from tang pins to zen pins? Cuz I’m getting my first zen pin bali in fact it’s one of the good ccc’s from ur recent amazon video, John videk said that they have more bounce, I also want to know what the nipple feels like (god that sounds bad-) cuz I hate pinching pains

[@WillHirschFlips]

Sure!

[@the_rustydoornob1164]

@@WillHirschFlips thx and thx for reading my comment, you’re one of my favorite flippers and u and Brandon are hilarious and adorable

[@IronTanner]

I draw blood a lot. It’s annoying to have 8 bandaids on my hands, or getting the soreness from cuts. I flip a kraken and chab clone for lives, neither are too sharp, i think i just have fat fingers lol

[@donahue2508]

I have kraken and banshee and maxace makes some pretty sharp knives it’s all most gave me stitches on a mess up rollover

[@chilidoghamsalad9952]

I dropped my new talisong z on my bare ass foot today. Knifepoint directly onto the main vein in my foot. Bruised like hell and feels like death when I walk. Maybe worst balisong injury i've ever had. Don't flip without at least socks on bros.

[@frankiea1875]

Can you make a video on the different mods or custom on balisongs? I'm interested in these and wanna try to make design and create my own custom balisong!

[@timrodriguez1]

Every time I work up the nerve to flip on a live blade I cut myself, and go right back to trainers for a while. Then, wash, rinse, repeat...lol

[@grusive]

What audio do you use? Super clear

[@Xanduur]

Carry band-aids and Neosporin. Also, just get cut and realize it isn’t the end of the world. Don’t do it on purpose!!!! The worst cut I had actually came from my. Buck 112 Ranger pocket knife. Crazy sharp. I didn’t carry it for 3 months after that. But, you just have to move forward. GREAT VIDEO!

[@0Wheezy]

Superglue was acutaly invented during the Vietnam War as a medical glue. It's great for that purpose as that's what it's made for.

[@hshshshshshdhshshshs2886]

Hey will i just bought a firefly is there anything better I could have got for the price

[@gaNull]

Does your ring get in your way of flipping? I've been wanting to get a ring

[@Luhphoni]

Should I get the nautilus or krake racken

[@samblack8801]

Why dose your Kraken look red?

[@watermelons79]

They can be a lot of colors, his is red.

[@thickflips9913]

Red=good

[@briannappi8365]

Should still be orange. It’s probably just the white balance making it look red.

[@samblack8801]

@@watermelons79 No Will’s is orange. Brandon’s is Red.

[@WillHirschFlips]

Yeah it's the white balance

[@MRREE-zw6xc]

I feel like when I look at my lucha I start bleeding for no reason lol. It comes dumb sharp and the weight of the handles slam!. But lesson learned lol haven't recently after a couple weeks (knocking on wood) but guess it just needed a blood offering to flip lol

[@sganicocchi5337]

ayo nice, just got a decent live blade for myself on Christmas. i had the blade ground from razor sharp to less sharp but not sawblade like edge dull, enough for boxes. thank you. also, how do i convince a person to get a knife that would last (by this i mean the legit knives and the quality clones) and costs more than a cheaper balisong (traditional style with pinned construction, aluminum u channel, horn, and brass. stuff like the ccc's and the batangas made knives). friend is getting in and i dont want him to go through what i did.

[@evenstide]

Hey will, is graphite dust a good lube for balisongs like the squiddy or one on bearings or just in general? Same with loctite 222 red, is that good?

[@ghost.of.aleksz.salad.]

he says superlube is best

[@canadianmilk3385]

Papa will, what do you think is the best trainer under $100? Asking for my capybara

[@UsefulTitanium76]

squiddy, his own balisong the vulp or the morse both from nabalis. ik im not will but i think thats what he would say

[@canadianmilk3385]

@@UsefulTitanium76 prob thx for the suggestions

[@johnflansburg4004]

A falling knife has no handles. That's my motto

[@xenophilie]

"Superglue is perfectly good to use in open wounds" - Will Hirsch

[@px2lgft]

i have an og squiddy and squiddy b so i put the og squiddy handles onto the squiddy b blade and it isnt flipping at all why is that?

[@Texas_shreds]

they might have different sized handles/pivots/zenpins which would make it bind up.

[@ElliottsCreations]

It's all psychological. My Kraken was "super sharp" when I got it, and now it's "dull," but still is just as sharp as when I got it. A really bad slice might revert it back into it's "super sharp" phase, but it passes fairly quick. And funny story, my worst cut happened just like that at 8:20 but vertically, doing an infinity ladder to ice pick aerial. I full cocked high-five SLAMMED my Kraken and totally rocked my shit. A miscalculation. I definitely sliced something important as due to the swelling and excruciating pain in my pointer finger. Overall a bad week, couldn't flip. 0/10 :( Other than that, I've had many cuts, some slices, some bad, some not so bad, and have been poked many times, from practicing power aerials for example, like full on throw it up, put some Hella spin on it and hope it lands right, but sometimes they landed on the tip, and the damage was nothing more than that, a poke. Once you get over the edge, you're golden. Odds are the knife isn't nearly as sharp as it is in your mind.

[@ghost.of.aleksz.salad.]

yea i just ran thru the comments tellin ppl use dull real blades bc it fearless mode except pokes

[@balisongdaily636]

can you do a tutorial on that finger roll thing you do

[@kylelindberg7771]

Are we gonna get live blade vulps?

[@essenkillerthezombiektz5026]

6:09 More then half of all my cuts are from my kraken because it’s sooo fucking sharp And i don’t use it So if stays sharp It’s scary to flip sometimes but I’m working on it

[@electrikite61]

How did it make that noise at 0:16? It looks like a miss catch which… does t make that noise right?

[@Lucas_Yang]

btw how do you record? I'm so curious.

[@pomatheoma416]

I think live blades look soooo much cooler

[@strange5437]

I just got handle slap on my mako is there any way to fix it and is what is the market for trainers for 250

[@MAXIMUSEMOOSE]

What should I do when I really don't want to flip?

[@WillHirschFlips]

Try pen spinning?

[@jay-jo7lu]

Heron reiwew please I wanna get one but I don’t know if I should

[@papakleaf3229]

Would a butterfly comb be a decent trainer???

[@NotSkells]

Me this entire video thinking about how scary my hom basilisk blade is lmao

[@vbrans]

Ive been flipping trainers for a while now and i bought a live blade and i am so afraid to do a basic aerial 😭😭 i know how to do a basic aerial ive done it thousands of times but i just know the fear in the back of my mind of catching the live blade wrong and getting poked is in itself gonna get me poked 😭😭

[@TomFoolery1991]

Video idea option. I'm sure some would like to know if the titanium Lucia handles are worth it. Or if a better option would to simply be to buy a $250 knife. Edit: It would also answer the question if Having both handles options is a waste.

[@haydencsgo]

Hey will on youtube how do you not get striked on youtube. I keep getting striked for child safety? Is there a trick to getting not striked! Thanks!

[@bloodyclovis5964]

I gotta question for whoever are there many left handed flippers in here I'm just curious how different each hand is if at all

[@ballistoliusgaming5456]

Pls make a Video about Bali oils and the pros and cons about them...😅😳 Cause i Always have normal oil and See very often some Kind of thick lube and i am unsure If it really makes such a big difference Other then the Sound 😅🤔

[@buncharandomness7693]

I have a question: How do you know how or where to buy a good trainer for a reasonable price? 🤔

[@watermelons79]

squidindustries makes good trainers and they drop them pretty much ever week on Wednesday at 11am California time

[@nickwest3423]

R r r reddit!

[@bloodyclovis5964]

I bought a 2 trainer set off Amazon for like 14 bucks one black one steel cheap but rather good also there's karate mart all their shit is usually superior good luck

[@nicklas7657]

mako v4 balisong review and tab fix

[@dvd42_]

How is the horizontal aerial spin called?

[@essenkillerthezombiektz5026]

Here’s a lesson I learned at blade show Be fucking careful with luchas y’all They sharp They’re on real fast bearings You gotta wrist pass that shit HARD

[@creamy991]

Im over the fear im up for a risk i just dont know how to convince my grandma 😂

[@kyle6650]

Do yo have any Balisongs for sale

[@bertillethdalsgaard9341]

Im from a place where balisongs with live blades are illegal, but i have no desire to flip a live blade, i want the fidget and learning tricks aspect, not the danger blood part. I am still aware of the bite handle, and stop my tricks when i would have been “Cut” by my triader, if it would have been a live blade, kinda as an hommage to the bali roots. But i dont treat it as a live blade. Im here to use my finger dexterity, but kudoes to the live blade users i could and would never throw a knife around at those speeds, i would be in an out of the ER too mutch, for a self inflicted reason