A Beginner's Guide To Balisong Tuning! ft. Nabalis Vulp

[@Osborne4Life]

This may come off as harsh, but thanks for not including any humor in the video. I know you and Brandon like to include as much humor as possible in your videos, but when it comes to educational videos like this one, keeping it professional is much more appreciated.

[@djmcdonalds7590]

But why

[@GrizzFlips]

@@djmcdonalds7590 bruh😂

[@serbiansleeperagent]

@@djmcdonalds7590 he just spent a whole paragraph explaining why, it's on you to develop reading comprehension

[@not-a-raccoon]

That's a whole lot of words to say "I'm a wet blanket"

[@bencenagy5459]

@@not-a-raccoon an awful lot of words to say he's fun at parties

[@BYTltd]

holy shit dude thank you :D Edit: The more i see of this channel compared to others really reinforces my opinion of just how high quality and well structured this content is let alone the snappy editing fr doing bits for the community 🙌

[@thearrowgamer1241]

This is a really informative video on how to tune most balisongs. This will definitely be useful for people just getting into the hobby.

[@darkinertia2]

i literally just got my vulp in just an hour ago! honestly you knocked it out of the park, ive been flipping since 08 and this might be one of the best kits anyones ever put out. i got the red and black one and while its not perfect (mostly the pivots are making weird whirling sounds even lubed, probably from the black coating scrapping or something im sure itll break in) but i didnt expect it to have zero tap, super smooth and easy to flip! my favorite part is the melted features, so many chinese balis end up pinching the hell out of your fingers but this is something you can flip for hours

[@Pugs2rule]

Can confirm I flipped it for 3 hours straight after it came in the mail

[@kaylonlink6732]

08 bro your like 116 years old

[@Nameless6065]

I really appreciate this video so much, when I was getting into the hobby there were a few yt videos but they didn’t really go in depth so I had to just figure it out, you’re really building up the community Will, thank you

[@samfromhell0636]

I personally think it’s crazy how much effort you put in those videos and the balisong you made🧡

[@coda56]

just tuned the bushings in mine after it developed tap day 2, and more and more afterwards, got it to no play and no tap. first time i have ever tuned a balisong in really any way, and im happy of the outcome

[@Busterarthursfriend]

Something weird just happened. I literally just got my Vulp, and after about 20 minutes of flipping, one of my handles came flying off. Thanks to this video I was able to reattach it, and re-apply the lube. Definitely odd that it happened, but this video came in clutch. I’m a hardcore newbie so this video was invaluable 🙏🏼.

[@camaroEE]

Amazing video, I may know most of this but I still sat here for the full length. This is a video I would have LOVED back when I was first getting into flipping

[@daltonz]

Just picked up a vulp. My god is it amazing for the price. Thanks for helping me maintain it!

[@eqrsedfrwervqwev]

I actually bought your product and I just have to say that I am super impressed for a $65 Balisong. Amazing performance 10/10

[@Slyfoxminis]

Another great video! Seriously, this is so hopeful, even as someone with a bit of experience at this point!

[@Bleep0Bloop]

A single bottle lasting me a year?! Dude, I use KPL for eyedrops. My eyes open and close so smoothly! I need at least 8 bottles a year, on average.

[@hipsterjustice]

I'm out here convincing myself to buy a vulp just because of the tools and support that come with this thing. $65 is a freakin steal for this

[@firelies]

Finally got my hands on a fresh new Vulp (Purple), it flips so well. I remember I got into balisong at like age 11 and all I had was a shitty bench made clone that my friend gave me. Thing fell apart in a day but sprouted a life long love for the art of balisong. Thank you Mr. Dot Gay for rekindling this love at an affordable price.

[@disukoflips]

super useful! the vulp and the videos on your channel are all a great resource for beginners

[@opusjosh]

I've been using mine about an hour a day for 2 months. I've only been doing balisong for 3 months. I'm dropping it so so so much. In water, on rocks, on my gf, on concrete. A zen pin became loose. I locked it in and it's been great! I'm about to tune it up. I've been screwing my T screws a lot. It's taking such a heavy beating though. I'm so very happy this is in my life!

[@overcrimp2722]

Fantastic video and resource, will make maintaining all of my balisongs much easier.

[@jack-fz4mr]

excellent

[@ИгорьКоролёв-ш5е]

Balisong Flipping - I would love to review the Vulp! but i'm still waiting to get sent one for review

[@WishihadaNami]

ooh ive never caught one of Will's videos this quick before. also this will be rly helpful for my red vulp

[@strike9152]

really nice video and great camera quality shout out to brandon and will :)

[@thebrandonbakerclone]

Thank you so much!!

[@strike9152]

@@thebrandonbakerclone you welcome Brandon!!!

[@steveglitter]

I've been needing a video like this for a while, thank's will!

[@chippyred3305]

Damn ive been adjusting my bali but this deff will help me do it better. Thx for this

[@tabithatachibana9607]

As a complete beginner I am LOVING my Vulp so far. Thanks for the video, Im sure I'm going to need it at some point with as much as this thing gets thrown around from trying to learn new tricks.

[@SpaceCowboy6787]

did you need to locktite it before flipping or can you just use it right out of the box?

[@opusjosh]

I've been using mine about an hour a day for 2 months. I've only been doing balisong for 3 months. I'm dropping it so so so much. In water, on rocks, on my gf, on concrete. A zen pin became loose. I locked it in and it's been great! I'm about to tune it up. I've been screwing my T screws a lot. It's taking such a heavy beating though. I'm so very happy this is in my life!

[@johnvedek3802]

Absolutely Wicked Sic!!! Information at its finest.. well done..😀😀😀😀😀

[@WillHirsch]

Thank you John!!

[@johnschmidt974]

Hey Will Great video! finally got the time to watch this video helped alot.I'm currently waiting for a Black Teflon Vulp + Maintenance kit +Stand for it. Any tips for how to flip, and learn better on it? I'm new to bailsongs. Thanks!

[@vikingd3727]

Thanks for sharing this I ordered my Vulp from Amizon today hopefully it's the V2 going to be my firs balisong. Looking forward to receiving it on monday well actually 2 of them got one for my son as well to learn with.

[@onthejobflips5870]

I see that I can clean it with water and a cloth. But what about cleaning by soaking it in sulfuric acid for 3-8 months at a time? But for real, great video with loads of great information for more than just balisongs, but mechanical parts in general! Everything from keeping track of parts to cleaning, even proper threadlock application!

[@YodaCrafters]

Thanks will for the amazing content!

[@harleykidd7910]

Off topic: I’m new to balisongs, can you do a video on what types/how many types of blades there are? What they’re useful for or what they’re made to do?

[@scripytshowcaser310]

Love this bro I’m going swap the handles and put pink and blue ones to make a sort of cotton candy look and add some pink and blue zippy inserts

[@imienazvvisko]

Great video, helped me a lot to understand few things. Will, by the way, consider posting in description link to KPL blog that describe balisong jargon. It will help many people probably (youll get full link in youtube studio comments that wait for approval).

[@xXAmentiXx]

I wish every informative video was like this! What a perfect balance of straightforward steps and troubleshooting tangents. The vulp was a gift from a dear friend and my first ever balisong, so it's incredibly helpful to be able to maintain it so easily.

[@poodlenoodlesoup1]

Amazing video! So many answered questions!

[@reviewforthetube6485]

Good stuff in general! I get you said this is a last ditch effort but not with balisongs with weight systems. Like the serif or the tsunami which have clearly been made to adjust by opening lol. So that's the thing it's clear it's not a bad thing to take it apart and do upkeep and tune them. I just don't want peoppe to be scared or worried about doing it as if it's a bad thing because it isn't.

[@thebrandonbakerclone]

Great feedback! We probably could have made that warning a bit more clear, but with the alarming number of people that we see just taking apart their balisongs because it has like... 1mm of play (LOL), we thought it best to advise caution. And in the situation of adjustable weight systems, those generally don't require a full disassembly of the balisong, generally just removing one screw or two on one side of the balisong. We see a LOT of people fully taking apart their knives entirely thinking that things will improve when... most of the time it ends up worse haha

[@reviewforthetube6485]

@@thebrandonbakerclone I do wish that most weight systems were only a few screws but in reality it's only like 1 bali with weight systems that you don't have to take fully apart. Tsunami and serif both have to be fully apart as they don't move enough to the side to pop them in and out easily. But I do get exactly what you are saying for sure. If you are taking your knives apart to fix a little play it probably won't help unless you have oversized bearings and are learning to tune ans need to sand but other then that for sure. I just think it's a great rule of thumb to learn how to tune your balis. Most people I know who have issues usually are able to fix them with practice and imo a 60 dollar bali may be the best thing to learn how to do it on instead of an 800 dollar bali lol.

[@zuhr1k]

thank you so much, it was what I was searching for ☺️

[@mr.poptartanimations]

Thx I really wanted to find a video that was descriptive and on the vulp

[@ClownBabyG-Zus]

i was waiting for a Brandon mouth thing and it was worth the wait 😆

[@darwhin]

my zen pins fell out really fast. I was really glad, (because i found it) I was able to superglue it and have had no issues since, (so take it as a good sign if it falls out)

[@SeanK_kindaflips]

cool in-depth tutorial! could you show me on my Medusa?

[@swiftical1194]

Hi will. I love your vids ❤️

[@seansiegel5457]

i got my vulp on Friday and I was fliping it for 2 days and I realized there's some black stuff on it and i wanted to clean it and i took it apart but i didn't do one at a time but i need help and this video was the one thank you very much maybe next time in the feature i wont take apart both handles and the kit that comes with it was such a super great idea i didnt need to buy some other stuff for it also PINK COLOR VULP WHERE YOU AT :)

[@alessiobarka5891]

Great video and good balisong!! when are you going to make a video on the oversized bushings? ..tuning, sandpaper ecc ecc

[@CAXRBON]

Hey Will, thanks for the Video, it helps a lot! I only got some questions. 1. How do i know which Bushing and Washers Size I need to buy for my balis? And 2. how do I tune the bushings, because i really cant get rid of tapping on my Kraken Clone? Thanky a lot!

[@jacksonjones3887]

My vulp came in today perfect timing

[@Rxtasyy]

just ordered my vulp it comes at the end of this week :) really wanted the chrismas edition but it would take awhile to come and i wanna get flipping

[@Builtlikethat]

Thankyou good sir I had to do a operation I’m on mine since I somehow stripped a screw so I had to drill a hole in it

[@uprising1557]

I had every issue imaginable. Both of my bushings are way undersized and both my zen pins fell out

[@JonsBalisongBlunders]

We are coming up on 2 years in October. Where is our bushing tuning tutorial?! Im ready to fuxk shit up. LET'S GOOOO

[@FireMonkey9]

"Party pivots" I'm going to do that the next time I disassemble my knife just to spite you, Will

[@julianrodriguez4367]

Which washer size are the ones that fit on the vulp?

[@kevc2261]

outer/inner diameter 10/5mm but the tricky part is the thickness the pre-installed washers are 0.48mm while the spare washers are 0.58mm the sad thing is that i didnt know that before i installed those spare washers which as a result permanently widened the gap on the bite handle of my vulp😢 i watched the video a few times so i was quite sure Will told us it may require to use some force to push those washers into place and i did! from now on i ll remember to measure new washers with calliper to make sure they are same size as the original even they came along in the box.. or supplied from official (i bought from bladehq) now the bite handle has play and tap and blade-rubbing maybe in the future i ll try to polish down a bit the spare washers to fit the wider gap anyway its a well designed great trainer esp in this price range👍🏼 hope it may help you guys dont make the same mistake i did

[@nitramgaming2298]

we need more amazon reviews. now!!!!!!!!!

[@FiniKoneko]

With the two ends of the loctite, the needle like end is completely closed even after removin rhe cap, same with the lube which caused me to use the other end and over lube it

[@peterjanjanin9883]

I bet you make those right wingers got nuts 😂😂😂

[@sonofableep13]

Only one issue my friend! With the washers, the rounded side needs to touch the bushings and the flat side the inside of the handles. Turning the washers around can dig into the blade and cause irreparable damage!

[@sonofableep13]

@@ShadowKlassic he didn’t, otherwise I wouldn’t have commented.

[@sonofableep13]

@@ShadowKlassicHe said the flatter side should touch the bushing and that’s incorrect. He also said it wasn’t a big deal but it is. The flat side can dig into the knife causing irreparable damage. Hence my comment.

[@Randy-Lahey]

Honestly, I prefer bearing knifes for maintenance and tuning, and on both systems I like to get inside pretty often. But I will say, the bearings in even nice knifes (exe. talisong z) still need to be upgraded for the performance I like (skiff). A good bushing knife once correctly tuned really only needs cleaning every now and then. however, you can get a range of feels off of one set of bearings and the types of lube, if even lubed at all. Bearing do need a good cleaning, probably more often than a bushing system. I love working on these things though.

[@parkerhasnolife9243]

Awesome video, the second day I got my vulp it's bite handle went flying off after a Chaplin. But thanks to this video, it's now better than ever!

[@minaaww]

slayed

[@RileyReidMeABook]

getting the washers to work correctly is damn near impossible

[@oveson88]

I need that teal blue like right now lol.

[@VitalyMack]

I don't know. I disassemble my bali if I used it a lot over a week. I found some good gun teflon oil that works great, but majority of oils or grease, gets super dirty real quickly.

[@oblivionpaw]

“You probably what to do this right before going to bed” Me: doing it at 7:00 in the morning

[@ciromasramon1494]

bro translete this comment (obvius if you want)desde argentina te veo y sigo todos tus tutoriales y nada mas te quería decir que desde la comunidad de flipping hispano te re apreciamos yo y mis amigos ,en resumen jodete(es broma te quiero)🥰🥰🦊🦊

[@poseidons_636]

Please review the machinewise opus!

[@maximilian_krause]

So i have a nabalis g10 because of your recommendation and some screws wont come out because the barrel keeps spining how can i fix this thanks for the bringen me into this expensive Hobby and helping everyone out actually been in the Hobby for 3 years and i have 2 balisongs the nabalis g10 and a wird amazon one 😂

[@Darknecius]

What the song for "Final Notes" to "Brandon Does In The Shadows" its so chill, I need that source.

[@jackiepiebuscus9766]

as a double amputee just at the wrist i was very disappointed when you said i would need both hands for the washer step

[@triforever9073]

Can you guys do a review on the bbbarfly barracuda

[@thebrandonbakerclone]

Once they actually complete the design of it we'll consider it!

[@micahjacobson8533]

It’s funny that I watched this whole video up until literally *the part I would eventually need* only to come back to literally exactly what I was looking for (the zen pin falling out)

[@unanimoustuba_]

This helped me clean my Krake Raken trainer for the first time lol but would brake cleaner be a good alternative to taking it apart telestro flips did a video on blade bias about how it’s better to use brake cleaner for bushing balisongs instead of taking them apart

[@slingshotshooter7536]

hello will i have 2 questions 1. why is it that even if you tune a bushings balisong bushings perfectly it will develop handle play and tap over time ? 2. how do you know when you need to replace the washers

[@xandaran12]

I can’t put the pivot in my balisong after taking it apart and i have used brand new washers

[@bigmac3006]

What practice Balisong do you recommend?

[@chilidoghamsalad9952]

I got a replicant that flips great, well fine… but there’s a little tiny bit of stick on one handle. It’s barely noticeable. There’s no play or tap it’s nearly perfect. I’m too nervous to try and make it better.

[@SpaceCowboy6787]

Should i be afraid when applying the locktite? my vulp should arrive tomorrow and im worried about messing it up while tuning it since i have no experience tuning. Is the locktite required before I start flipping?

[@uncreativename5]

I reassembled it and it has a fuck ton of tap AND I DIDNT EVEN TAKE THE BUSHINGS OUT, I SLOWLY TOOK OFF THE HANDLES TO MAKE SURE THE BUSHING DIDNT MOVE AT ALL

[@graycreeps8690]

i just bought my first brandless balisong for $20sgd…my first impressions on flipping it sucks…but when i got home…i just put on some cooking oil…a small drop ofcourse…and it flip’s amazing…but im not sure how to handle the plays and taps

[@whimsicalpaska]

I mean not a good idea to put cooking oil if your not thinking about getting a new balisong

[@Elite_MUZ]

I bought a Marconi c116 off Amazon, and I cannot unscrew pivot screws. I’m very stressed and I really want to fix it. If you could please help that would be great.

[@howdareyouexist]

damn that blue is nice, shame it isnt available

[@alterhund900]

should i put loctite on a brand new vulp?

[@aaronyeahger6582]

i have done all the maintenance for it and i think it turned out pretty well, the only thing is that right after i did the swing it back and forth thing it was a bit tight and there might have been a bit of loctice on the outside of the washer somehow, is that ok?

[@j22g3r]

I was just wondering if it was possible for you guys to review the balishark tripletail that can be found on Amazon, i just like wish to know if it is worth buying but there is no information about it anywhere.

[@wowtac547]

How reliable is handle swapping? Should we swap the bushings and that with the same handle or just a normal swap? My main worry is it’s going to make more tap.

[@thebrandonbakerclone]

If you swap the handles, keep the bushings in the same spot. The handles themselves technically don't touch the blade or the bushings themselves with the washers in the way. So I would keep all of the hardware in the same place, just swap the handles and you should be fine!

[@WillHirsch]

The handles don't matter too much from bushing to bushing!

[@topplay6284]

Hello I’ve recently ordered the nabalis vulp and I’d like to ask you what washers does it use

[@sqrf5757]

I just bought my first balisong (nabalis vulp) and I wondered if I have to maintain it right out of the box. Also do I have to maintain it weekly? I wondered how I identify as a noob when I have to maintain it?

[@WillHirsch]

You shouldn't need to maintain it very often! I'd would say leave it for now if you just got it and give it maintenance if it gets tap in the future

[@xaviergray3778]

So we should immediately add thread lock to the screws upon receipt of any new balisong but don’t worry about cleaning it until after a few months? I just purchased a Krake Raken live blade and will be buying a Vulp to practice.

[@thebrandonbakerclone]

You most definitely should not be adding threadlocker to any new balisong. That can potentially ruin the tune from the maker, which in a bushing balisong has to be very precise. You should only add threadlocker if the screws are actively coming loose Squid Industries balisongs for example all come with very strong threadlocker pre-applied to all of the screws. On the flip side, you should almost never use threadlocker on a Machinewise balisong with the type of screws they use. It depends on the product, but no, generally speaking you shouldn't immediately apply threadlocker right out of the gate

[@xaviergray3778]

@@thebrandonbakerclone Thank you, brother. You’re a scholar and a gentleman. I definitely wanted to make sure about that before I got into handling these knives.

[@olivertigonen1837]

what do i have to do if i accidently put theadlocker lube insidebarings and cant move the balisong

[@KreativeMind]

i just ordered a vulp yesterday and according to nabalis website, it wont come with any loctite or oil due to some sort of international liquid shipping issue. im not sure. my question is will the vulp be usable straight out of the box? or should i order lube and loctite to be ready when the Vulp arrives. my other question is does it matter what kind of lube or glue i use? like can i just use some super glue i have lying around as opposed to spending extra money on loctite?

[@maurizearagon5511]

what should I do if i stripped a screw?

[@Leontharchitect]

can you provide a link for the vulp washers from knifemakers usa?

[@lksdoesedits8946]

One question i have is when do i do locktide it or lube it. Cant i locktide and live it right out of the Box? Or is it better to do it when the Bali starts to get a bit of play or tap? Because its not locktited out of the Box as you said. Nice Video tho Will! ❤️🙏🏻

[@thebrandonbakerclone]

Generally, the best course of action is to wait to see if it develops significant tap and play. A small amount of audible tap isn't anything you should be worried about. But if it's major, THEN re-tune it with Loctite. You shouldn't have to do that again for at a minimum several months even if you flip a lot, assuming you applied the Loctite correctly. As for lubrication, generally you'll want to lubricate every 2-3 days at a minimum if you are flipping the balisong constantly. If you don't flip that often, probably once per week is good

[@lksdoesedits8946]

@@thebrandonbakerclone thank you Brandon! That helps. I just bought a purple one, should receive it in 2 days. Just had a 18€ Bali before and wanted to step up my Game a bit and get also more into the Hobby. Much love to both of you and thanks for the Answer. Might start a Insta Acc for flipping too 🤫👀

[@KetiZke]

Whats your take on teflon tape instead threadlocker? My Vulp is probably arriving soon but i dont want to ruin the bali with shaking hands and accidentaly glue down the bushings. Is teflon good enough on the Vulp?

[@thebrandonbakerclone]

Teflon tape can work well, but since it's an abrasive material, over time it can wear away at your screws/pivot and make it harder for it to stay locked. But that's over a long period of time, like years. So it's up to you! If you use the method Will uses in this video you shouldn't have much trouble at all putting Loctite on!

[@chinozz1]

Hey will! im new to balisongs and I am wondering if I could replace washers with bearing. Im talking about removing the washers and putting in bearings into the balisong.

[@WillHirsch]

Balisongs have to be specifically designed for a bearing pivot system, so generally no, you can't just put bearings in any balisong without extensive modification

[@Arnokiplays]

My zen pin fell out and i put a new one in, but it just falls out directly? Its like too tiny but it came with my vulp package? help?

[@WillHirsch]

You have to use the threadlocker included in the package to get the pin to stay, that's the glue that holds it in. There's a tutorial at the end of this video of how to do it

[@Arnokiplays]

oh well still doesn't work ... i think i am doing something wrong i guess

[@GlokktoPoland]

Can you put a live blade on this?

[@clovispesce8108]

will there ever be a 60/ 60 on the BS score

[@Sonee5]

bro i need the teal vulp to come back in stock

[@Short-Builds-cs4uq]

So i just got my vulp yesterday and it has bad tap now, i did the loctite and tuning but no matter how much i tigthen (obv not cranking it hard but just to the point where i feel it isnt gonns do anything more) and it still has just as much tap and play, im kind of disappointed that it came with bad bearings

[@WillHirsch]

Hey there! Have you lubricated your Vulp properly? That often is a major source of tap. Loosen your Vulp a bit, lubricate it as shown in this video, then tighten it back to as tight as you think it should go, which requires a good amount of tork that a lot of cheaper screwdrivers don't allow you to get. It is of course possible the bushings weren't tuned correctly, in which Nabalis would certainly replace or repair it for you, especially if it happens when it is properly maintained and lubricated. I hope that helps! Nabalis offers pretty solid customer service and should be able to get you fixed up in the worst case scenario

[@GrimAngel01100]

I recently took apart and put my balisong trainer together for the first time and while one handle is basically perfect with no tap, the other has a decent tap. My issue is theat the the screw is twisting with the pivot (I probably put too much loctite if it eneded up touching the pivot in guessing). I've squeez the handles to hold the pivot in place but the screw just wont budge. Is my best bet to just wait till the loctite wears down? *Note, I dont have a handle for the t10 bit, so thats also a factor, gonna have to go get one this week.