Benchmade just released a brand new balisong today: the 82 Laro. This one channels Benchmade’s long historical connection to the format while incorporating all of the company’s current preferences in terms of materials and machining.
Of all the major production outfits, perhaps none has a stronger connection to balisongs than Benchmade. Longtime members of the community know that the company was original called Bali-Song, and that their famous butterfly logo comes directly from the informal name that the bali goes by in this part of the world – the butterfly knife. And while balisongs occupy a much smaller percentage of Benchmade’s catalog these days, it’s still a sector they visit with regularity.
Actually, the Laro is the second balisong released this year, forming a calendrical bookend alongside the Necron, which dropped in Q1. Compared to the massive Necron, the Laro is significantly smaller, although it’s still a mid-sized offering with a 3.6-inch blade. It’s a narrow drop point shape, with a perforated fuller through its slender blade flat that probably has some very precise effect on the balance, which, given that we have never had the knack for balisong flipping, we are not qualified to speak on. What we can comment on is that the Laro’s MagnaCut blade steel will make it a dead-reliable performer whenever the flipping stops and the work begins.
The Laro is essentially an integral knife, with each handle half being machined out of a single, solid piece of titanium. The strut-like styling on these handles mimics the industrial look of the blade fuller, and the latch on the bottom is magnetized to effortlessly get out of the way when deploying the knife. Now, Benchmade chose not to attach a pocket clip to the Laro – a fairly common design choice when making balis – but it does come with a Boltaron sheath that has a steel clip attached. The Laro has a total weight of 4.32 oz.
This one flipped out right after it was announced and can be purchased now.
Knife in Featured Image: Benchmade 82 Laro
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