How To Deep Clean Your Balisong
If you use your Balisong for flipping and cutting then chances are that it’s getting rather worn out looking and may need a refresh. Well, every once in a while, you should give your Balisong a nice cleaning to keep it fresh and smooth.
If you want to get your Balisong clean and brand new again, you’ve come to the right place! Here is my step-by-step guide on how to clean your Balisong, quick and simple!
Step 1: Unscrew the Balisong
Take your Torx screwdriver bit and carefully unscrew the pivot screws of your Balisong.
If you’re having trouble taking your Balisong apart, this guide by Squid Industries has you covered.
If it has any body screws or Zen Pin screws, remove those too and carefully set the screws aside. I recommend using a container with a magnet for this as the magnet can help keep the screws in place and avoid the potential of losing screws while you work.
Use some tissue or a microfibre cloth to clean out the screw threads and get rid of any old threadlocker or gunk that has accumulated there.
Step 2: Separate the Parts
Next, take your blade, washers and handles (as well as any other pivot hardware such as bushings or bearings) such as in the picture above.
Using Q-Tips or tissues, clean out any gunk or debris from the blade’s pivot holes and around the holes.
Carefully clean out the bushings and washers, being careful not to lose them.
After that, clean out the handles properly, I recommend Q-Tips for channel Balisongs and tissues for any sandwich Balisongs.
Step 3: Put It Back Together
Carefully align the washers and bushings into the Balisong and put the pivots in, like shown in the picture above.
This is the point where you should add your threadlocker of choice onto your screws. The most common example of this is Loctite, a guide for which can be found here.
After this, put your Balisong back together and tune it to your liking, then let the Balisong set to allow the threadlocker to dry. This takes around 12 hours to cure and 24 hours to fully set in the case of Loctite 243 Blue.
Step 4: Aftercare
This is the stage where you should do the oiling of your blade, as well as applying lubricant. Oiling the blade is useful to prevent rust, as well as give your blade a new shine.
Lubricating your Balisong is very important as it keeps wear and tear to a minimum while using your Balisong regularly.
For a lubricant made for knives, Flippin Blade Oil is a great choice to keep your Balisongs running at the best they can for as long as possible while also smelling good!
Lubricating your Balisong properly and regularly allows for much smoother action and reduced wear on your Balisong’s pivot mechanism. It even cleans your pivots from old gunk as you apply and use it, though cleaning semi regularly is advised.
Conclusion
So, to conclude, properly cleaning your Balisong is a very important procedure that you should do regularly to keep your Balisong running as well as possible.
It's easier than it may seem at first glance and you'll be back up and running with your Balisong in no time!
Credits to Squid Industries Co for the two video guides referenced in this guide.
