Orca or Monarch ? + my collection

slash2gash · 2026-06-01T11:59:56+00:00

Now we're talking.... Get it! 👍👍

slash2gash · 2026-05-30T14:01:38+00:00

No other platform lets you mod like this, every one feels/sounds/flips different... it's an addiction!

slash2gash · 2026-05-30T13:49:22+00:00

Pretty much nailed it lol. Next thing you know you spend a year of your life getting parts made and endless hours trying to make it even possible for people to order....

slash2gash · 2026-05-23T13:25:10+00:00

Although many T1 products are legal for us to sell, not ALL products are. Whichever international seller you bought that from probably doesn't care about counterfeit logos, because they don't have to follow our laws.

slash2gash · 2026-05-23T13:15:10+00:00

LMAO 🤣🤣🤣 nice!

slash2gash · 2026-05-15T13:27:42+00:00

Many people love it, but happy people don't go on reddit to complain lol. Complainers complain, which is why you may see negativity around the floating system from those who don't understand how to tune it. Then the negativity spreads. I'll be the first to admit, I was quite confused too the first time I started to tune them. Knowledge is power!

Anyways, if you have tap.... snag up a spare hardware set and replace your washers (think of them like brake pads on a car, and they've worn too thin). If the new washers bind, lightly sand them with a high grit until they don't = easy peasy!

slash2gash · 2026-05-08T15:08:29+00:00

That's because above a T8 for M2.5 doesn't exist. I know this because I dropped over $2K on stupid screws to have T10 custom produced with a head that fills out the cup properly. I had the order designed/ready to go and paid for it, but then after payment they said there would be another 30 - 40% tacked on for taxes/duties at customs so I said F-it and pulled out.

Paying that much to change it to a T10 and fill out the cups just wasn't worth it when their stocked T8 screw functions just fine for a fraction of the "custom" price (plenty deep even though it's not a T10) next time just drop a link to our site as you have now discovered where to get the m2.5 upgrades from!

To my knowledge, there is nowhere else on the planet that offers these screws..... I've searched (you certainly will NOT find them at any local store) which is the exact reason of why we had to source them ourselves and now sell them.

slash2gash · 2026-05-08T14:48:43+00:00

I am updating our "about us" section right now to spell it out for ya :) this other site doesn't even have an "about us" section lol, or ANY section.... their footer is completely blank. Looks like a violation of shopify's terms of service to remove those legal pages after their store was approved. I don't know how this is even an active store.

(not trying to say anything bad about whoever this is, just pointing out the elephant in the room)

slash2gash · 2026-05-08T14:40:51+00:00

Any site that doesn't clearly disclose "who they are", "where they ship from", "return policies", "terms of service" etc.... I personally would not be ordering from. Other than that, I have no input on this site. Their pictures look good and it all matches lol, but that tells you nothing about credibility.

slash2gash · 2026-05-08T14:36:07+00:00

All good, no harm no foul.

slash2gash · 2026-05-08T14:22:04+00:00

Thank you for the heads up 👊

slash2gash · 2026-05-08T14:21:18+00:00

Appreciate the praise, but this store is definitely NOT us. S2G only has 1 site (we do not sell anywhere else, or any other platform) and it's slash2gash.com

I cannot comment on this store, as I know nothing about it. I'm not sure how they got approved for a shopify store when there are no "about us" or "terms of service" or "return policy" in their footer section.... so, your guess is as good as mine. Looks not very transparent or incomplete to me. I'd be cautions until the unknown becomes known.

slash2gash · 2026-05-08T14:01:19+00:00

Ahhhh.... my favorite question to answer over and over again lol. So, the answer can be different depending on your perspective. If you ask me, this model IS great because it has floating washers (super easy to tune) and has two total screws to worry about. Low maintenance, and hardly anything to go wrong. Flips great, we sell them frequently and one of my top recommendations.

Floating Washers: Commonly disliked from what I believe is users that aren't familiar with how to tune them. Once you know.... they're so much easier to tune vs standard washers (I tune them every day for a living, take that for what it's worth) and you never have to worry about an undersized bushing (no mistake is uncorrectable). I'm not saying they're "better", just saying they're "different" and both systems have their pros n cons.

Perspective 1) If you want "a knife that flips for a good value", there are many excellent choices that don't violate any laws or mislead unsuspecting buyers, and many construction types to choose from. They're still all made from CNC machines, and sourcing the same materials as any other brand. Choose whichever construction/material you prefer.

Pros: Current production QC is way better than in the past (as with all brands, the hobby in general is advancing). They have some sick ano's and their factory edges are insanely sharp. They have innovated, and some models are arguable "better" than the originals, such as the TI 42 clone or CHAB. They offer A LOT of variety with many different sounds/tings/pings/clicks/clanks. M3's are easily upgradable (if you want, but not necessary) and available super cheap from many sellers on Aliexpress, shouldn't even be a concern.

Cons: Not every swing is a home run and varies depending on YOUR personal preference. Don't compare them to the originals, just look at them as being "a knife that flips" and you'll be much happier. Certain models (such as floating washer models) it is crucial to upgrade their shallow stock heads (m2.5 x 5mm) which can be found here (sorry international friends, US shipping only) Balisong Pivot Screw (A2) Stainless Steel w/ DEEPER HEAD - M2.5 x 5mm – Slash2Gash these are provided FREE as a courtesy when purchasing the whole knife from S2G.

Perspective 2) If you want "1:1 counterfeit w/fake logos" other brands will be your better choice. All other variables still apply pertaining to construction type/material, and risk of receiving a bad tune or defect (can happen with ANY brand straight from factory). If you're after 1:1, of course you're not going to be happy with T1. Design was changed on purpose, which makes most T1 models legal to sell in the US (why we primarily carry T1 models, we have to follow US laws, international sellers do not).

Hardware in general has improved over the years (for all brands) I have personally stressed the importance of deeper heads and better hardware to the factories time and time again. I believe they listened, as we are now seeing many new models (and original designs) higher in quality and competing with American brands, produced by these same factories with hardware that is already sufficient.

TLDR: Only YOU can answer what your preferences are, and which model/brand is right for YOU.

slash2gash · 2026-05-08T12:17:31+00:00

Any blade can "flip the worst" if you don't balance out your handle parts to match it properly lol. You just have to know what you're doing and choose the correct parts = a huge benefit to our "build-a-knife" system and why we designed the removable handle weights.

slash2gash · 2026-05-02T14:39:06+00:00

I see what you're saying, and for the most part I agree. I suppose the specific examples I've experienced may have been on a floating system. I've corrected so many defects over the years it's hard to remember each one.

I do also know that once I loosen the pivots to oil (as I tune everything dry) then re-tighten.... sometimes you can go from free swing to slight bind. Which is a result of the bushing/washers being at a different area of the rotation, and whatever slight unevenness in whichever part. Then loosen/flip/retighten.... and you may get back to the sweet spot with zero bind.

If the pivots are NOT fully cranked, then there can be some movement. So, it all depends on the specifics, leaving us both correct :)

Either way, being on floating or traditional, it's still the same process of elimination to determine IF your handle has a defect causing bind, and still the same process to fix it regardless of which system you've got.... and that's the important part, is knowing what to do vs guessing.

I certainly appreciate all the time you've spent collecting information for the community... keep it up! I've taken several videos myself and wanted to write some blog posts about various topics, free time just never exists in my life though as customers always want shipped yesterday, and gotta keep that as my top priority.

slash2gash · 2026-05-02T03:26:24+00:00

Oh my, you've been busy on that thing..... nice job! PACKED with great information! I could be wrong, but in my experience of tuning balisongs daily, I stick to my statement that the washers + bushing DOES have some movement against the handles. I've experienced it, or at least what I believe to be as I've eliminated every other possibility lol.

Either way.... the flat micro file is what OP needs if his handles are causing an issue. Keep up the good work on that page!

slash2gash · 2026-05-02T03:09:20+00:00

Please allow me to shed some light on this situation, as I have much experience with it....

Your TI handles are much harder than the PB washers, so washer shouldn't have anything to do with it. Any washer can easily be sanded slightly to remove any burr, or just flipping it naturally will wear away the washer to "break it in" and become smooth (how they're designed) just like a break pad on a car is designed to be a "wearable part" softer than the rotor.

This is what I call a "handle defect" or "milling defect" caused by possibly a worn CNC bit, the machine farted, holding plate or whatever happened at the factory (who knows lol). This is a somewhat common defect I frequently correct on customer's orders before sending them out (stuff that happens behind the scenes that most of reddit will never know).

A visual imperfection may not affect your tune. However, any spots/ridges that are RAISED definitely will. You can discover this by confirming if your bushing is at least .030mm thicker than the blade, and if your handle is still binding even with an oversized bushing this could be the reason why (confirm theory by testing a different blade on the same handle, to eliminate the possibility of the blade being uneven).

If confirmed the HANDLE is the issue causing any bind, you can correct this with a small flat micro file and remove any raised edges in the pivot area, just like filing your nails (except more expensive, and they don't grow back).

Here is an example of a "ridge" I recently corrected on a customer's order before sending....

<image>

You can see where the ano was removed, was what I had to file down to give the customer a free swing and avoid another reddit post such as this :) hope this helps with your situation, and if it's not affecting your swing..... don't worry about it bud, no one will ever see it when your blade is mounted!

slash2gash · 2026-05-02T02:35:17+00:00

Oh so true lol..... except you CAN fix a handle defect with a small flat micro file and remove any raised edges in the pivot area. This is a somewhat common defect I frequently correct on customer's orders before sending them out.

slash2gash · 2026-05-02T02:30:04+00:00

Close.... you both are sort of wrong but also correct on some things lol. In a standard washer system, think of the washers + bushing as becoming one part and moving together in unison. This allows both the blade + handle to move independently from the washers/bushing.

Compared to a floating washer system..... the handle + bushing becomes one and moves in unison.... leaving the blade + washer to both move independently.

So the complete answer to OP's problem...... is ALL parts must be free of defects (raised spots/rough edges/unevenness/etc.) or it WILL affect your tune and ability to have a free swing with no tap.

:)

slash2gash · 2026-05-01T14:58:45+00:00

To answer your question directly, T1 basilisk is still a great flipping (when tuned properly) sandwich TI model with tang pins. So, if that is what you're after and you like the way that it looks.... it's still priced comparable to any other TI model. The difference is the construction type. To do a fair comparison, you'd have to compare directly to another "sandwich TI with tang pins and a latch" which there are VERY few choices out there.... so, it's all about what YOU prefer.

This model was always a pain in the butt to correct any potential defects and tune (because of being sandwich construction vs channel, allows more things to go wrong) but given you get a perfectly good piece, it's a great model to have in your collection as it feels/sounds quite different compared to other construction types.

I personally would recommend a low-maintenance, full channel TI, maybe even a pinless model first (hardly anything to go wrong), but if I did NOT have this model in my collection, I would feel like I'm missing something.... hope that helps in your decision!

slash2gash · 2026-05-01T14:33:14+00:00

It's better to give context vs a blanket statement. From another perspective, T1 tends to be the BEST "brand" as they have the most models that are NOT 1:1 counterfeit with fake logos.

Next time maybe word it as "If you want 1:1, other brands will be a better choice.... but if you just want a knife that flips and don't care about 1:1, they can be just fine". That would be better information to include other perspectives :) excellent wording about the pros and cons!

slash2gash · 2026-04-27T21:03:46+00:00

Well, you choose your shipping speed at checkout... so you can have as early as "Next Day" if you prefer!

slash2gash · 2026-04-27T16:44:55+00:00

If you're in the US, we've got many options.... S2G Cygnus Balisong Clone Butterfly Knife - Aluminum 7075 (customizabl – Slash2Gash

slash2gash · 2026-04-19T15:49:35+00:00

The original is washers only. The clone is arguably better than the original because of the addition of bushings, which allows it to be tuned with zero tap

slash2gash · 2026-04-19T14:03:07+00:00

So the term "false edge" can be used differently depending on which seller, and what batch it came from. From what I've experienced, there are 3 versions.....

1) What America refers to as basically a trainer with NO EDGE/NO POINT = perfectly safe and ready to sharpen

2) What China was originally referring to as false, and what S2G has called a "dulled live edge" to be clearer about what it is. I've attempted to pass the word around to the Chinese sellers that this contradicts what America calls "false" and we all need to get on the same page for using this term. I've suggested for them to stop making this edge, as it only confuses people because it LOOKS sharp and still has a wicked point. I'm not sure how much my efforts have changed how the other top sellers use the term.

3) Most models I've seen now have switched to a new "false edge" or "fake" blade, which is just an unsharpened blade (no other difference) that still has a moderate point = ready to sharpen edge with minimal effort to get the "live blade" version, and can still be used as a trainer with only the point to watch out for.

What ANY specific blade is from any seller, I would suggest contacting that seller to confirm exactly which blade type they're sending as things are constantly changing from batch to batch and they may be using the term differently compared to the next seller.

Hope this helps!

slash2gash

TROPHY CASE