Max Knives MKBALIG10 — Balitac by Thomas Gony, D2 butterfly knife, G10 handle

Overview

The Balitac was designed by Thomas Gony, the French knifemaker behind Grind Tactical Knives, and is released by Max Knives. It is a butterfly knife: 215 mm open and 122 mm closed, with a 93 mm plain-edge blade in D2 tool steel, 3.5 mm thick, mounted on four ball bearings, a titanium liner and latch, a belt clip and G10 handles. Numbered series of 150 pieces, supplied with its certificate of authenticity and a nylon pouch. G10 is one of the model’s two handle materials, alongside carbon fibre.

The Balitac is the knife of the Thomas Gony x MaxKnives collaboration: the knifemaker’s background, the design of the model and its two versions are presented there in detail.

A butterfly knife on four ball bearings

The Balitac is a butterfly knife, or balisong: two handles hinged on either side of the blade, which fold over it to close and come together to open; a latch holds them together, knife open or closed. Both axes run on ball bearings — four in all — which replace flat friction with rolling contact and make the movement smooth and consistent. The liner and the lock — the latch that holds the handles — are titanium, a light metal, immune to corrosion and springy enough for a part that must return to position at every closing. A belt clip is fitted to the handle. Each piece carries its number.

D2 tool steel

D2 is a tool steel with a high carbon and chromium content. That composition gives it excellent edge retention: the blade cuts for a long time between two sharpenings, and asks in return for a slightly more determined sharpening than a conventional stainless steel. It is also the steel Thomas Gony uses for his own regular models. The trade-off is well known: D2 is semi-stainless — it does not rust like a carbon steel, but it will spot if left wet.

G10, a stable laminate

G10 is a laminate of glass cloth and resin, pressed under heat: stable and unaffected by humidity, it neither swells nor warps over time. It is the more understated version of the Balitac. With identical mechanism and dimensions, the choice between G10 and carbon fibre comes down to the handle material and its look.

Care

Wipe the blade after every use and keep it lightly oiled, or the D2 will spot. The bearings ask for little: dust them dry with a brush, then put a drop of light oil on each axis once a quarter; wipe off the excess so that dust does not stick to it. Titanium and G10 clean up with a damp cloth. Check the tightness of the clip and liner screws from time to time. The nylon pouch is hand-washed and air-dried. Do not disassemble the knife: contact us before any work on the mechanism.

Information for buyers outside France. In France, butterfly knives are Category D items: sale is restricted to adults, and proof of age is requested with the first order. Butterfly knives are restricted or prohibited in several countries; please check the rules that apply where the order is delivered before purchasing.