Max Knives P56E — Trainer butterfly knife, skeletonised steel handles

Overview

The P56E is the second practice balisong of the series, and it differs from the P53ES on two precise counts. Its stainless steel handles are cut with large round holes rather than elongated ovals, and they are noticeably thicker: 8.75 mm against 8.25 mm. Half a millimetre more per handle makes for a knife that fills the hand further and weighs 104 g instead of 99 g. Its 96 mm trainer blade measures 2.35 mm thick, the heaviest stock of the whole batch. Closed: 124 mm; open: 213 mm.

Drilling the movement in complete safety

A trainer blade has neither edge nor point: its end is rounded and its flats are smooth. What it offers is not only protection from cuts but a different way of practising. Someone who knows nothing can hurt them repeats far more, hesitates less before the awkward passes, and fixes mistakes on the spot instead of avoiding them. That is how reflexes are built. The P56E adds its slightly higher mass and its thicker handle, which give firm landmarks under the fingers and a marginally wider movement. It can stay in service for a long time as an everyday working knife, alongside a cutting-blade model brought out once the motion is reliable.

Technical specifications

Practice blade of 96 mm in stainless steel, 2.35 mm thick, rounded end, without a cutting edge. Stainless steel handles cut with large round holes, 8.75 mm thick, silver finish. The knife measures 124 mm folded and 213 mm deployed. Mass: 104 g. Each handle turns on its pivot, and the latch joins the two halves in the closed position as in the open one.

Care

The stainless steel of a trainer takes far more hand sweat than a pocket knife does: rinse it under clean water and dry it completely after long sessions rather than settling for a wipe. The large round holes help with that drying, since they let air move through the handle. On the pivots, thin oil goes on one drop at a time; any excess is wiped off straight away, or it will catch the dust that handling brings in.

Legal notice. Age-restricted item (18+). In France this knife is a Category D item: legal to sell but reserved for adults, with age verification at checkout. Balisong (butterfly) knives are restricted or prohibited in a number of countries — Germany, Canada and several US states among them — and customs will seize the parcel. Check the law that applies where the order is delivered before purchasing.