Rob72

Okay, before you spend more than you really should on one of these, let me toss this out- waved knives are faster and more reliable opening under pressure...and are readily available.

Balis are cool. They're neat. A nice one will be $150+. They are very impractical (speaking as someone who has played a fair bit with butterflies, autos, gravity knives, etc..).

T Bone

You're 100% correct, but the Bali's still have a "cool" factor unmatched by most others. Rather impractical knife from a weapon standpoint (much slower into action than the majority of modern "tactical" folders).

OTOH, very safe to carry (far less likely to partially open in a pocket for example) than most. Funny that they are illegal to own many places, and carry many others.

Oddly, I was at the local PD a few days ago and was carrying my Benchmade Morpho 32 Bali (mostly carry a Spyderco Endura daily, but I was pocket carrying the PM9 where my knife usually goes), and happened to ask the officer about the legality of carrying Bali's (NO, I never put much credence into what the officers have to say on legal matters, I was more curious of his response). He was the "gun officer" who handled registration/safety inspections until they recently became a mail in paper work procedure here. Anyway, I knew him and also knew him to be reasonable, while not nec. up on several other laws.

He stated the blade length was the deciding factor-stating our Township had a max. blade length for knives carried (something I'd not heard, will have to verify) of 2.5 inch. Showing him the 32 (which has a blade of +or- 3 inch depending on how you measure!) the 32 is legal "according to him". Says he sees a lot of them. Ha! It's beyond his stated max. length. What it has going for it is the fact that it is much more "tool looking" and less "weapon looking"

Now on to the OP. I've bought all of my Bali's on line, and AFAIK, it is perfectly legal. Various sources, some used, some new. The Benchmade 42 is pretty much THE standard these days. Can be found new in the $160/$170 range. Try Google, but be sure to verify by phone that it's in stock prior to ordering. A lot of knife dealers list knives at good prices and just back order you if not in stock, not always notifying you.

__________________
Regards, T Bone.


"Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety". Benjamin Franklin

Hawaiianone

EDC knives . com and newgraham . com are two that I like. The problem is finding the benchmade bali's in stock. The are not making them very ofter anymore. I avoid the china cheapies you find at the flea markets and on line. They will break quickly. Around here we find bali's at gun and knife shows.