Tang Pins vs Zen Pins vs Pinless

Pins are the stops inside a balisong that limit the rotation of the handles. They determine how the knife feels when it opens and closes, what sound it makes on impact, and whether the blade is protected from contact with the handles during flipping.

Tang pins are pins embedded in the tang of the blade. The handles rest against these pins when the knife is fully open or closed. Tang pins are the traditional design and are found in many classic and Filipino-made balisongs. The downside is that over time and with heavy use, the handles can wear grooves into the tang where they contact the pins — though this is primarily a concern with softer metals.

Zen pins — pioneered by Squid Industries — move the pins from the tang to the inside of the handles. Instead of the handles resting against the blade's tang, the tang rests against pins inside the handles. This keeps the blade entirely free from contact with the handles during the open/close cycle, eliminating any wear on the blade and allowing for a cleaner, more refined flip. Zen pins have become extremely popular and are now used across many modern balisong designs.

Pinless designs eliminate pins entirely. The stopping action is achieved through precise tolerances, machined stops, or geometry built into the blade and handle. Pinless balisongs can have a very clean, minimal aesthetic and a unique feel — but they are more difficult to engineer correctly and are typically found in higher-end, precision-machined knives.