Unarmed against the balisong knife: What would you do?

[phantom]

If your attacker keeps the handles locked together, than you could treat it as any other knife. But what if the attacker leaves the handles unlocked, which would allow him to quickly change the attacking angle of the blade? Thank you for any advice that you could give me regarding this topic.

[Watchman]

Run like hell!

Now the air is clear for someone else to step up. :D

[JerryLove]

Laugh at someone that would deliberately use a knife in a manner where the blace could be covered and rendered useless, or that could clamshell shut and slice off a finger?

[Martial Joe]

How did I know Watchman would say that...

[MaFuYee]

start in with the racial slurs. - that's always a good way to start.

"Computer games don't affect kids; I mean if Pac-Man affected us as kids, we'd all be running around in darkened rooms, munching magic pills and listening to repetitive electronic music."
- Kristian Wilson, Nintendo, Inc, 1989

[Highlander]

Jerry Love is right. Anyone that leaves the handle unlocked doesn't know how to use a knife. All those fancy openings are just for show. In a real fight the knife would be opened in one quick simple motion and left open. It is quicker to change the angle and grip on the knife while open than it is to close and reopen it. There is also less danger of loosing control of the knife.

[cagey_vet]

If you absolutely HAD to defend against ANY knife
and couldnt run or reason your way out, then if
you had a jacket, shirt, or even a belt, take one
of them off and use it to wrap the knife hand if
possible, or even using it to flail at the attackers
face to distract, then go in for the takedown or
run....

[JerryLove]

*If* you knew the fighter were about to occur *and* you had training using a belt or jacket that way *and* despite the forwarning, you didn't have a better viable option *then* I agree.

If you don't have training you might do better to wrap the jacket around your own hand so you had one more resiliant to being cut. Or even leave it on in the hopes that the clothing will foul-up the knife play.

Short answer, knife play is very serious, and if you don't have a good understanding of it already, you are not going to get one from a discussion forum. Find an instructor, espically one with a knife art or who trains people who deal with them.