Overview & First Impressions
Balisongs are a subculture with their own vocabulary, their own tuning rituals and their own idea of what a good knife is. The Loran 2.0 is a friendly entry point: 107 grams, a 3.4 inch M390 blade, titanium handles, and a balance point that sits close to the pivots so the flipping feels predictable rather than fighting you. If you have ever wanted to learn, this is a knife that will teach you instead of punishing you.
Materials & Construction
M390 at 0.4 centimetre stock, satin finished, with a simple clip point profile that is easy to keep sharp. Titanium handles keep the weight at 107 grams, which matters in a balisong because heavy handles make the momentum hard to control at first. The blade length is 8.7 centimetres and the overall open length is 20.5 centimetres, so it sits in the middle of the size range: not a micro, not a full size trainer. Hardware is stainless with adjustable pivots.
Design & Details
Two slabs of titanium, a pair of pivots, a tang pin and a latch, and that is the whole machine. The handle channels are milled and the edges are chamfered, which matters more than it sounds because a chamfered handle does not bite your knuckles during a rollover. The blade has a symmetrical grind so it looks the same from both sides, and the tang geometry lets the handles swing through without catching. Balance is the design feature that counts here, and it is close to neutral.
Real-World Use
Flipping, obviously: rollovers, fans, basic aerials once you are brave, and the endless repetition that builds muscle memory. Beyond that it is a capable utility knife, and a butterfly knife with a 3.4 inch M390 blade cuts rope and boxes perfectly well. The honest warning is that a live blade is a live blade, and every balisong owner has a story about a finger. Start slow, tape the edge if you must, and keep your hand relaxed.
Ownership Notes
Balisong maintenance is its own hobby. Clean the washers, tune the pivot tension until the handles swing freely without play, and use a light oil rather than grease because grease collects grit and grit destroys washers. Check the pivot screws weekly, since they back out under flipping. Keep the blade dry and strop it often. A pair of small lanyard beads on the ends of the handles is a tradition for a reason: they help you find the knife in a bag and they look right. Butterfly knives are their own world, and the EDC knives most people carry never teach a wrist anything, which is the honest reason to own one of these alongside a normal folder.
Who Is This For?
Buy it if you want to learn to flip with a real blade rather than a trainer, and if you want a balisong that will still be serviceable in five years. It suits the person who already carries folding knives and wants a new skill. Skip it if you have no interest in flipping, if a live blade makes you nervous, or if your local law treats balisongs as prohibited.
Final Verdict
The Loran 2.0 is the balisong I would hand to someone who has never held one. Neutral balance, titanium handles, a familiar M390 blade, and hardware you can tune. Maxace builds a lot of butterfly knives and this one is aimed at the front of the learning curve. EdcMall carries it in blue, and it pairs well with a set of lanyard beads.
