Flytanium started in July, 2014 with aftermarket Titanium handles for the Benchmade 51 Morpho Balisong. Flippers clamored for a better balanced knife, and these weighted Titanium handles gave them the ability to make their favorite knife balanced and easier to use. Interest quickly grew, and so did our offerings, with new iterations for the 51 and an expanded range of compatibility with the BM 32 and the 6X. In 2015, we added carbon fiber, brass, and copper as a new material option for flippers. It made sense to also add anodized Titanium hardware, to match the anodized handles.
Our first big shift happened in February, 2016. We unveiled our new logo, the Dead Fly . Flytanium moved away from exclusively balisong hardware to both folding knife scales and blades. The Zenith live blade and Zenith trainer, both teased since late 2015, quickly sold out once launched. Scales for the Skyline and Paramilitary 2 showed us that the community was eager for more aftermarket parts and options for their EDC.
We continued to expand our offerings based on community feedback. In early 2017, scales for Benchmade folding knives joined our lineup. Flytanium continued to experiment and perfect new finishes and parts. Though some of these products are no longer with us, their construction and materials laid the groundwork for future knife projects. Through all this, we realized we needed the capacity to machine and experiment with more precision. In late 2018, we started our own in-house machining workshop with a couple CNC machines. This gave us direct control over our US manufacturing, allowing us to prototype faster, produce higher quality parts, and make sure every aspect of our products was exactly how we wanted.
Our second big shift happened mid-2021. We released our first knife, the Talisong Z, designed by Eldon Talley. After 7 years of making aftermarket parts, we wanted to create our own homage to the balisong community. This knife helped breed innovation with our new Bali Boots to help provide a safe way to carry latchless balisongs. This new knife flipped onto the scene with a bang, selling out in less than a day.
With the addition of an in-house design team, we wanted to push the boundaries of what we were doing and creating when it came to aftermarket parts. Enter the Lotus and Crossfade scales. Up until this point, knives had flat scales with minimal contouring. These new scale styles added both functionality and style, making waves in the knife community.
We continued to grow via shifting to a new website platform, expanding our offerings and our team. At the heart of all these changes, we realized we wanted to further embrace the fun and precision that Flytanium grew to stand for.
Enter the Tatersong – a French fly themed balisong – launched in November 2022. This limited run item allowed us to push our creativity to the limit and create an experience, not just a knife.
2023 was the year we pushed ourselves. March 2023 saw the launch of the FLY One – a new balisong inspired and styled after our original BM 51 aftermarket handles. We launched two new product collaborations with Glow Rhino Tritium knife accessories in February and our Playge x Flytanium collaboration releasing styled machined scales in May. The success of these collaborations led to a second Playge drop in November.
We kept going. We scored high with the August release of the Arcade®, our first folding knife. We licensed the Demko Shark Lock technology and combined it with our expertise to create a knife designed down to the groove. In September we branched into other EDC tools with the launch of our Flybar, a low-profile titanium keychain prybar.
The U.F.O., or Unidentified Flipping Object, landed in October 2023. This entry-level balisong trainer is a fit for kids and grownups alike. In November we launched Modifly, a place where our previous experimental finishes could be added to Titanium knife parts on demand. Finally, in December, we rounded out the year by launching the Zenith trainer, an all-metal trainer balisong knife that won’t break the bank or your heart when you accidentally drop it.
Now as we enter 2024, we’re excited to keep innovating and honing our craft. We’re creating products that spark joy and delight, that can stand the test of time, and that push us further into the future. Thank you for being part of our journey and history.