I've carried a knife on my person for over 25 years, before that I didn't see the need for one. I started with traditional knives, and migrated to the one handed variety, preferably with a pocket clip. I have never carried a fixed blade, I've wanted to but it was the form factor for me. Fixed blades were usually larger than pocket knives, and they were carried on the belt via a sheath. Over the years I've noticed that fixed blades are just as varied as pocket knives, and can EDC friendly.
One fixed blade that caught my attention was the BeltWay by BloodOath Instruments. The BeltWay fits right in with the rest of their lineup, and follows a similar design motif. The knife comes with a premium steel blade and a composite handle. It's the perfect size for an everyday carry knife, not too large that carry options are limited, and not too small that it limits functionality. I'm usually handle first when it comes to reviews, so much can be determined of a knife by how it feels in your hand. A good or bad handle can make or break a good knife, but today I'm deviating, and we're checking out the blade first.
The 3.5 inch blade comes in a stonewashed finish and features a sabre grind. Clip point in design, it has a deep belly that's great for slicing, especially when using a pinch grip. The blade has a milled area similar to a fuller that's not only stylish but makes that pinch grip feel natural. The swedge near the tip makes penetration easier, they could have kept the spine flat but I feel it really does help due to stock thickness. This is my only chief complaint, this is a thick boy coming in at 15mm. The thick stock gives it a robust tip, and gives the knife some noticable heft. If it wasn't for the geometry on this blade, it might as well be a sharpened pry bar. BloodOath did a great job at making this thickness a huge advantage over something not as thick. The knife features ample jimping on the spine, it's not overly aggressive and enable a good deal of control. The S35VN does a good job holding the edge, and sharpening was painless. I didn't find an issues cutting most things in my testing, only issue was some resistance due to the aforementioned stock thickness.
The G10 dimpled handles are very similar to those on the PocketFiend, they're minimalistic but help provide a good deal of grip, especially where your fingers wrap around. I'm able to get a three finger grip around the handle, I would have preferred it a little longer but it hasn't impeded it's performance or control. The BeltWay lacks a lanyard loop, there standard fare in the industry and I'm glad they didn't include one. Lanyard loops are on everything it seems, and I feel it would have broke up the lines on this knife, plus how many truly use a lanyard?
Keeping your BeltWay ready and available is important, BloodOath uses a belt clip that's comfortable and easy to use. The clip comes installed for right hand carry in a vertical fashion, this can be swapped to left hand carry for you south paws. With eyelet spacing the sheath can be used with a variety of aftermarket clips and gizmos. I've opted for the UltiClip due to it's small footprint, and it gives me additional carry methods. The BeltWay has been carried in my pocket or inside my waistband using the UltiClip, I like the standard clip that comes with it but I preferred the Ulti. I work in retail and have to deal with customers a lot, having this blade on my person but drawing attention is convenient. When it comes to blade retention the kydex does a great job, there's just enough tension to keep the knife secure without being too difficult to draw.
I like the BeltWay and it's given me an appreciation for the utility and ease of use that a fixed blade can give. I enjoy the various carry methods available, whether it be with the included clip or aftermarket options. Not many folks have heard of BloodOath Instruments and I encourage you to look them up, they create some outstanding knives that work hard and look great doing it.
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