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“Stay ‘unreasonable.’ If you
don’t like the solutions [available to you], come up with your
own.”
Dan Webre
The Martialist does not
constitute legal advice. It is for ENTERTAINMENT
PURPOSES ONLY.
Copyright © 2003-2004 Phil Elmore, all rights
reserved.
Valois Belt Knife
A Product Review by Phil Elmore
After I reviewed the Bowen Belt Knife,
a reader contacted me about
A. Daniel Valois.
Mr. Valois is a well-known knifemaker based in Lehighton, PA, who makes
(among many other things, including some fairly inventive canes) a belt
knife the reader thought I might like to check out.
The Valois belt knife attached to a canvas
“sport” belt.
I contacted Mr. Valois, who was happy to send out a sample
of the knife in question. What I received was a conventional canvas
“sport” belt (of the same type commonly found in military surplus stores)
bearing a very classy laminated wood handle.
The hand-forged knife attached to the wood handle is made
of 440A stainless, cryogenically treated. (Mr. Valois also offers the knife in
titanium.) The cutting edge (ground on both sides) is roughly 2.25 inches.
The blade
extends about 3.5 inches from the curved handle. Overall length is 7
inches, depending on how you measure the curved length.
The knife shipped with a nice sharp edge, ground on both
sides. Despite the curved handle I found the blade comfortable to
hold and to use for utility (which I did, accomplishing a variety of
mundane chores without difficulty or incident). A finger groove
below the edge provides purchase for the index finger, while nicely cut
thumb grooves are cut into the spine just forward of the handle. The
inner surface of the tang is marked “Valois U.S.A. Utila-Knife.”
The knife is designed to fit into a Kydex
holster that is an integral part of the belt. Two metal hooks on the
buckle mate with Kydex flaps on the belt. Inserting the buckle into
the belt is a simple metter of pressing inward as you sheath the blade,
which allows the hooks to slip into their holders.
The belt itself has a metal hook that fits
into a hole on a metal retainer at the opposite end of the belt.
This is what makes the belt function as such. The user simply
adjusts the position of the retainer (which can be moved along the
beltline by releasing a clamp affixed to it) to fit the belt for proper
tightness around the waist. “Buckling” the belt requires only
inserting the hook into the retainer. The wearer pops out the hook to
unbuckle the belt. There were times when I accidentally hooked the
belt in one of the slots on either side of the retainer, but for the most
part I didn’t find it difficult to secure and release the belt.
The hook that is the foundation of the belt
knife’s “buckle.”
The retainer (left) shows scratches from repeated
buckling and unbuckling,
but this is normal wear. To buckle the belt, you adjust the retainer…
…Along the beltline for tension, then hook the
buckle prong in the hole.
There’s no denying that the Valois belt buckle knife has a
very subtle, almost classy appearance. No one with whom I interacted
had any idea I was wearing a knife on those days that I tested this blade.
Thanks to the design, the knife deploys extremely quickly, too
surprising more than one of my friends and family, who should really know
by now to expect me to have a knife readily at hand. The draws
smoothly and easily with a faint “click” and is easily replaced (though
you have to press inward to make sure the hooks mate with the kydex flaps
in the sheath portion of the belt).
The Valois belt knife has an understated
and attractive appearance.
The knife draws quickly and is ready in a flash.
A belt knife like this is a specialty piece — a hideout
knife that is intended to stay concealed until needed. In today’s
society you’ll run very real risks wearing this on a day to day basis (the
knife is one of those regularly profiled in compilations of airline
screening materials I’ve seen) and, if you’re caught with it, you could
well be charged with carrying a concealed weapon. Keep that in mind
and make sure you stay legal.
I was pleased with the Valois belt knife.
As of this writing I’ve had the chance to test more than
one belt buckle knife. This one definitely has good features for
such a rig: a fast, smooth draw that is independent of the “belt”
function, ease of resheathing, good looks, and good workmanship.
Mr. Valois has made something that
will hold up your pants while it’s saving your behind.
I have bought 2 Valois Knife belts over the years and absolutely love them. The only problem is that the sheath eventually breaks, this has happened on both belts and I lost 1 knife with out even knowing it broke. Now I have 2 belts with broken sheaths and 1 knife. I must add I am a truck driver and the constant movement probably has added to the breakage. What I would like to know is where I might be able to find replacement sheaths.