First of all, many thanks, 3Guardsmen, for setting me straight about the meaning of "California legal." I was glad to receive your knowledgeable information.
My new Hideaway Midnight Claw just arrived. Once I was able to communicate with Frontsight by email, which was an ordeal (see my previous post in this thread), the knife arrived in a couple of days. I ordered mine with S30V steel and paracord wrap. The cost came to just under $200. When I first saw the knife, I thought the price I had paid for it, even with S30V, was way too much. A new Strider dagger with a five-inch, S30V blade (nine inches OAL) just sold on eBay last night for $216, as a basis for comparison. I would like to see this knife priced closer to $100—with S30V.
There were some serious Kydex scuffs on the blade when I first withdrew it from its sheath. In fact, I’d say this is the most scuffed knife in my collection, which includes a half dozen medium to large Striders and several small to medium-size Busses. I was a disappointed that the handsome charcoal finish was marred out of the box. It’s a little like buying a new pair of shoes and finding a scuff on them that you had missed in the store. If I wanted this Hideaway as a collector’s item, I would have a serious aesthetic problem with the condition it came in. As a user, though, I guess it hardly matters.
The little Kydex sheath the HAK came in is good and tight. It took a few tries to yank out the knife smoothly and even more tries to get it back into the sheath properly seated. You can’t sort of get the knife into the sheath correctly. It must go in at an exact angle or it gets stuck halfway. After withdrawing/inserting the HAK several times, it became a little easier to withdraw and insert. This gives me hope that it will continue to get even easier with use.
But enough griping. For a knife with a blade that is less than 1.9 inches long, this is one heck of a weapon. A number of people have said they would not use a knife as small as a HAK for self-defense, which is why I got mine. I respectfully disagree. The knife has a pleasing weight, my index and middle fingers slip easily into the lozenge-shaped hole, they have a snug fit when I make a fist, and the blade is easily the sharpest of any knife I own, including my Busses and Striders, out of the box.
In a self-defense situation, you could definitely ruin an assailant’s weekend with this little knife. As a stabber, afraid not. But then I got the claw model, which is a slasher, not a stabber. As a slasher, this is one wicked little weapon. And because it weighs next to nothing, you could maneuver it with lightning speed. In fact, when I was taking it out of and inserting it back into its sheath, and with each attempt this became easier to do, I found myself becoming increasingly careful to avoid slashing myself. I’ve developed a healthy respect for what a little HAK is capable of doing.
Otherwise, the HAK meets my needs very well. Let’s face it, most knives with a blade under two inches are useless for self-defense. Because of the HAK’s small size, it can be worn on a key ring, which, for me, is the ideal place for it to ensure that I don’t forget it. A larger knife I would have to remember to take with me. I never have to remember to take my keys. My Striders and Busses wouldn’t serve me well for self-defense sitting in my sock drawer, their usual home, when I need help on the street. With the HAK on my key ring, at least I know I’ll always have something on my person with which to defend myself.
Like many innovative tools, the HAK is an odd little knife. It takes some getting used to—both in terms of aesthetics, taking it out of and putting back into its sheath without cutting yourself, getting your fingers through the lozenge-shaped hole, and developing skill in manipulating the blade. Be this as it may, it has the look, feel, steel, and sharpness of a quality knife. I still think the HAK is seriously overpriced. But, heck, so is my auto insurance. At the end of the day, I’m still glad I have insurance, regardless of the cost.
