The Hideaway is a really remarkable knife, IMO.
I suggest you go over to
www.selfdefenseforums.com and look for information on it, as its design process happened a great deal on the forum in the Womens Self Defense section (as the designer is a woman).
In my opinion as an end user and knife maker I have not seen a better small defensive knife. Because of the specific blade shapes used any of the models will un-doubtedly cut like much larger knives, especialyl in a defensive situation. The steel used is excellent and, the very best feature IMO is that the retention of the knife will be second to none - and speed of access will also be quite fast.
For the price you get a hell of a package, with a lot of options - and there will soon be a video available specifically for it (although it will translate to other knives), done by a gentleman (known around the forums as SouthNarc) who DEFINATELY knows his stuff about close quarter blade work.
I have one on order - and am greatly looking forward to it.
Right now I carry a La Griffe, which I think is the best production necker available - better than the Spyderco SPOT, because you can thrust with it as well as slash and the handle seems more comfortable to me.
I have NO use for small neck knives that dont offer retention on the level of the La Griffe or the HideAway.
WAAAAY to many knives that are decent for utility are touted as decent for defense, when they arent because they lack good retention - on smaller knives especially this is a concern. Your hand will be covered in sweat, blood, and possibly other bodily fluids, and you NEED a knife that will stay in your hand.
One other advantage to such a level of retention, you can open your hands to strike and grapple, or to use a firearm, without losing hold of the knife, and without the knife getting in your way.
Get a HideAway - to heck with the rest of 'em that have little or no guard, and nothing to keep your hand from sliding off the back - sure they will work, but wouldnt you rather not chance it?
