*Snip* Generally it's when you don't expect an attack, like say walking home with groceries.
*snip*
I don't plan to be that guy who takes any opportunity to show off his knife. However, I DO want to be that guy who has the capability to defend himself or others instead of standing there or(and this one makes me laugh every time) expecting the police to show up in time.
But that's a bit besides the point of this topic. Let's assume for the moment I am not a crazy old Australian bushwacker who will whip out his fighting knife for any curious bloke, and that knife-fighting is a last resort. I've been stabbed before, and I don't have any inclination to repeat that feeling. I'd much rather talk my way out, or just give them what little money I keep in my wallet.
...
*snip*
The bring a shotgun thing was for if you are in bear country. I was not suggesting you carry two of them but to bring a friend who also has one. Going after a bear with a knife is pure fantasy. I am not trying to say you should be defenseless but if you want to buy one blade to do it all you will likely be disappointed with a big shiney expensive bowie.
See that bold part of the quote? Would you actually carry a big bowie with you to the supermarket or those times when you don't expect to need it? It's the same thing with guys buying full size 1911 pistols for ccw, if they are big and awkward you are unlikely to carry them. The tool with you is more use than the tool at home in the nightstand. Look in the prac tac section of the forums, there are currently 2 threads about small fixed blades for concealed carry.
Ok, lets not debate this further I'll throw in a few larger tacticool knives and you can say what you like. Just to be clear I would not use any of these to fillet a fish.
Blackjack model 1. Vietnam chic.
SOG seal 2000. It comes with serrations. I edc'd its little brother for about a year and only ever used it to do tasks a swiss army knife did better, turns out the knife does a crappier job than a mora of processing wood. Lesson learned. A mora will also pierce body armor, go figure.
Cold steel natchez bowie and laredo bowie
These are big knives.
Fairbairn sykes dagger. This thing had its trial by fire in world war 2. In world war one they used more sophisticated trench weapons like sharpened spades (dig a hole to hide in with it then hit the enemy with it), trench knives, maces, shotguns, grenades and pistols.
Cold steel recon scout. Pretty reasonable knife
kukri's are a Nepalese design and have been used for a long time to hack and slash in nepal and the British army.
Machete. Cheap and effective, most recently used in parts of Africa.
Hukari. Heavy short chopper, design started by someone cutting a sword down to a more manageable size.
Von tempsky bowie. Big hunk of steel.
kizlyar combat 1. Big and stabby.
Kizlyar dv 2. Big and less stabby