....Now living in the free state of Texas, I've been wearing a small or compact sheath knife more anymore, and in the past year, it's become my etc. A 3 inch bladed Finish puuko or a Buck 102 woodsman has been on my hip almost every day, and its been an eye opener. Sooo easy. When visiting family in the Peoples Republik Of California, I wear the sheath knife openly on my belt, and nobody says a thing. Honestly, I don't think people in general are all that observant. In restaurants, the big flea market in Costa Mesa, out on the Santa Monica Pier, the beach at Dana Point, nobody screamed, passed out, or called the police.
I think a small fixed blade, even though nothing is broken on it, would make a fine EDC with a flat sheath made to fit in the pants pocket. The A.G. Russell woods walk in its pocket sheath could be beefed up a bit for more rugged duty, and be a great un-folding pocket knife.
The small convenience of having a self contained knife is more than offset by the increase in cleaning problems, cost of production with more complex locking system, and the lack of safety if the lock gets fouled with dirt, pocket lint, blood, fish slime and guts, sand, food or other junk. I love a knife that I can hold under a faucet, swish around a creek, to clean it out.
If it comes down to a small one piece fixed blade or a folding knife with set of bearings in the pivot for Pete's sake, I'll take the small fixed blade. Just makes more sense.
johnnytoxin
You make an interesting point about concealment... where concealment is required, accidental exposure of the "weapon" can cause a problem. In my state, with guns they have that covered and hence not a crime when you are carrying a weapon concealed.
