Well if it did devolve that far I’d certainly use the knife. You raise a valid point.
At work, 2 folders in each front pocket and a fixed blade behind my taser. It’s used more as a utility knife but is placed in a good location if someone would actually get lucky and get close enough to try and snatch my pistol.
Off duty I keep a folder in my support side pocket.
I do not see a defeatist attitude. It is a dude showing a weakness from lack of training (because there are probabley better things to train) and who is grounded in reality with no delusions of being a knife fighting master.
PJ
I agree that the knife is generally used as a tool first. That doesn’t mean that it’s not part of the plan if it needs to be. I can’t find the link right now but there’s a video of a guy that was shot to the ground, couldn’t get his gun out, and really could have used a knife as the fight progressed.
It also doesn’t mean that there’s any harm in placing the knife such that it’s easier to access.
I won’t lie, I also like the fact that the knife goes from being a tell to being concealed.
If you mean “knife fighting” as in a duel with two knife-wielding adversaries, then yes, that isn’t really grounded in reality.
I can’t agree with the notion that defending one’s self with a knife is not grounded in reality though, especially for the average citizen.
Is the average citizen more likely to be dropping people with his carbine or to find himself in trouble in an environment where he only has the tools on him?
So personally, I consider the knife a “better thing to train” than advanced carbine skills, but that’s certainly a personal choice for everyone. But on a forum that so heavily stresses the importance of hard training, I find this particular divide interesting.
The other comments being made about only going to a knife when the pistol runs out of rounds ignore so many realistic contingencies of a violent encounter that I am left scratching my head.
And there still seems to be an operational assumption on some people’s part that in the event of a violent encounter, drawing their weapon and dumping round after round into an adversary will be cake.
What if the first “go” signal you receive is a sucker punch to the back of your head, followed by a guy tackling you to the ground? There are plenty of positions from which you might be able to access tool X (whether it’s a knife or something else) but cannot access tool Y.
If people don’t want to train with a knife, that’s certainly their choice, but I don’t see much value in just dismissing the issue by saying that it only applies to the worst-case scenario. I thought the worst-case scenario was the point of training.
Just like a gun, I always keep it in the same place. I used to carry two, as per Insights Training, but that became cumbersome in addition to the pistol, OC, flashlight, spare mag ect, so offside I carry OC spray instead. Tip up, thumb indexes to the end of the pocket opening. I only carry spydercos now.
I agree very much. Good post.
I agree as well but IMO that just reinforces the need for a smaller fixed blade vs a folder for that situation which IMO is akin to carrying a gun with an empty chamber.
But to answer the original question my Boker Subcom Titan is clipped to my strong side front pocket for easy access. I carry a Boker Subcom fixed blade at around 11 o’clock. This will soon be replaced by a Boker La Griffe if for no other reason than to potentially gain some retention. The folder is a tool, the fixed blade is the backup to my primary (handgun). If I can’t get the primary or backup into action it’s doubtful that I’ll be able to deploy a folder either so at that point I’m going hand to hand and I’ll admit that I haven’t trained in any H2H but I’m looking into Krav which is probably orders of magnitude more practical than training with firearms.
My knife (cheap Kershaw Leek Flat-Black) rides clipped in my left rear pocket, with my wallet.
Why:
- It’s primary role is as a tool, where location is irrelevant.
- It’s primary defensive roll is “weapon retention”, where in a struggle for MY gun, I might be able to access it weak-hand.
- My keys ride right front, my iPhone is left front (and as mentioned knife and iPhone don’t mix…), my knife and wallet ride left rear, and my Kel-Tec P-3AT rides right rear in an Uncle Mikes #1 (back-up or primary gun, depending on clothing).
I can access it with either hand, and the Leek is VERY easy to deploy one-handed. Only issues is snags on the trim of my truck seats.
Jeff
Perhaps I’ve been turned off by the Hollywood misconception of knife fighting. Goofy “martial artists” making absurd claims about their training and fighting styles doesn’t help much, either.
But yeah, if I needed a weapon I’d certainly use my pocketknife. I always an assisted opener (e.g. Kershaw) at a minimum, and usually it’s an actual automatic. Still not as fast to deploy as a fixed blade, though considerably better than grandpa’s old wood-whittler.
If I was to take classes in H2H, it’d probably be something along the lines of Krav Maga or MACP. Open to better suggestions from the forum, of course 
I carry weak side just in case my strong/ handgun side arm is pinned under me or against something else.
This allows me to defend myself in the extremely low chance that I cannot use my handgun for defense.
Rob- I’ve been carrying my Benchmade Stryker in the appendix position for years. This knife is carried tip down standard and that’s how I keep it.
I clip it to my waistband just to the right of the first belt loop. I find that it is much easier to keep it from public view here- a belt covers the clip pretty much completely.
It’s also not very threatening when I keep my hand up near my belt line when I’m poised to grab it- as opposed to sticking my thumb down inside my front pocket as I used to carry it (and as many others continue to do).
It’s always easy to access and is never covered by a longer coat or jacket as long as I’m not zipped up. I wear shorter coats and jackets that just cover my belt anyway.
I love carrying my knife this way. It’s definitely the best way for me. I did used to carry it IWB back at 4:00 but it’s nowhere near as easy or quick to grab and having it behind me keeps it from being as easily accessible when sitting in a chair.
ETA: My Stryker is also nice and smooth opening. I can slip my thumb inside my waistband and pull it out with the thumb and forefinger. As I pull it up, it’s so easy to get the blade to spring right out when you use the blade’s momentum to your advantage. I can have that blade up and out right in front of my person with almost no effort.
Kopis ala Crocodile Dundee carry.
Kidding aside, small fixed 11:00, then small assisted opener in pocket or belt line clipped. One is a tool, the other a “back up” for issues with firearm that can arise or unable to draw from holster. H2H, 12 years Akido and 16 amateur boxing. But started Krav Maga about 9 months ago. Very effective. Less wasted movement without all the fancy martial arts bullshit. Get in, get out.
The knife is an excellent defensive tool. I view it as primarily useful for handgun retention and secondly as jiu jitsu repellent. As gun people sometimes we fall into the trap of thinking that a firearm will solve every problem. Gunfights not only occur at 5 yards and out, but also at contact distance.
If you have ever been involved in a contact distance fight with weapons or at least a simunitions training scenario, then you likely experienced that guns quickly malfunction (pushed out of battery, magazine released, etc). Yesterday, I was running some training evolutions where the go signal for the fight was getting shot in the back 4 or 5 times with simunitions, and then the attacker charges you for contact distance fight. Unarmed skills and secondary or improvised weapons become very important in a confrontation like this.
If you want some good training and learn the value of knives and other secondary weapons then look to Shivworks ECQC, InSights CQC, or InSights Defensive Folding knife. Both are well thought out systems for dealing with violent confrontations at contact distance without overly diagnostic and fluffy martial arts.
And back to Rob’s initial question: I think a knife should be readily accessible from any position and with either hand. If I have to choose, then my primary knife draw is with my support hand for weapon retention. If only one knife, then it goes toward my center line, probably AIWB support side. If I have two knives, then one goes in the right front pocket and one in the left.
If it does not pose any negative legal consequences for you to carry, then a fixed blade is preferred (as long as it is concealed). If not, then an unassisted thumb hole opening knife. Automatic and assisted opening knifes are great to impress your friends with, but that is about it. I have found that they don’t open at the most inopportune moments. It is always fun to see some guy pulled out his $150 assisted opening trainer knife while grappling with someone on the ground and watch as it fails to open.
If it comes to it, yes the blade becomes a weapon.
I have a very limited time to train on my CC so knife skills do not get the emphasis. If I did have the time, they would.
Also from speaking with “knife guys” it seems to take alot of intial build up, and then sustainment time to stay good with a knife. THis initial trainup time and sustainme
I agree with the avg joe being more likely to shank a bad guy then shwack a bad guy with a carbine. However for miitary guys, carbine/rifes need to take priority over knives IMHO.
Your situations about tool X and Y are spot on and often overlooked.
PJ
I carry my Emerson wave on my non-gun hand for weapon retention, and a la griffe center line for backup purposes.
Excellent. Thanks for the advice
Same here. I use the knife for utility but I carry it there for weapon retention if needed.
I carry my EDC knife clipped in my strong side pocket, but I’ve been debating lately whether to carry tip up or tip down. Tip up seems to make for quicker access/opening, but I worry it’ll open up inside my pocket just far enough to ruin my day. 
I do this too, and for two reasons.
First it is a carry over from my LEO days. When on duty my duty holster made pulling the knife from my strong side front pocket difficult and the motion could not be done as quickly and easily as I wanted.
Second, I felt it better to have my knife more easily accesible to my off-hand for when my dominate hand was occupied with a struggle, weapon, etc. like in the event of a weapon grab my strong hand would be occupied keeping the weapon in the holster and again it would be easier and faster to locate and utilize a knife if needed from my non-dominate side.
Obviously I don’t carry near the amount of gear as I did in my LE days on me anymore, but I do still carry my weapon, reloads, knife, white light, etc in the same places as before when I carry them.