"I'm contemplating adding a fixed blade, and due to the way I learned, I prefer a double edge. Came up with these candidates and want to know if anyone has any experience with them."
When you speak about the way you learned, I am assuming then that you were trained in reverse edge technique?
I carry a knife routinely as a uniformed law enforcement officer as well as someone who has trained in edged weapons. Over the years, I have owned many custom and factory knives in all sorts of blade configurations, including the classic Randall #1 and #2. Ultimately, for a daily carry self-defense weapon, these are both not only much more than is needed in size, but are overly expensive should they be lost and there are many factory knives that are as good or better for everyday carry.
First off, are you 100% positive and without question that you can carry a double edged weapon in your municipality? I ask because double-edged knives are almost always considered to be weapons and nothing else, where conventional configured knives, meaning single edge, are acceptable and are not specifically noted in law. I am not an attorney, I am only familiar with the laws in my state, but I would strongly suggest that you make 100% positive sure about what is legal.
That said, if it is legal, then I would strongly suggest you shy away from the double edged dagger configuration and instead opt for something along the lines of a push dagger.
I have had several female friends who wanted to carry a unobtrusive knife with them and when I showed them the push dagger they instinctively saw how effective it can be.
Push daggers are employed primaly, meaning that most anyone can pick them up and instinctively use them to good effect by punching and slashing. Even though they are shorter blades, these knives are best used against hands and forearms and anything from the neck up. And most importantly, they are unlikely to be dropped and even more unlikely that someone will be able to take it from you.
Cold Steel has made many configurations of this over the years, I believe the current model is called the Safe Maker, but my preference is for one of the original Urban Skinner. Small, unobtrusive and quite effective. One of these small knives carried on the belt in the original sheath is mostly unobtrusive and will not get a second glance from most people who have no idea what it is.
When an individual is carrying a knife for self-defense, that means that under most circumstances they will use the blade during a lethal force encounter, striking quickly and then breaking away and leaving the area.
This means that it is not a duel: it is employing a tool in order to break contact.
