I dont carry a pistol, not 21 yet. I do carry on my families 2000 acres of property in the middle of now-where, but not off it. On the ranch, weapons retention is the last thing I worry about. So in situations like that, my knife is a utility tool.
But lets say for the sake of argument I was carrying a defensive pistol regularly. I'd keep my EDC folder (EKI Commander) in my right front pocket, I'd put one of my lefty-folders in my left front pocket or tucked int he waist band, behind my hip, on the left side (probably an Endura with a Wave modification, or a lefty EKI P-Sark) and I'd put something like a Camillus CQB-2 IWB on my left side, a little forward, and angled forward for a lefty reverse grip draw, or righty cross draw.
For a "let go of my gun" situation, go for one of the lefty knives, and go for arm, throat, face & eyes, and anything else I could.
For a contact distance (I.E. no distance at all) encounter, I'd go for the knife to get them off me and away from me, so I could get back, draw, and respond with neccassary force if they were still coming at me.
For the most part though, a knife carried with a gun, would be a utility tool... but, I am not going to cut myself off from a posible weapon, by discounting its viability or neglecting to train for even an un-likely situation such as this.
I have a great deal of faith in the knife as a deadly weapon... I know just how fast someone without much training, can do damage to someone not expecting it, and even to someone expecting it.
I dont like defensive knife use, I dont like the idea of it... the cuts, blood, etc., but I also dont like the idea of dying... one I can get over, the other I cant. (and the term knife fighting implies knife on knife, which is really rare, so I didnt use it.)
Non-lethal force in the form of WW-II style combatives, and pocket carried impact weapons (I have almost no use at all for pepper spray) is always a step before lethal force, of course, but thats not what this is a discussion of.
And above that, trying to keep my young arse out of such troubles.
This post has been edited by TheBluesMan, 1/4/03, 10:49 p.m.