@LuckyGuy, even though they won’t let me on a plane with my little knife, I think it would be a pretty good trick to claim that I’m carrying a weapon, even for self-defense. I can just picture saying to the mugger: “Hold on, wait just a sec. I’ve gotta get my little blade out of my back pocket and open it up…there, you mf: one and three-quarters inches of cold, sharp steel.”
I open letters and packages, open the charging aperture on my cellphone, cut string, trim loose edges of things, and perform assorted other small tasks daily. If I were to lose my knife, I’d be very sorry and would waste no time in replacing it.
My father was a country boy, and he always carried a pearl-handled pocket knife, which I admired. As a young woman, I wanted one too. I’ve carried one since then, in purse or pocket. People tend to be a little surprised when I pull it out, but hey, ever since the sixties it’s been okay for girls to play with boys’ toys.