I have been a fan of, and carrier of, the Ka Bar TDI knife for quite some time now. I am not a knife guru by any means, though I have some training in edged weapons, but I consider a knife a must-carry rescue tool. Therefore, since it is an essential tool, I also consider it a secondary weapon to be pressed into self-defense should the need arise. The TDI knife is my favorite blade for carrying on the waistline.
I have moved to a method of deep-concealment carry that entirely mimics my regular EDC carry but utilizes smaller tools. Rather than my usual auto loader, I use a Ruger LCR revolver for deep concealment, carried in a belly band for use under tucked-in clothing or when in gym shorts. While the regular TDI knife is small and concealable, I wanted something smaller yet to coincide with this deep concealment toolset. I also wanted a knife that employs the same design and methodology as the TDI. Enter the TDI Last Ditch Knife.
This little blade was designed by well-known self-defense instructor Greg Ellifritz. Greg designed it to be a hide-out blade that is so small it could be missed in a preliminary pat down. From what I gather, Greg essentially envisioned the design as a last ditch emergency tool for covert use in sketchy locations to thwart abduction attempts, and the like. When you see how small, yet potentially effective, this tool is you can see that the design fills the intended role well. For myself, I have put this little knife into a different role.
As a stickler for carry consistency I am an advocate and a practitioner of keeping familiar tools in the same body locations at all times possible. For my deep concealment under tucked clothing, I wanted something even smaller than the already-small TDI knife that still remained consistent in design and deployment. While the LDK is certainly a potentially effective weapon for certain situations, I always consider my knife a tool first and foremost. I had an experience when I was young in which I got trapped in a seatbelt that I could not escape, and I had no knife on me. That was the last time I ever left the house without a cutting tool on my person. Therefore, while a waistline carried knife serves as an excellent backup weapon for contact distance fights, I also like it immediately accessible in that location for cutting emergencies of all types. The LDK serves this purpose well in the smallest possible, but still usable, package. This knife comes sharp as hell from the factory, and the blade profile makes it an efficient cutter. It is like a box cutter that proves very easy to carry and hide on the body.
I carry the LDK on support-side appendix position, attached to my belly band via velcro, to back up my LCR revolver. This is my carry for the gym, or for under tucked clothing in formal settings. I wrapped the handle of the LDK with cord, and while it makes it slightly larger, it is still so small and thin that it goes unnoticed in any circumstances. The wrap gives me better purchase on the knife while in hand, but the primary reason for the wrap is that the small handle with sharp edges was uncomfortable while pressed into my skin. The wrap alleviated that. Despite its small size the well-designed knife allows for consistent and rapid deployment.
Overall, I am very pleased with this knife for what it is. Just like the original TDI the tiny LDK is perfectly designed for its intended task. The LCR revolver and the LDK serve as excellent deep-concealment options where the alternative would be going unarmed. I would suggest that this combination is a hell of a lot better than that alternative.
Reflex Handgun 