45acpForMe
Newbie
Not exactly a defense blade, but I carry a good ol' fashioned swiss army knife almost everywhere, just because it has a million uses. (Don't believe me? Download a few seasons of MacGyver!)
During hunting season I have a generic bowie knife (no idea who the maker is, it was a gift when I was a teenager, but it holds an edge and works for dressing deer)
When I was stationed in Germany and didn't have my firearms I carried a small spring-loaded folding knife (as did a lot of other military members). Happy to say I never needed it.
I've always thought a fixed blade bowie would be a welcome addition to the personal defense arsenal, but I have no idea the legality of carrying one (last I checked any blade longer than 3 inches was considered illegal to carry, just like brass knuckles, black-jacks, and switchblades in most states)
The following site is useful for looking up each state's knife laws: http://home.netcom.com/~brlevine/sta-law.htm