I work in an office in NYC, within a couple blocks of today's parade route (GO BIG BLUE!!!), and I normally come to work with more than one knife. Today, I think I brought three; a Gerber multi-tool, a SAK and a cheaper knife with one serated blade.

I am with the crowd that would avoid using a knife as a spear, if I had other choices. A decent spear can be made from only a stick. Sure, it should be a good, strong stick, but so should anything to which you will tie a metal point. I would not want to lose a Hoffman harpoon when the end of the stick to which it was tied broke. Additonally, spear points can be made from other items, like a piece of bone or metal by gridning them down, or maybe with some practice, one could try flint knapping. I'd probably only be able to create something to use as a grub axe, but the knife would help me cut something to tie that to a stick. I'd need to be pretty hard up before I risked a knife as a spear.

I do like the idea of a Hofmann harpoon or the Cold Steel Bird and Trout knife as a part of a small kit. the last cutting tool I leave at home is in an EDC kit, and it's an exacto blade which I have attached two pieces of plastic tableware (a spork and a knife). Either the Hoffman blade or the Cold Steel knife would be a good addition to this kit. But, if either were my only blade, I would be less likely to risk losing it.