[JimRed]

The most dangerous knife you can wield is the knife your opponent never even saw.

A well-sharpened pencil or a steel shelled pen works adequately, too.

[chris37]

Yes, but of course not as effective as a stout fixed blade knife.

But I think the primary advantage one should seek with a melee weapon is to get in range of use without your target suspecting an attacking is coming.

The secondary advantage is to have practiced a series of lethal and debilitating strikes that can be delivered before the target knows what is occurring.

You do not want to provide them any opportunity to counter or evade.