I agree in the scenario you described. As for me, I do not plan to be the aggressor, would only pull a knife if it would be the right item to use where cutting or slashing would be required. I also do not subscribe to Crocodile Dundee's famous line - "you call that a knife, this IS a knife" and sometimes a smaller instrument is more effective. I carry a pocket knife in my right pocket, very hard to extract if you are needing to use your right hand for work or defense.
Way back in my younger years I took martial arts while stationed in Korea, and we practiced with swords and Sai's and understand balance. I can't move like I did back then. However, in my older years, I will use a multitude of DNA collection techniques to ensure law enforcement can find the perps. Blood, skin, or flesh are key components to a crime scene (and hopefully they're not all mine if you know what I mean Vern).
The problem for all of us older folks is that while we might excell in physical performance over our peers, and we may have been the strongest and fastest in the room, age takes that away. Our mugger today may be three guys and each of them will be armed. One will have a gun, maybe more than one.Rare but they could all three have knives. During my martial arts days I loved to fight guys with knives because most of them focused only on knife techniques. They were pretty easy to put down. Now have two guys attack. Well you can win but you are going to get cut.17 year old thugs do not need any training with knives, they are all a death threat.
Now fast forward 50 years. Your speed and agility are gone. Any 17 year old is faster than you. The only way to survive attacks is by superior tools, guns. I do not care if there are five guys, an armed and trained old man who can shoot and duck and dive has a good chance of survival. With a knife no. Now make that a machete, the odds go up, unless the attackers have one gun. Choice of weapons rules. Knives are cool I have dozens, but they should never come out until everything else has failed.
I have seen a guy slashed across the belly and his guts fell out onto a pool table, pretty graphic, I was on the other side of that table. I have investigated cases where a guy,was stabbed deep into a lung, probably with an ice pick or screwdriver, we never found out. Those things happen quick, but guns are quicker. And people who are cut do not just stop fighting many just keep going. That noisy gun lets them know things have changed.
Knives have no place in a gun fight unless you have lost you gun and you are in a hospice made.
Anyway my two vests.