Yes the store let me spend a good 40 minutes trying out a bunch of knives. It was fun. And it showed me how much a knife needs to "fit". A few were really nice, but obviously not right for my from the first cut.
Yes, I have provisions to safely store my knife. I have a good sized piece of deer hide hide that I wrap it up in and a knife drawer in my kitchen.
Like I said, I felt a bit silly buying the 10" knowing that it was the first "real" knife I was buying. But you're right, it is light and nimble, and I find it very comfortable to use. After my first thumb slice I'll admit that I slowed down my chopping technique for a while. But now that it's been the better part of a month, I'm back up to my usual chopping confidence. I love using it.