Getting back on topic and answering Unsub's question....
the folder would be for me a lockable Leatherman like the
Wave and from it's keyring attachment I would add the small
key chain SAK as the scissors/tweezers and toothpick are
good for personal admin....you can use the SAK like a knotted
lanyard to draw the Leatherman from the pouch.
That way you have one folder system that covers everything...
although I personally find the magnifying glass very useful
on the larger SAK and you don't get these on a Leatherman...
but you can make do with the same feature on a Sunto type
compass but the clarity is not as good.
Alternatively just carry a seperate jewellers loop.

The fixed blade is the hard part.....not just the
knife but thinking through the type of grind on the
blade and the ability to sharpen it.

For ease of sharpening and paricularly if Iwere as
Unsub states....buying something for someone else....
as opposed to making your own mind up knowing your
sharpening skill levels/preferences...
I would say for me I am very much attracted to the
ease and simplicity of a scandi grind bushcraft knife.
The bevel makes it very easy to field sharpen to a
razor edge all the time....using simple kit.
If taking a Scandi grind I would take a mixed
double sided 1000/6000 japanese water stone cut down
to half length and put it in a plastic tea caddy box
which you can fill up with water to enable the stone
to be soaked before use. It easily stores in a belt
kit pouch. Steel choice would have to be 01 tool steel.
I have two of these type knives and the 01 Woodlore
Bushcrafter sharpens far quicker and easier than the
Wardell Damascus steel. The later may hold an edge
longer but compared to how long it takes to sharpen...
but the Woodlore is no slouch in this department either.
The Woodlore sharpens like my Skinny Ash 1 which in Infi
is also easy to sharpen and also takes a hell of an edge.

This nicely brings me to my other choice. I like the
Skinny Ash 1 as it is just that bit more substantial
for chopping and having convexed the blade and edge
it is way more of a performer than the Woodlore.
You would need to use a batoning/chopping technique
a/la Bear Gryllis to chop through a tree with the Woodlore.
The Ash could be used by itself.

The issue with the Ash is the complex kit needed to
field sharpen the edge. My choice would be to take a
Spyderco sharpmaster with the ceramic rods and glue to
the base of the plastic box a cut out section of mouse
mat and fold and carry in the box on top of the ceramic
rods some wet and dry grit paper. The size is cut so that
when applying the paper to the base there is sufficient
overlap at the sides to enable the lid of the sharpmaker
to be closed thus trapping the paper so it can be used
like a sanding block. I have modified mine like this and
it works well. You can then restore a convex grind without
any issues so long as you have the time and skill base to
do so.....and so long as you don't run out of paper. If you
do you will just have to use the ceramic rods in the Sharpmaker
to touch up the edge and accept that it will be going back
to a straight grind secondary bevel with the convex main
grind on the sides. This would still be a very powerful
cutting combination. The benefit of the ease of sharpening
Infi steel over the other Busse-kin steels makes this
my choice amongst the "family". Infi performs so well in
all the categories which you asses a steel choice .....
that it would be my choice of steel if they did a
Scandi grind knife for someone more of a novice
to knife sharpening.

The only alternative to a Skinny Ash is for me another
Busse....probably a bit bigger....but also a lot heavier
.....and whilst you gain as a chopper you lose out in the
carving/delicate task arena. Hence if there was only
"one" fixed blade it would be the Skinny Ash. Two fixed
blades and I would have a larger knife on my Bergan or
on a Tac Vest.

A knife I would like to see made is a Skinny FSH 8 or 9
inch blade with a LE finish in convex grind like the NMFFBM..
basically just a little longer than the present Skinny Ash
with a convex grind instead of saber grind....

If Busse have ever done one can someone let me know?
I am not a fully conversant with all the models?
This would be the first knife I asked the custom
shop to do if it was not available and I had the
time to wait for it before deploying. My second knife
would be a Scandi Bushcrafter.

Anyone else interested in these two concept knives ?
Maybe we could get a group buy project price? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />