My post was really hard for me to do. I LIKE larger blades and wanted to specify a 7 inch range blade, and do still think that is one heck of a good length. BUT I was trying to be realistic and list something that most folks would have on them, not in or on a pack or in their vehicle. Yes things (some anyway) will be more difficult or even impossible with the shorter knife, but it is a knife that I feel folks would actually tend to carry on them and not leave behind because they are only going to be gone for an hour or two.

I've really started to develop a keen sense about what constitutes "the one knife" I'd want to have if I could only carry one blade into the wilderness. I can tell you it isn't a 10" chopper, and it isn't a 4" slicer. Both of those knives are specialized.

I'll add that my interest in lugging around a 9" to 11" chopper has really dropped to about zero. We all love big blades, and they make us feel good about our prospects of survival. I imaging there is some subconscious sexual connotation as well. Regardless, if you've actually used a 9-11" Busse or Kin you know its only really good for chopping stuff up. Chopping is a bad survival move. You risk mechanical and slip injuries (not to mention eye injury from flying debris). Its much easier to baton wood if you need to split something or use a pair of trees as a "break v" if you need to shorten a long section of timber. As for cutting down a tree in a survival scenario...the only time I could see cutting down anything large enough to require a 9" or longer blade would be if I were planning to over-winter in place and needed to build a cabin. I can assure you I have no intention of cutting enough timber to build a cabin...with a knife.

I've now sold all of my Dogfathers for this reason, and am going to sell all of my ASH Battle Mistresses for the same reason.

In the interest of full disclosure: I've not used a BWM which is thinner than most Busse choppers. I think it would likely be a better overall/general use knife than any of the BMs, etc. However, it still wouldn't be practical for the common tasks encountered in the wilderness.

Over the winter I cut some timber with a full sized ax, and it changed my opinion of "chopping". When compared to a 10" Bussekin the ax was a breeze, but overall the experience was dangerous and exhausting.

The four keys to survival in the wilderness are:

1) Avoid injury
2) Stay warm and dry
3) Stay hydrated
4) Find calories

Those are in order. The "fifth" element is "be found or find your way out".

Choppers don't satisfy three of the four (1, 3, 4).
4)

1) As previously mentioned, chopping is a dangerous and somewhat uncontrolled activity. This is especially true when you're tired.

2) Choppers can assist in shelter building, but so can smaller blades.

3) A chopper's only contribution to staying hydrated is firewood. Its easier to baton than chop and choppers cause you to sweat... a lot ... thereby robbing you of precious fluids.

4) Chopping burns tons of calories that are extremely difficult to replace in the wilderness.

5"x1/8" INFI blade, clip point, durable but usable tip, full flat or full convex grind, satin or competition finish (no double cut or blade coating),zero choil, war dog handle.

I am thinking in reality something 5 to 7 inches but there are so many choices in that range thickness, blade shape, overall shape, handle shape and material, ect....

greaser, you don't have to pick a knife that exists. List your own design features.

Most of those specs came to me from my MO 511, it is a great size. It doesn't have a sharpening choil like the standard 511, but the ricasso is larger than I would like. It is ffg unlike the standard 511. I'd rather it be satin INFI for ease of maintenance and I don't want coating bits in my food. And I would prefer the war dog handle. For me, the MO 511 is the closest the Busse Knife Group has come to a perfect bushcraft style knife.

Adam,
I know you're a fan of the 5" do all. I was the same way for a long time. That's why I chose the Scrapper 5 as my first Bussekin. I also have the most outdoor experience / use with a large number of 5" knives. This has lead me to want something bigger.

I keep hedging on what I picked. IF it was a "Forever Survival" knife, my pick WOULD change. Hmmm I wonder if I deleted my original post and did a new one that it would still count as ONLY ONE KNIFE.