I wish knifetest.com was still active and Noss would test this Survive line.

I second this

Wilderness Survival can (Does) mean so many things. It will in all probability be different for each of us.

For one, it will mean the modern world has ended and we are suddenly plunged back into a subsistence (Wandering ?) lifestyle.

For others it will mean a long "Lost" weekend where the knife must provide Shelter and possibly food and a means of providing "Safe" drinking water.

For others it will mean nothing more than a way to cut your cheese and bread as you set down to partake of a simple meal of Wine, hard bread and cheese.

We need to first off decide what WILDERNESS SURVIVAL means to us and base our design criteria upon that definition, knowing that we will NEVER find the "Perfect" knife. SOME situation will always pop up to spoil our Perfect Blade. Murphy is, has been, and always will be alive and well.

I found a Cordura (Regulator style) sheath for my S6 that is a perfect fit. It has of course the auxiliary pouch on the front of the sheath and it MIGHT hold a Ferro rod W/striker, a leatherman and diamond sharpening rod. I can attach a small "Capsule" to it to hold Petroleum cotton balls.

So for now at least, this will be my "Wilderness Survival" blade.

Good post Randy. Thumbs up if there was an icon!

At 3/16" it wont stand up to the abuse a Busse FBM could, from ready the previous posts none of us are looking for that. If I get one and I like it I'll test it. I'll test it doing "knife Stuff". Also the reason I've been looking into a hawk/axe is so my blade wont have to take an insane level of abuse.

I do miss that site though...

Randy,
I agree with Rich. Your point is well made. I never stipulated what "wilderness survival" entailed since thats the nature of survival: unpredictability. My definition is: I don't know what I'll have to face since I cannot shape the INITIAL scenario. Therefore, I need a knife capable of providing all conceivable functions.

Massive Metal,
Agreed. I don't think anyone in a real survival mindset would want to risk damage to their principle survival tool unless it was 100% necessary.

I'm not a Bear Grylls styled outdoorsman. I'm very much of the Les Stroud mindset...he tries to not use his knife if he can easily fashion another cutting implement in an attempt to save the tool for "when it really counts".

My regulator sits in one with my EOD leatherman (hey you never know when you need to crimp a blasting cap) its a nice set up for urban survival.

This ^^^ with all of your equipment is a good practice when replacement isn't readily available.

..... I wholeheartedly agree that we MUST know how to improvise tools, if your primary is lost or damaged (or course that will be hard to do to my ASH.. )so that it is no longer usable. There is however a balance that must be struck in a true "survival" situation. Taking the time to make a replacement tool/implement can be a time/energy/calorie burden that cannot be entertained, that may not be readily predictable at the time either. By way of example, I am a believer in getting things done there and then if they are a must (eg shelter), so if I take the time to fashioning a rudimentary hand axe from a flaked stone(as opposed to chopping with my ASH) that may be well and good, the sun is shining and the birds chirping, but as I am still 1/2 way through building the shelter (that would have been finished had I just "got on with it") a storm/cold front rolls over (just last week here in Sydney and the surrounding mountains we went from warm and sunny to gale force winds and light snow in an hour)and I am caught waaaay out. Saving the wear on my ASH was not worth it in the great scheme.

Architect - not a negative to making tools at all, you know that, just hard know when this is the appropriate course of action in the interests of saving one you already have.

This is why WE ALL are on the quest for the best quality tools in the first instance.