I tend to forge ever shorter blades the more I use them. Now I am no stranger to some big brute of a chopper either, and I actually like Khukuris and seaxes a lot. But, as is, I also like to actually use my blades, and there´s some stinking law allowing criminals automatic weapons (by not pursuing thoses cases thoroughly enough) and forbide law abiding citizens the socially adequate use of knives, rant over and out.
But there´s also another reason. It´s quite difficult to make a long knife a compromise between nimble handling and chopping ability. That´s quite a tricky feat, and I am no swordsmith (yet). Also, for heavy chopping tasks an axe or hatchet gets the job done much better than a medium-sized knife (Khukuris and seaxes being exceptions). I am working on that, just for the challenge;-) and to learn swordsmithing. But as an EDC, a shorter blade can do a big job. By batoning it through a piece of wood you could even equal a hatchet, if you look for stright grain.
I tried it out, and I am quite sold on the Nessmuk design. It makes a great knife for snacking, for skinning and producing thin shavings of wood. Carving, a seax or recurve design or one with less of a curve to the edge, does better, because the material to be cut off is gathered up by the straight or recurve edge. Less of a curve would be a good compromise. I am thinking about that.
