I think there is no difference between the two. Its purely definition. My survival knife happens to be the shape of a bushcraft knife. My definition of a bushcraft knife.
OK, sorry if I was unclear and went off-topic. Small knife is my answer to the question, to answer the "why?'' part involves some explanation of why I might be there in the first place as this influences my selection of equipment. The only way I can honestly answer a 'hypothetical' question like the OP's is to include my personal assessment as to how likely I am to end up in any given scenario.
Some of these threads do go shooting off in the wrong direction and I apologise if that has been my contribution.
This is truly an interesting thread! It is clear that opinions vary on knives, always an interesting topic.
Personally, I see a "survival knife" in my mind not as one for a woodsman to carry on a campout but more as a military tool for combat survival. That often means making camoflauge material, shelters or personal defense/offense. When a vendor applies the name "survival" to a knife it implies a tool for use as an aid to surviving the wild. It also implies a military designation, if you will, as a military tool for combat survival.
Truly any study knife is capable to use to make feather sticks, split small wood or help with shelter building, spoon making, trap making and so on. Some designs or styles are just better suited to the purpose. A large blade offers more cutting surface and more weight to swing when chopping. It also could be a better weapon, if needed.
As a retired US Army soldier I mainly carried a larger knife for military duty. Blade from 6 to 7 inches. I also carried a machete in appropriate settings because a 7 inch blade was inadequate.
As a person that likes to trek and camp in the wilderness as much as possible, I carry a knife I consider matched to that purpose. Maximum blade is 5 inches, but is usually 4 to 4 &1/2 inches in length. A Woodlore clone or a Puukko is perfect to my taste. A Mora is always in my daypack in case I need a good knife, and on a dayhike I usually have little need for a knife and a Mora being light and sturdy suits my needs.
One thing I can say about many people in the USA, we mostly grew up with a knife style in our mind about the same as a Marbles or a Buck Special. In my early years, 1950's, '60's and '70's knives known commonly as "hunting knives" were popular, we used them for camping, hunting, fishing and so on. When I was a Scout we had a fixed blade Scout knife that was of that style. So, it is as much tradition as anything that this small Bowie style is still somewhat popular.
If you take a knife like the USAF Survival Knife with it's 5 inch blade and try to actually use it as a camping/bush knife it is awkward and made of lousy steel and is almost impossible to sharpen into a functional tool. Loads of them are still sold every year because they are called a "survival knife".
It is a bit like the word "tactical". If you have a product and you apply the term tactical to it, it will sell better and probably for more money. No idea why that is, but I believe it to be true.
Bottom line, a knife is as personal a choice as a spouse. You should like the way it looks, feels and functions. More importantly you have to be comfortable with your choice.
Cheers!
I agree with most of what you have to say except you assessment of the Pilot's Survival Knife. I have never found it to be awkward for any task. It is made of 1095 carbon steel which is very close to #1 tool steel. The very steel all good knives were made from before stainless became popular. Stainless is actually the more useless blade material for anything other than a dedicated diving knife. Carbon steel always has been the steel of choice for durability without excess hardness (such hardness as in stainless makes them the hardest to sharpen and the brittlest).
Eh?
I might of had a few but ...eh?
Don't understand your question. What are you asking?