I cannot provide an opinion of the DSSF as I have not used it yet.
Handle ergonomics is obviously a very personal and subjective thing but for my hands the SAR series (4, 6 & 8) is by far my favorite i.t.o handle ergonomics in the Busse line (within my limited experience; I have not been at this long and I only have experience with the relatively new models. My collection is posted elsewhere here.).
After the B11, the SAR 8 is my favorite Busse.
My preference for the SAR series handles is based on its combination of comfort, control and versatility. Where some handles are comfortable for one function and not for others, I find the SAR handles are comfortable for any possible use.
They provide a lot of control because I feel that all my fingers have an (almost) equal amount of grip, maybe with a very slight bias to the outer two fingers and especially because of the wide (top to bottom) rear section of the handle.
I can find a comfortable and secure grip anywhere on the handle whether in the middle, completely to the back for chopping or all the way to the front for detail work and there are no protrusions getting in the way or digging into the hand in the chest lever grip (or any other). The pommel is completely rounded so it does not have any of the protrusions that typically start working the hand, palm or rear fingers, when chopping. The pointed pommel on the DSSF will work your palm if you grip it at the rear when chopping.
The versatility comes from the absence of the commonly used palm swell (top to bottom mostly) design like on the TAC series e.g. the BATAC. The palm swell design works well only if the ratio of thick to thin is right for a particular hand.
The TAC handle ratio for example is too pronounced for my hand so my grip is tighter on the middle two fingers and a little loose on the outer two. When more control is required I have to grip much tighter which makes the bulge uncomfortable in my palm and my hand also fatigues faster. Although the DSSF does not have a palm swell on the top, my grip is still tighter on the middle two fingers than the outer two and the handle is also a little too thin (top to bottom). It is not uncomfortable but it does not have the "melt in your hand" feeling of the SAR.
The only other designs that I find as versatile and comfortable are the Chopweiler and the Rodent Solution and you will see they all have a similar concept - smooth curves top and bottom becoming gradually thicker toward the back. They just work for my hands - I am sure others may find exactly the opposite. My ideal chopper would be an 11 inch blade with a SAR or Chopweiler handle.
In addition to their handle comfort, the reason that I really like the SAR 8 (& B11 & Chopweiler) is their performance / weight ratio. They all perform like heavier and bigger knives.
What I don't like about the SAR series is the aggressive jimping. That stuff will tear your fingers up in no time as well as your gloves over time. I get the whole firesteel striking thing but if I am going to carry a firesteel, I am going to carry a striker for it. None of that jimping nonsense on the Chopweiler or the DSSF.
I don't like choils either but if they are on a knife, they have to at least be usable. The choil on the SAR 8 has the Nuclear Meltdown treatment so it is softened / rounded and wide so it is comfortable and usable. SAR series without jimping and choils would be perfect for me.
When I want to chop anything of note, I use an axe anyway but I do chop with large knives for other reasons. We often go into the Shenandoah mountains and a few weeks ago I screwed up and packed a bunch of knives but forgot my axes. I had quite a few knives, one larger than the SAR 8 but I had a lot of firewood to process. It was very cold and I did not have gloves and my hands started hurting eventually. I found myself going back to the SAR 8 because it was the only one that I could still use without making my hands worse.
I really like the DSSF and I am sure it will be a great performer but I doubt it will replace the SAR 8 at the top of my list in that size category.
:thumbup:
