If you are of the opinion that a sharp knife is a liability and you can get by with scissors, go the scissors route. In that case a dull knife takes up space and weight and is just as much of a liability. Why bring it along at all? A knife is a tool for cutting. A butter knife is a tool for spreading butter and cutting butter at the dinner table. Diminishing the effectiveness of a tool's intended function makes it a less effective tool. You then have to weigh safety (which is debatable) vs. utility. Carrying a butter knife around maybe safe, but it is useless around the camp unless you want to butter something. Having used knives for cooking, butchering, whittling, and other utility chores I still believe a sharp knife gets the job done more easily and safely. I know that more force is needed behind a dull blade to get it to do its job, this means less control through possible slippage and fatigue and there is more likelihood of causing injury to yourself or others (if you are violating one of the Boy Scout rules by using a knife in proximity of other people).

If you are using a knife in a survival situation to make wood shavings for fire, construct shelter, process food (if you are lucky enough to catch something) a sharp knife will also save your energy in that you don't have to work as hard to get the same job done.

My question is, if a jagged wound heals faster, why do surgeons use scalpels?

There is nothing wrong with bringing scissors instead of a knife if that is all you need to get the cutting jobs done, but I wouldn't bring a dull knife along just for the sake of having a knife. Just my opinion. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />