Hi Solar--- it depends on some different factors--if you posted some pics I could give a better answer.
With that said-- getting 5K at one shot will likely take a fairly wide and long strip---- for example-- if you have average donor density (85 fu per sq cm) a 2 cm wide X 28cm long will yield approx 4760 grafts.
You could always go up to 2.1cm wide to get the extra, but on virgin patients you really do not know how they will respond--- For those who have good, normal virgin scalp laxity, I like the idea of only going 1.5cm wide --to try and make sure that there are no complications with the closure and that you "heal thin"
Given the same factors as above a strip 1.5cm wide X 28 cm long will yield approx. 3570 grafts.
Obviously, this is somewhat short of your intended goal of 5000 grafts---but when people start expressing concern over making sure they heal thin and can I buzz down to a #3 for sure, the approach should be to scale the surgery down to make sure the donor closes very easily, to prevent stretching as much as possible.
Another consideration is to do a strip/FUE combo approach--- I know NervousNelly and I have spoken about this--- (we will use you as an example, solar) say you need 5K grafts---but given your concerns the surgery is scaled back a bit and you yield 3850 grafts. After your strip total is completed, we could get the additional 1150 grafts via fue--- without over-taxing the donor.
This way we get your 5k grafts, but it is done in such a manner that will reduce the tension on the donor, (taking in your concerns for minimizing the potential for wide scarring) but still help you reach your goals.
IMHO--there is no longer any need to put that much pressure on the donor given the advancement of the different procedures, when both strip/fue are used in tandem.
Hope this helps!!!
Jason