Blades and Zombies

[Darkness]

"Gun shy? Not skilled in those style weapons? Or do you just prefer the feel of cold sharp metal? For whatever reason you're slicing and dicing, here's where you can talk about your bladed preferences."

"I collect knives and swords myself, and though I fully agree that there are better Zombie Slaying weapons out there, sometimes you use what's handy, or what you're just better with."

"So come on in, Blade Fans! Let's talk sharp shiny metal toys!" :)

[stonyman65]

That would be cool. The only problem is that using a knife requires close quaters - something not very smart with zombies. I prefer to pick them off at a distance. But, that doesn't mean I won't bring my trust KA-Bar with me.

I'm a bit of a knife collector too, I have quite a few, a couple tactical Lock back folders, a USMC Ka Bar (the real one), a butterfly knife, replica WWII Nazi daggers and stilletto, a crap load of multi-tools and a Stilletto switch blade.

[detpat]

Bladed devices and tools are a vital part of any survival kit, zeds or not. I too would probably not pick a bladed weapon as my first choice, if i was stuck with a broadsword or rapier i would not just sit down and give up in tears.

I have studied renaissance combat techniques all my adult life and have a pretty good collection of weapons and tools. Humans should be able to fight with anything from knuckles to nukes.

[AN OLD SHOE]

well since my guns are at my uncles place in georgia...a 5 hour drive :-(

i would use my Ka Bar its 7 inches of fury and well thats good enough for me

i also have a sharpened samurai sword in my closet

hey i would want a gun first chance i get...but im sticking with melee weapons at first:axe:

[zmbvan]

i would use my Ka Bar its 7 inches of fury and well thats good enough for me

Nice! I have one of those as well. It is a great knife that is for sure. I definitely enjoy my blades.

I think that blades are necessary, but not practical in killing zombies. Maybe killing one zombie, but not multiple.

[Devilspaintbrush]

HI Khukuri is by far the best choice of a battle blade/zombie killer/tool

15" BAS or WWII makes killing zombies easy AND you can look great doing it...HI IS THE bar that all others attempt to reach

http://bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=739


The humble machete really has its place here as well...re profile the edge (convexed) and it is a cutting machine and easy to sharpen to boot and doesnt break the bank AND you can have several stashed all over the safe house

I have been thinking of making a zombie blade...gotta get around to it once i get caught up on orders..ahh someday

1095 steel
18" blade
slashing profile instead of an abrupt point
canvas micarta scales that stay grippy when they have blood on them

[mattifikation]

If I were stuck with a blade, I'd go with an ax if I could. Swords and knives are cool and all, but with zombies you need something that will make it through a skull!

[detpat]

a real sword will make it through A skull with no problems at all, that's what they are made for after all. not trimming grass and brush.

[Darkness]

"Especially Blades like the machete, which are designed for felling small trees."

"Plus, if the blade can behead a body, it can kill a Zombie." :)

[detpat]

I think that i may have mentioned that I've seen what happens when you strike a moving dynamic target with a flat overly flexible blade. It often isn't what you expect. sheetmetal blades often flex in unexpected directions. when using a blade in a real life and death situation for defense you need it to do exactly what you expect and go exactly where you want it to. Machetes are just not reliable and certainly not the sort of tool you want your life and the life of loved ones to depend on.

Get the proper tool for the task. machetes are shaped the way they are so you can swing them for hours on end and cut through vegetable matter. A corpse does not have those properties no matter how old or stale or dried. There are MUCH worse times to learn these lessons!

[Darkness]

"I don't know about that, detpat."

"I've seen a well made machete slice through a sapling, that was larger than the average neck, like it was butter. I don't think its whether you use a machete. I think its more a matter of how well the machete you're using is made, and how well you have kept up its condition." ;-)

[detpat]

Don't take this the wrong way, but until you've observed it done to a human you may have an informational gap on this one.

If it's the only thing you have.........use it, but if you have the luxury of planning and preparing, do the right thing and get the right tool.

[Darkness]

"All I'm gonna say to that is, that tree was a lot harder than any neck made of flesh, spine and muscles. It wasn't a young tree, with a soft trunk. It was an aged tree, just a type of tree that doesn't grow very big. He was having fun testing his collection, of blades and swords, for strength and sharpness."

"I should add, it was a blast to watch." :)

[detpat]

that sort of thing is always fun, try using a machete on a hog carcass. I'm just sayin, from experience, that a machete is unsuited to personal combat. they have thin whippy blades that have no lateral stiffness. use a fighting blade. slashing isn't gonna be an efficient way to kill zeds anyway.

gotta go pick up the wife now, see ya later.

[Darkness]

"The key question still hasn't been asked....."

Question: "Darkness, what do you consider a 'well made machete'?"

Answer: "One that is made to order."

"This was not 'an off the shelf' machete. It was one of five machetes, made from an old riding lawnmower's blades, mounted in brand new heavy duty hatchet handles. They were not your usual fighting tools, and stood up to a lot more than the average machete." ;-)

[detpat]

then you're using the term incorrectly. even a lower end custom made knife isn't a "machete" even if you call it one. a chopper maybe, but you have a totally different beast. I know many people call such things by that title, but what you have is closer to a barong etc.

sounds like you have a perfectly good defensive weapon.

[Darkness]

then you're using the term incorrectly. even a lower end custom made knife isn't a "machete" even if you call it one. a chopper maybe, but you have a totally different beast. I know many people call such things by that title, but what you have is closer to a barong etc.

sounds like you have a perfectly good defensive weapon.

"Cool, now we are talking on an even level." :)

"I called it a machete, because the blade was shaped the exact same, by his own hand, it was just thicker and held an edge longer, but I like the term 'Zombie Chopper'." :)

"A 'Barong' sounds familiar. Do you happen to have a picture?" :think:

[detpat]

try this link

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://old.blades.free.fr/swords/barong/picbarong/barong1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://old.blades.free.fr/swords/barong/barong.htm&h=443&w=800&sz=20&hl=en&start=25&um=1&tbnid=7BAlDwOu4iIpkM:&tbnh=79&tbnw=143&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbarong%26start%3D20%26ndsp%3D20%26um% 3D1%26hl%3Den%26rls%3DRNFA,RNFA:1970--2,RNFA:en%26sa%3DN

[AN OLD SHOE]

im telling you guys a SPEAR is the best blade ever...if it counts as one...


spear is my weapon of choice for z-day

so if you see somebody walking around with a spear on them...its most likely me :)

[detpat]

a good spear is an outstanding weapon.

[Darkness]

im telling you guys a SPEAR is the best blade ever...if it counts as one...


spear is my weapon of choice for z-day

so if you see somebody walking around with a spear on them...its most likely me :)
a good spear is an outstanding weapon.
"HOLD THAT THOUGHT. I have a couple more threads to start for you guys." ;-)

[Darkness]

"Done, now back to the topic." :)

[mattifikation]

So... you can make separate threads on Polearms, blades, maces, and archery instead of just one thread on medieval weapons, but you moved my thread on armor into a completely unrelated thread about what gear people would bring with them? :poo:

[Seway]

I'm thinking about buying a machete from here: http://www.bladetech.co.uk/cgi-bin/knife_store.pl?ref=Machete and i dont know which model should i choose. Should i choose the carbonated titanium or stainless steel blade? Is a machete worth buying? That is what concerns me. I know how to handle melee weapons and the machete is effective and widely avilable. I am waiting for your response.
Over and out.

[UseYourHeadCutOffTheirs]

It depends on your reasons behind buying this weapon as to its worth. A machete is a great thing to have in many situations.

I'm no metals genius but I would say go steel. Titanium is really light and I'm not sure it's strength factor but I would assume, tell me if I'm wrong, that it wouldn't be as durable as the steel.

Plus, if these prices are in US dollars, I would just go ahead and buy both...They are stupid cheap.

The next question is do you want a plastic handle or a wooden handle? Which one is more likely to crack or break on you?

[detpat]

if you want a weapon then buy a weapon. A machete is a tool for clearing brush and not a particularly effective weapon. They are feared by people because they can produce fearsome cuts, but zeds aren't afraid and slashing at them is a waste of time.

[Seway]

Plus, if these prices are in US dollars, I would just go ahead and buy both...They are stupid cheap.

The price is in Pounds.
if you want a weapon then buy a weapon
Ok then... how the hell do i buy a proper weapon in UK with its strict gun control!?:x
Even if i bought a Katana or something like that it would probably break after a few hits. And it wouldn't be sharp enough. And no, i wont use a baseball/cricket/whatever bat.

[UseYourHeadCutOffTheirs]

What about a golf club? That's a great one!:clap:

[detpat]

If you buy a low quality piece then it will break, if you buy something decent then you will be well served. my advice would be to try to find something a little better suited to fighting than gardening.

[HEDSHOT45]

The price is in Pounds.

Ok then... how the hell do i buy a proper weapon in UK with its strict gun control!?:x
Even if i bought a Katana or something like that it would probably break after a few hits. And it wouldn't be sharp enough. And no, i wont use a baseball/cricket/whatever bat.


What is wrong with a baseball bat? Get a youth sized aluminum bat drill a hole in the butt then fill with a dense urethane foam. The foam will add little to the weight but it will add strenght to keep it from bending or breaking with repeated blows. The foam will even make it float.

[UNDEAD FRED]

Wouldnt it get stuck in a zombies skull like Blades in DOTD78?

[Darkness]

"Please read the index of threads, which I have so kindly created for you guys, before starting new threads. Thank you." ;-)

[Darkness]

"This conversation was started in the Clubs and Zombies thread, and I found it interesting so I chose to restart it here."

i mostly mentioned it because there is often a difference between the terms used by the actual users and terms perpetuated by modern collectors. Broadsword and bastard sword are ones that come to mind.
"The term Bastard Sword is merely a nick name for the huge Claymore Swords, that the giant mountain-men, of the highland mountains of Scotland, carried into battle."


just as an aside, the claymore's were actually a bit smaller than continental great swords, as they had a somewhat different application. They were used in an environment which contained less armor and fewer pikes.

"Back in the days, Swords were made to suit the wielder. The Claymores carried by the Highland Giants were made to suit their height, (which averaged around 8 to 9 feet.) and hence were extremely larger than the average Claymore. That is why they were nick named Bastard Swords. I learned these facts from a group of professional historians I use to work with."





"Anyone else wish to join this friendly debate?" :)

[detpat]

you're kidding right.............

[mattifikation]

They were 8 to 9 feet tall? Dang... I could use some of that height!

[Devilspaintbrush]

wow really good thread

Detpat..I am almost positive you are underestimating what a good machete can do...They are used as THE TOOL in peru and places like it for pretty much everything including a weapon...They CANT BE WEAK

I would stick with the ONtario machete's (once I am done boycotting them!)

OR my personal fav the Tramontina style machetes

you can have a custom machete made and it still be a machete...Use S7 steel that is around 1/8" thick and all is well...Wont roll but woiuld cost well over $100.00 to have it done correctly


Barongs are a good choice along with the Bolo

[IronJayBee]

I'm a trench knife lover, i train with them from time to time and i would rather use them than a handgun, im garbage with guns anyhow XD

[mattifikation]

Enough of this blather.

Tell me how to be a 9 foot tall Scottish guy with a 6 foot long sword. And uh, tell me how to make some other things bigger too...

j/k!!

[Victor Clark]

I'm not sure how any regular knife would be an effective zombie-slaying tool (except maybe a butcher knife). Basically to me, unless it was an axe, I wouldn't even bother to use it around legions of the undead unless it was all I had.

[Augustus Desius]

a real sword will make it through A skull with no problems at all, that's what they are made for after all. not trimming grass and brush.

In general I agree with most of what you say. That said, I'm going to have to disagree with this one. A real sword simply isn't designed to cleave a skull. All swords I know of are designed to either pierce or slash flesh. Some weapons that can be considered exceptions are those with extra purpose, like decapitation. Finally there are swords that are made to defeat other weapons such as the flamberge (theory) and shotel (shield or sword bypassing).

The skull is also a round and hard surface from the front, adding another annoying variable into the equation. Without a well aimed blow, the blade is likely going to be partially deflected, diverting much of the energy.

But, to be honest, I have never hit anyone in the head with a sword, so this is going to mainly be theory. But according to design and some basic physics, the theory should be sound.

[detpat]

sorry guy, real swords are very good at piercing skulls, look at the archaeological evidence. also do some test work with real ones. They do work well. If you want to pierce a skull as opposed to cutting through one or crushing one you need to use a rapier, again a real one and not a foil or epee [sport], epee actually means "sword". A rapier will glide through a skull like Styrofoam.

The flamberge style blades were simply stylistic and the theory pertaining to "anti weapon" application is post period. wavy blades are extant in several societies and are often thought to cause more severe injuries.

Large two handed swords were developed to deal with pikes, primarily , and smaller two hand gripped swords were usually used for anti-personnel use. The really long and large swords were needed by the doppelsoldner to reach pike heads and render them less, or not at all, effective.

[zombieuprising]

if i could get my hands on an axe,hatchet, or pickaxe id be content for killing



although a double bladed axe would be ideal,it could also be used for breaking down doors and things

[fester_hicks]

good grief... im gonna pull my JASON X hockey mask on and grab El MACHETE and go all South of the Border on some Zed butt.

[Augustus Desius]

sorry guy, real swords are very good at piercing skulls, look at the archaeological evidence. also do some test work with real ones. They do work well. If you want to pierce a skull as opposed to cutting through one or crushing one you need to use a rapier, again a real one and not a foil or epee [sport], epee actually means "sword". A rapier will glide through a skull like Styrofoam.

The flamberge style blades were simply stylistic and the theory pertaining to "anti weapon" application is post period. wavy blades are extant in several societies and are often thought to cause more severe injuries.

Large two handed swords were developed to deal with pikes, primarily , and smaller two hand gripped swords were usually used for anti-personnel use. The really long and large swords were needed by the doppelsoldner to reach pike heads and render them less, or not at all, effective.

I've been looking through online resources all day, including making an account at a sword forum and asking professionals there, and none of them have ever heard of the rapier being used in that fashion. It simply isn't designed to do that. Now if by gliding through the skull you mean penetrating an eye or something, thats a whole different story, but to actually pierce the skull, I'm afraid that is entirely incorrect.

Likewise, though I'm not debating a normal sword can cleave a skull (it obviously can with the right blow, weight and material) , the designers of the weapons never had this usage in mind. I would bet my life on it. Instead, the design of the weapon would be to defeat a certain armor and to damage the flesh of vital areas (such as the rapier you described).

To understand why, you have to look at this in terms of 4 variables: Energy at the point of impact, deflection of energy, consequent repulsive force, and the materials being used.

Now MAYBE if you place a skull on the ground and held it still and measured the most flat surface of the skull and aimed the sword point and blade to be perfectly perpendicular to said flat surface and applied force over a period of time and targeted a thin part of the skull you may be able to push a sword blade through a skull, but the odds of that happening on the field are zero. What you would be referring to in order to enter the skull would be crushing force, not piercing blows unless you are a truer master then those of the period and you aim for the eyes.

In all honesty, I doubt very much that we'll agree with one another. So after this and reading your rebuttal, I'll tip my hat and say goodbye to this debate.

[Onslaught]

falcata. falcata. falcata. falcata.

[fester_hicks]

falcata. falcata. falcata. falcata.

GOOD CALL....heavy, curved blade, might try to make my own version though

[detpat]

i'm glad you talked to other folks, but you're still wrong. I have personally put a real rapier blade through numerous animal skulls and noted not only that they will penetrate, but how easily they will do so. I don't mean old dry skulls either, but fresh ones.

why you think a piece of stiff, pointy steel won't penetrate a skull i don't know.

try it yourself and you will have a more realistic view.

Falcata's are an excellent blade style for close combat, being designed to take people apart at short ranges.

[Onslaught]

what is your personal "ideal" length and weight for a bladed weapon?

[detpat]

depends on the uses you're gonna put it to. for a sword? for close combat only or for general utility use as well? it's really a pretty personal decision and it's hard to say without data.

Even though i have trained with edged weapons most of my adult life, and trained with both modern and renaissance weapons, i would still not choose an edged weapon as my primary z day go to. or even carry a sword as part of my kit on z day.

i would be torn as to what i would want to carry if i was reduced to edged weapons only. my greatest expertise is with the rapier, but the broadsword would have more utility with more of a cutting edge [true rapiers don't have a cutting edge.]

most rapiers also have compound hilts and so would be more problematic in a modern environment. when feeing for your life you don't want to get snagged on something.

[jim96sc2]

Short sword.. Its made more for piercing attacks and I don't want to need 3 feet of clearence to swing if I'm indoors. Realistically a bladed weapon is a poor choice. Better off with a warhammer or small pick (not pickaxe mind you).


Bastard swords were "in between" hand and a half swords named "bastard" because their lineage was neither a regular single handed long sword nor the overly cumbersome two handed swords. They came about as a prelude to the heavier armor knights were wearing upon its inception. Thats my info on them anyway. Never heard of "highland giants", and as far as I knew the claymore was decended from the large blades they killed cows with.

[detpat]

nope, claymore is just a misspelling of the Gaelic words for "great" or big "sword" no cows involved, bastard sword isn't a term that was applied to these swords in the period. another modern collectors term.

Scottish great swords tended to be smaller than continental great swords due to the relative scarcity of armor among the Scots of the period, they also tended to be sharper as they were cutting flesh rather than crushing armor or cutting pike heads.

[Lian]

Be that as it may I think any bladed weapon would be a poor choice against a zombie.

A good Bush knife is invaluable, a Machete has a purpose, however they are both tools in my eyes and not zombie killing weapons. Trying to split a skull with a katana and the way of the samurai is just stupid. I for one don't even want to get that close to them to begin with, and if they do get that close I'll be more concerned with Getting them off me so I can shoot them or if all I truly have is the damn knife disabling them in some way so I can hoof it out of there.

The one possible exception I could see for bladed weapons is a Tomahawk. With practice one can throw one with enough force to split a skull at 20 yards, it has it's uses in the bush, and your going to have a lot more luck swinging that around in close quarters than some 4 foot 2-handed waste of steel. Not to mention you could turn it around and you got a hammer for pounding nails into a makeshift shelter, or you could easily hack off fingers so you can close a door behind you.

[detpat]

i agree with most of your points except the hawk thing. even experienced throwers aren't gonna have much success with a moving target in real world conditions. you would be better off holding on to it.

[Lian]

Well I'm going under the assumption that these are shamblers too as for throwing it. If these are Dawn 04 runners were talking about I'm not getting out of the Car unless I have to. Even I have enough confidence with a Hawk to take out a slowly staggering zombie though. Like anything else it's just practice and confidence.

[Devilspaintbrush]

submitted for your approval

Rancyd Knives "Kelevra"

small tactical cleaver for those up close and personal times in zombie slaying

1/4" 5160

Cocobolo scales

Fully convexed edge that is nasty sharp

http://img2.putfile.com/thumb/5/12117563235.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=8079516)

http://img2.putfile.com/thumb/5/12117563221.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=8079515)

http://img2.putfile.com/thumb/5/12117563239.jpg (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=8079514)

[Headless Lynx]

Mine is a razor sharp, single handed, double edged sword, 50cm long (so I can wield something else in my left hand e.g. Torch, gun, shield etc.) and the length is important.

[jagus12]

I think there was already a post talking about blades...

[Headless Lynx]

I think there was already a post talking about blades...

Ah, you are right. My mistake :doh:

[Darkness]

Ok there are a few topics on zombie survival covering weapons so this is about BLADES

"There are actually quite a few, if you check the index."

http://www.allthingszombie.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15744

[mattifikation]

Can I have Link's sword from the Legend of Zelda? You know, the one that shoots magic sword-shaped bolts at people?

[Cenobite]

Can I have Link's sword from the Legend of Zelda? You know, the one that shoots magic sword-shaped bolts at people?

Nah nah, I want The Blade of Olympus from GoW2!

[Umbrela]

I should think a simple, military surplus machete would be the best overall. Their deadly, durable, cheap, and easily acquired.

[JakAttak]

what is this relentless blade fetish would it kill you to mention the best hand to hand weapon the crow bar jesus christ.

[DemonChild]

GTA:San Andreas presents a fairly....odd hand to hand weapon...It big and purple and it's made of hot melt latex. Does anyone know what I speak of?

[JakAttak]

hmmmm raping wont kill them

[Dave Of The Dead]

http://us.st12.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/csstoreonline_2007_29678952
These are my babies. Sharp as hell and made to last.
The best kinds of machetes are the kinds that were based off of actual weapons. If it was made to kill people AND to chop down heavy brush, you got yourself a winner.

[JakAttak]

oooooohhhhhhh kukri pretty

[DemonChild]

Beautiful, truly. Efficient too. A kukri can lop someone's head off with the proper amount of force behind it. You saw Alice in RE3. That was a pretty acurate represnetation of what a kukri can do. Very sharp, simple, brutal, and to the point.

[JakAttak]

and its utilitarian purposes are endless

[DemonChild]

..aside from cutting my food with it. ewwww.

[JakAttak]

damn those were made to cut through mountain thickets in Nepal

[Dave Of The Dead]

Any fan of blades should check out KnifeTest.com
They do destruction tests to see what it takes to break them, chopping tests, and others. Their tests and reviews of the Cold Steel Kukri Machete led me to buy it.

[Darkness]

what is this relentless blade fetish would it kill you to mention the best hand to hand weapon the crow bar jesus christ.

"Actually, we have a couple..."

http://www.allthingszombie.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15797
http://www.allthingszombie.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15874

"And if you're wondering what else we have been talking about in here then check the index." ;-)

http://www.allthingszombie.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15744

"Now, back to Blades and Zombies." :)

[Dave Of The Dead]

For anyone wondering about the Bastard Sword, which was mentioned in the "Clubs, Maces, ect." thread, I have the answer for you.
The Bastard Sword is a hybrid between the "One-handed" family and the "Two-handed" family, thus being called a "Bastard"

[JakAttak]

the hand-and-a-half swords?

[Dave Of The Dead]

the hand-and-a-half swords?

It is in the same category as the Hand and a half sword, but not necessarily the same exact thing.

[JakAttak]

whats the dif

[Dave Of The Dead]

Something about the edges of the blades I think. I'll have to look into it a bit more to remember.

[JakAttak]

oh so one is longer or thicker

[bandits1]

Based on my extensive 1.5 minutes of research, a "hand-and-a-half" sword and a bastard sword are one and the same.

The reason why it's called a "bastard" sword in the first place is because the handle is too long to be called a "one-handed" sword, but too short to be called a "two-handed" sword. Thus the term "bastard".

[Dave Of The Dead]

Based on my extensive 1.5 minutes of research, a "hand-and-a-half" sword and a bastard sword are one and the same.

The reason why it's called a "bastard" sword in the first place is because the handle is too long to be called a "one-handed" sword, but too short to be called a "two-handed" sword. Thus the term "bastard".

That was mentioned a page back by yours truly. Though, your 1.5 minutes of research have come up short. The Hand-and -a-half sword is a collective group of different typed of swords that give the option for extra hand space. The bastard sword, while under this group, is unique because of the blade. From what I recall, the term "bastard" also comes from the names of the blade. Now don't take me word for word, I am just trying to remember what I was told. The blade of a normal long sword has two edges, the "mother" and the "father." One slightly different from the other in some way. But on the bastard sword, there is no father side, just two mothers. Therefore the name of the bastard sword.

[JakAttak]

mother and father????

[Dave Of The Dead]

mother and father????
Terminology for parts of the blade. You know, like how a tennis racket will have a face and neck? Same concept.

[bandits1]

That was mentioned a page back by yours truly. Though, your 1.5 minutes of research have come up short. The Hand-and -a-half sword is a collective group of different typed of swords that give the option for extra hand space. The bastard sword, while under this group, is unique because of the blade. From what I recall, the term "bastard" also comes from the names of the blade. Now don't take me word for word, I am just trying to remember what I was told. The blade of a normal long sword has two edges, the "mother" and the "father." One slightly different from the other in some way. But on the bastard sword, there is no father side, just two mothers. Therefore the name of the bastard sword.
I don't see where my research has come up short. I can find nothing about the uniqueness of the blade of a bastard sword that lended to the creation of it's name. It's seems to have been named "bastard" based entirely on the length of it's handle. I also can find nothing about the "mother-father" sides of a sword's blade.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longsword
http://www.thearma.org/terms4.htm

Please find and post link(s) explaining this "mother-father" business and how it helped the "bastard" sword get it's name. Thanks.

[JakAttak]

so mother father sides are different how

[zombie2x4]

Hey guys! Whats your favorite Blade? Personally I like the Shaolin Spade.

[Dave Of The Dead]

The only resource I have for that is my uncle, who is a bladesmith.

[zombie2x4]

Your Uncle makes Shaolin Spades?! Thats whicked awesome.

[Onslaught]

Hey guys! Whats your favorite Blade? Personally I like the Shaolin Spade.

Falcata.

apparently my post is too short.

[JakAttak]

I gotta go with a high carbon wakizashi.

[zombie2x4]

Falcata.

apparently my post is too short.Nice. Those are pretty cool.

[zombie2x4]

I gotta go with a high carbon wakizashi.I've never heard of those.

[jim96sc2]

I've never heard of those.

Basically a short-sword katana.

[zombie2x4]

Basically a short-sword katana.Oh thats cool I guess thatd be easier to fight with indoors rather than a regular katana.

[Onslaught]

Oh thats cool I guess thatd be easier to fight with indoors rather than a regular katana.

that's why samurai carried two swords.

the katana was for outdoor and when entering a building they would take off the katana and wear only the wakizashi

i'm still not sure such a thin slicing blade would be any good for the short choppy strokes required for indoor haedsplitting.

the katana and related blades require a draw-cut to be effective. if you're fighting in a bedroom or hallway you aren't going to be using your best form. this would be forgivable against a living foe. but against a zombie, where only brain shots count, you need to cleave the cranium. and you need to be able to do it with one quick chopping motion of your arm, not a whole-body draw-cut.

just one of many opinions.

[Dave Of The Dead]

Don't forget a stabbing action into the brain case. The Wakizashi is pretty much perfect for that in close combat.

[vlad tech]

I prefer the Katana or samuri sword (I only katanas>.<)
there Sharp, Light, & Easy to use.
if im in the dark i have good hearing listen for a moan and slash against multiples slash and run

dont go for killing them more to make them a obstacle for the other zombies slash his legs or chest.this causes him to stop cause the force of the sword or if u hit the legs they fall down creating a zombie bottle neck

[Dave Of The Dead]

I prefer the Katana or samuri sword (I only katanas>.<)
there Sharp, Light, & Easy to use.
if im in the dark i have good hearing listen for a moan and slash against multiples slash and run

dont go for killing them more to make them a obstacle for the other zombies slash his legs or chest.this causes him to stop cause the force of the sword or if u hit the legs they fall down creating a zombie bottle neck

You can't use it indoors much though. The blade is too long for close combat. Good luck finding a reliable katana that isn't made of crappy steel.

[terror28]

If your gonna use a katana outside would be better cause you have more space to move and your blade isint going to hit obstructions in the way.. Indoors (if your still going with a sword) I would find a short sword or machete, somthing quick to strike. All in all a blade dosent need reloading its just you need to know how to use it that really matters.

In my opinion I think a sword is clumsy but more forcefull at best, I wonder if a bladed spear would be better? Probably because you have reach and distance from the zombie, so theres a lesser chance of its fluids (blood) getting in your mouth, eyes, wounds, etc..

[zombie2x4]

that's why samurai carried two swords.

the katana was for outdoor and when entering a building they would take off the katana and wear only the wakizashi

i'm still not sure such a thin slicing blade would be any good for the short choppy strokes required for indoor haedsplitting.

the katana and related blades require a draw-cut to be effective. if you're fighting in a bedroom or hallway you aren't going to be using your best form. this would be forgivable against a living foe. but against a zombie, where only brain shots count, you need to cleave the cranium. and you need to be able to do it with one quick chopping motion of your arm, not a whole-body draw-cut.

just one of many opinions.Nice so in the long run would you rather recomend the wakizashi or the katana?

[JakAttak]

I prefer the Katana or samuri sword (I only katanas>.<)
there Sharp, Light, & Easy to use.
if im in the dark i have good hearing listen for a moan and slash against multiples slash and run

dont go for killing them more to make them a obstacle for the other zombies slash his legs or chest.this causes him to stop cause the force of the sword or if u hit the legs they fall down creating a zombie bottle neck
sharp, yes light sorta still weigh a good 6 or 7 lbs. easy to use hell no, let me emphasize that HELL NO!!!!!!!!!!!!! the katana is a blade that requires years of practice to become proficient in it's use because you don't just slash. and as for long run wakizashi.

[zombie2x4]

sharp, yes light sorta still weigh a good 6 or 7 lbs. easy to use hell no, let me emphasize that HELL NO!!!!!!!!!!!!! the katana is a blade that requires years of practice to become proficient in it's use because you don't just slash. and as for long run wakizashi.So what blade would you recomend?

[JakAttak]

already said wakizashi high carbon steel only though.

[zombie2x4]

already said wakizashi high carbon steel only though.
Oh I didnt know that was your blade of choice out of all the blades. I just thought you were just saying youd rather use that than a Katana.

[bandits1]

I prefer the Katana or samuri sword (I only katanas>.<)
there Sharp, Light, & Easy to use.
if im in the dark i have good hearing listen for a moan and slash against multiples slash and run...
Lol @ "easy to use".

Anyone can swing a sword around, but it takes many years of formal training to learn how to properly use nihontō. I live in Hawaii where martial arts are very popular(huge asian culture), but I know almost no one who takes/took kendo or kenjutsu.

[Dave Of The Dead]

sharp, yes light sorta still weigh a good 6 or 7 lbs. easy to use hell no, let me emphasize that HELL NO!!!!!!!!!!!!! the katana is a blade that requires years of practice to become proficient in it's use because you don't just slash. and as for long run wakizashi.

There is now way in hell a katana will weigh 6-7 lbs. Sure they are off-balance weapons, but they are only about 3-4 lbs maximum. Most Katanas weigh a little more than 2 lbs (without sheath).

[detpat]

that's true. Most swords weigh much less than people think they do. One of the most common errors of the neophyte sword maker is to make them wayyyy too heavy. really poor balance is the next most common error.

[JakAttak]

oh well how I do on the other stuff dave

[Dave Of The Dead]

oh well how I do on the other stuff dave

Its true that Katanas are hard to use properly.
The off balance blade makes it harder to use than any other sword along with its length. Without knowing how to use it properly, and don't get me wrong I don't know how either, you will frequently hit with the flat of the blade or slant the blade. This could cause damage to your blade and not a lot of damage to your enemy.

[JakAttak]

Yay Jak done good:lol:

[LukeIsHere]

To incapacitate a zombie you have to either:

A) destroy its brain, or...
B) sever its spinal cord, or...
C) remove its limbs so that it can't move

All of those things are nearly impossible with a knife. Wielding a knife against a zombie that is flailing its limbs at you and trying to bite you is a bad idea. You would simply be too close for comfort and seriously risk infection. Plus it's very hard to sever a zombie's limb with a knife in a combat situation.

Some people have mentioned a katana. You can't just pick up a katana and use it like a samurai in a Kurosawa movie. It takes special training to wield one effectively (everything from how to hold the handle to how to draw the blade) and special cutting techniques to slash off limbs. In addition, a katana is a close-quarters blade. A lot of Iaidō and Tameshigiri techniques require contact with the enemy. You do not want to get that close to a zombie.

If I had to choose a sword to fight zombies with, I would choose a Zweihänder (two-handed greatsword) from Germany from the 16th century. It's the big, bad-ass long sword with the flanges on the blade above the hilt (similar to a Scottish Claymore like in "Braveheart"). It is very long and heavy, giving you some distance between you and the zombie and allowing you to make large, powerful swings that can cut through tissue and also crush bones from a relatively safe distance. A Zweihänder would also be more effective when surrounded by zombies, since you can make wide, sweeping cuts to fend off many zombies around you.

There are a few drawbacks. A Zweihänder is relatively slow and requires space and time to swing and recover. This is a problem when you are facing humans. However, it is not such a big problem against zombies, which are relatively flat-footed and would not be able to effectively dodge a blade being swung at them. Another disadvantage is it's weight and size. A Zweihänder actually wasn't that heavy, weighing at most 7-8 pounds... but that is still a lot of steel to swing around for hours, and the sheer length of the blade would be a problem in close-quarters or indoors.

That being said, if I was in the open and trying to get somewhere, defend someone or kill a few zombies, this would be my blade of choice.

[LukeIsHere]

Here is an example of a Zweihänder:

[Dave Of The Dead]

The only problem about this is that we are not living in the 16th century and finding one, a REAL one, would be near impossible. I mean, if you have one... a REAL one... have at it. But after your first swing, a zombie is going to grab you or the blade and you will have absolutely nothing to defend yourself with. Length is not always a positive, and neither is strength. You need something relatively small and light weight. Something that you can chop and stab with, so if a zed latches onto you, you can defend yourself easily and quickly.

[Faran Brigo]

Or he can just, you know, take a step back every time he swings.

Many people underestimate medieval weapons and armor. The genuine item were made to be tough, often to be used in combat by men-at-arms against other armored targets or even cavalry in some cases, and in close combat shield-against-shield action. There's a reason why those weapons lasted until the introduction of the bayonet (replacing the pike for covering musketmen), they were good at what they were used for, which was generally dismemberment or limb/head crushing.

I agree though, they are exhausting to use if you're not in shape, and were definitely not made so you could kill humanoids by the hundreds. Plus the genuine items are very hard to find these days, impossible in some areas.

[LukeIsHere]

You are right. Finding one would be near impossible, especially right after the zombie holocaust. Hmm... maybe in a local museum (if you live in a big city), but it wouldn't be in combat-ready condition. It would probably be pitted, dull, and in need of tempering. It would also have been made for someone else, so it might not be the right length.

But personally, I wouldn't want something small and light weight, though. I would feel too vulnerable being that close to a zombie. In addition, if one of the zombies latched onto me, I would not want to be hacking with a knife. It's too risky to accidentally cut myself.

What kind of blade would you prefer? How would you wield it? You have to have a lot of skill and confidence to take a pair of knives or a wakizashi against a zombie horde.


The only problem about this is that we are not living in the 16th century and finding one, a REAL one, would be near impossible. I mean, if you have one... a REAL one... have at it. But after your first swing, a zombie is going to grab you or the blade and you will have absolutely nothing to defend yourself with. Length is not always a positive, and neither is strength. You need something relatively small and light weight. Something that you can chop and stab with, so if a zed latches onto you, you can defend yourself easily and quickly.

[Dave Of The Dead]

Or he can just, you know, take a step back every time he swings.

Many people underestimate medieval weapons and armor. The genuine item were made to be tough, often to be used in combat by men-at-arms against other armored targets or even cavalry in some cases, and in close combat shield-against-shield action. There's a reason why those weapons lasted until the introduction of the bayonet (replacing the pike for covering musketmen), they were good at what they were used for, which was generally dismemberment or limb/head crushing.

I agree though, they are exhausting to use if you're not in shape, and were definitely not made so you could kill humanoids by the hundreds. Plus the genuine items are very hard to find these days, impossible in some areas.

Oh, I wasn't saying that they weren't good on the battlefield, but rather that it would in fact be harder to use than any other sword I've seen. You would probably have to train more than you would with a katana to use a Zweihänder. I think anti-zombie weapons, especially blades, are looked at rather unrealistically in terms of whether they are readily available, are they simple to use, and is if it is really necessary. I can see many people trying to pick up the biggest buster sword they can find and think that all they have to do is "swing for the fences."

[Dave Of The Dead]

I still hold the Kukri in the highest position as a work horse and killing tool.
http://www.khukurihouseonline.com/Themes/Products/Large_1/1214556771.jpg
It has the chopping proficiency of an ax and is light wight. The one shown above is another kukri that I just invested in a few days ago. They were used by the military as a standard issue survival knife in Nepal. The Ghurkas (a Nepalese British military group) used them to cut off the heads of their foes.

[LukeIsHere]

A kukri is a very good weapon. I hold it in very high esteem. It chops, does field work, and wins wars. How much did that one cost?

But against a zombie invasion... again, it's the distance thing for me. The risk of infection and the short distance between me and the Zed are unacceptable. It's not necessary to be very agile to beat a Zed, and you don't want to get close enough to risk infection.

What are the criteria for choosing the bladed weapon? You mentioned that it would be difficult to get a Zweihänder. Well... yes, but I thought we were just choosing our ideal weapon. I didn't know we were only talking about weapons we had lying around. In that case, all I've got is a hunting knife and a butcher's knife... and I'd probably ditch both of them in favor of a bed post.

[Faran Brigo]

I still say, best ideal bladed weapons would be the falcata and the tomahawk

[Dave Of The Dead]

The Kukri above costs a little less than $40. Its made of HiCarbon Tempered Steel.

There are the things I usually take into consideration with blades before I buy them or even recommend them to other people.
Is the blade available? What kind of steel is it made out of? Is this steel strong enough for repeated use? How versatile is the blade? Can it chop? How good is it at doing so? Who made it? What is the history of the blade? And most importantly, was it primarily designed to kill in 1 blow?

You can do a lot of things with a sharp blade. I learned the lesson, and listen when I say this, Always Wear Gloves When Using A Blade! I sharpen all my blades by hand to a razor edge and one day my buck knife found its way half way through the bone on my left index finger. Imagine what it would have done with some real force behind it.

[JakAttak]

yes well... that's what guns are for. here we are discussing blades at close range cause surprisingly a sword is not effective at 10 ft. away.

[Devilspaintbrush]

I still hold the Kukri in the highest position as a work horse and killing tool.
http://www.khukurihouseonline.com/Themes/Products/Large_1/1214556771.jpg
It has the chopping proficiency of an ax and is light wight. The one shown above is another kukri that I just invested in a few days ago. They were used by the military as a standard issue survival knife in Nepal. The Ghurkas (a Nepalese British military group) used them to cut off the heads of their foes.

I have several from Himalayan Imports in my collection...The 20" CAK is a bit much BUT the 16" CAK is just about right for Zombie's

PERSONALLY I would almost bet that the 15" BAS was designed years ago just for covert zombie destruction

[JakAttak]

were did you get it.

[Devilspaintbrush]

were did you get it.

Khukuri house has there own site..google is your friend

PERSONALLY I prefer HI...they have an importer in the US so shipping is i the price already

goto http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=739 and have a good look around

D

[JakAttak]

what about coldsteel.com

[Dave Of The Dead]

what about coldsteel.com

Cold steel kukri machetes are always good for their cost. But there are always better ones out there. I just like cold steel because of the price and dependability of their blades.

[JakAttak]

ah. hmmmmmmmm too short

[bandits1]

Wow...check out these two beauties:

The "Urban Bone Machette"...
http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/3582/urbanbonemachete8244fy7.jpg

...and the "Apocalypse"...
http://img329.imageshack.us/img329/9435/apocalax7654cf5.jpg

...I think I just found my melee weapons. :clap:

http://zombietools.net/tools/

[Dave Of The Dead]

Nice, very good steel.

[Onslaught]

Nice so in the long run would you rather recomend the wakizashi or the katana?


personally neither.

here's the way i see it:

a blade is there for situations where you need stealth or have no other choice. it should be small enough that it does not encumber you as you go about your daily activities. it must stay with you at all times as it is your last resort weapon.

a stealth situation would usually mean that you have the element of surprise anyway. meaning that length is not an issue as you are most likely striking from behind.
also, in a stealth situation you will need to move quickly to take down the intended zombie or zombies. this need for speed requires a weapon that is quicker to use.

a situation where you have no other choice than to use a blade means that you do not have a firearm available to you. it is most likely a situation where you are trapped in a confined space facing multiple zombies. one probable worst case scenario is that you are at the end of a hallway with at least 3 zombies standing between you and the exit at the other end. (let's say that you were shooting at the outside horde through the window of the bedroom at the end of the hall, when you find that they have broken through the living room window.)

this situation would have you dead if you were using a zweihander or a katana. there simply isn't enough room for a full swing of a large sword in a hallway.

some will say that this scenario is purposely critical of the large sword. i am simply examining the realistic/probable uses of a large blade against a zombie.
let's face it, standing in an open field hacking through a hundred zombies one at a time like a bad kung-fu movie is not realistic in the least. being ambushed at the worst possible moment while you were too busy with tunnel vision and gunfire is much more in line with probability. look around your house and tell me that you could effectively (and properly) use a 3 foot blade through the doorway of the room you are in.

falcata. think of it like a large kukri. a good (if not exact) example would be the "yataghan" from http://dervishknives.com/yataghan.htm
or here:http://tinyurl.com/5j2hbc

it is small enough to strap to your leg or back on a daily basis as part of your standard loadout. it weighs as much as any other arm (including many fully loaded handguns) about 2 - 2.5 lbs.
it's main advantages are it's weight forward blade and short length. they combine to make for a blade that chops like a hatchet with better balance and length. it will also cleave better than a hatched due to the thinner cross-section. many who use them can attest to the fact that a good kuk can chop on par with most hatchets. the larger version will keep up with most camp axes. the operative word here is "CHOP". you don't have to be skilled to use a falcata, just chop like it's a hatchet.

here's the great part. no special construction techniques. no laminated steel construction, no triple quenching in virgin urine, no ray skin handles.

an apprentice smith can whack one of these out of a leaf spring in two or three days. actually, the forging takes about 30 minutes, it's the grinding that eats the time. sure it won't be as pretty as the examples above, but it'll work. (most leaf springs, especially older ones, are 5160 steel. newer ones are either 5160 or 9160. both are superb for chopping blades.)

so that's my little infomercial. at least it's been thought through.

we now return you to your regularly scheduled mall ninja musings.

as for katana vs wakizashi?

go with the wakizashi, the shorter blade was meant to be used indoors and you probably won't be able to swing it hard enough to break it as easily.

[Dave Of The Dead]

A real reliable falcata is hard to find though. Not a lot of people have a blacksmith they can go to to make one either. The falcata was a war sword in the 4th century which makes it less popular today. If you find somewhere that will sell/ forge one for you, make sure it is of high quality steel and tempered for strength.

Those of you who do not have a weak stomach and are not animal rights activists should watch this video of a Nepalese sacrificial ceremony. In this video they chop off the head of a bull with a kukri in one slice. I think its impressive, but again it is not for people with a weak stomach.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3087820397332434984

[Faran Brigo]

But If you're making it out of a spring leaf, it will be much heavier than 2.5 lbs. Try double that at the least.

"no laminated steel construction, no triple quenching in virgin urine, no ray skin handles." Um... I don't know why exactly, but aren't most swords laminated for a reason? Like, to influence the physical behavior of the blade when you use it? I read falcatas were triple laminated actually (also, when not used as weapons they doubled as tools, so that's a bonus).

[Kolapsky]

Ok, IMO blades can be usefull if your taking one 1 or 2 zeds, but if more start coming you can consider yourself raped..no questions asked.

But I've read somewhere in a roleplaying community in a outbreak roleplay, someone took a 2x4 and tied a steak knife to the end with high tension wire. Now,call me an idiot if you must but wouldn't that be the most useless weapon known to man?

[detpat]

The true technique of the large European sword, a two hander or similar includes close quarters techniques and isn't just swinging.

nose heavy chopping blade styles like falcatas were popular through much of the pre modern firearm period for archers and other troops as secondary weapons. I think they would be very useful in the sort of situations we're discussing.

[Dave Of The Dead]

The greek kopis (as seen in the movie 300) was also a great chopping weapon. These are more popular since the movie came out and also have the weight toward the front of the blade for better hacking. Of course, the trick is to find a blade that will last through many uses.

[JakAttak]

A trench knife (and I thought of this when I first saw one not after I Max Brooks) would be a hell of a Z killer as it's made to puch through skulls.

[Dave Of The Dead]

"Punching through skulls" makes it sound so much more bad ass. But if you mean to stab downward through a helmet and skull, then yes. The brass knuckle part is just to knock and enemy back so you can stab them in the head. But I figure that you can do that with any knife.

[JakAttak]

safer with the brass knuckles though.

[Kolapsky]

Brass knuckles would wear after a while and thus wouldn't give much more of a "killing" blow.

I would weld spikes onto the knuckles, thank god for my Uncle teaching me how to weld :drinking:

[Hitman]

http://www.donrearic.com/images/knuckleknifethree.jpg

trench knives were not made to punch through helmets . look at the way the blades are shaped . they are made for cutting a sentry's throat or stabbing into his heart or lungs (lungs prefrably as it makes it nearly impossible to yell) . the trench spikes were not designed to stab skulls either ,let alone steel helmets (that would protect from shrapnel from a bursting shell ,but not a knife:loon:).

http://arms2armor.com/Knives/trench.jpg

these were regarded as too flimsy and replaced with the blade style.

[Dave Of The Dead]

Ah, well thanks for clearing that up.

[JakAttak]

some were made with thicker blades for close combat in trenches.

[Faran Brigo]

...as opposed to a trench knife not meant to be used in trenches?

[Onslaught]

But If you're making it out of a spring leaf, it will be much heavier than 2.5 lbs. Try double that at the least.

"no laminated steel construction, no triple quenching in virgin urine, no ray skin handles." Um... I don't know why exactly, but aren't most swords laminated for a reason? Like, to influence the physical behavior of the blade when you use it? I read falcatas were triple laminated actually (also, when not used as weapons they doubled as tools, so that's a bonus).

the weight depends entirely on the amount of work you put into it and the initial thickness of the spring. in a falcata there should be a constant taper from the spine to the edge, this reduces a large portion of the weight. when forging this means that you must do more work, but it will save on grinding that material away later. however, if you don't have access to a fire hot enough for forging, grinding works well too. as far as initial thickness of the spring goes, that all depends on the vehicle you choose. a smaller passenger car will have thinner springs than a pickup.

most swords were laminated because modern alloys were not invented yet. the old smiths had to work with whatever grade of steel they could smelt from local ore. continuously folding and working the steel spread out and burned off impurities.
modern alloys like 1095, 5160, o1, and many others are already very pure and need no altering for use. you just choose a particular steel that is already suited to the work you want to do.
5160 happens to be great for choppers as it is impact resistant, 1095 and o1 are great for smaller knives and hold a better edge, d2 is a very wear resistant steel. back when swords were being produced regularly, the smith was also the metallurgist, and half magician in the eyes of many. today all of the hard work is already done (very precisely) for you by professional metallurgists.

detpat: i'm sure training for a great sword includes CQB. however, that is against living opponents with functioning hearts and lungs. how many techniques exist for destroying the brain with a great sword in a CQB role?

[JakAttak]

not many but a kukri could crack a skull like an egg

[detpat]

just use the technique to target the head instead of the usual body parts. One thing to remember is that all parts of a great sword are lethal and not just the blade.

[JakAttak]

It was made to be used as a bludgeon and a blade.

[Onslaught]

just use the technique to target the head instead of the usual body parts. One thing to remember is that all parts of a great sword are lethal and not just the blade.

no doubt some of the attacks with the quillons and pommel look positively vicious.

i still worry about the excessive length.


i'm almost considering a small flanged mace type head on a ASP baton. just something to boost penetration and focus energy. yet still be extremely small. heck they even make MOLLE pouches for ASPs.

[detpat]

the same approach can be used with a smaller sword. The falcatta idea is still a really good one.

While i really like my asp, i have doubts as to the penetrative ability. I had to use my asp in a lethal force encounter years ago, it was a full strength strike to the skull which resulted in a fractured skull [and a live partner BTW] for the actor, but didn't penetrate. I sure as hell was trying, too.

asp's also have a durability problem, I've seen several damaged and wouldn't think that they would stand up to the constant level of use of a ZPAW.

[JakAttak]

Aren't asps a species of snake?

[detpat]

ASP, extendable baton.

[Dave Of The Dead]

It seems to me that anything that breaks down into pieces or fold up easily would be something that would break just as easily. If you crack enough skulls with something like that, you're bound to break it.

[detpat]

they telescope, but i wouldn't want to use it for a permanent riot baton.

[Onslaught]

the same approach can be used with a smaller sword. The falcatta idea is still a really good one.

While i really like my asp, i have doubts as to the penetrative ability. I had to use my asp in a lethal force encounter years ago, it was a full strength strike to the skull which resulted in a fractured skull [and a live partner BTW] for the actor, but didn't penetrate. I sure as hell was trying, too.

asp's also have a durability problem, I've seen several damaged and wouldn't think that they would stand up to the constant level of use of a ZPAW.

i was wondering about durability.

i just figured that the one i had a chance to handle was a cheapie.

[JakAttak]

I ask again what the hell is an asp!!!

[detpat]

http://www.asp-net.com/

[Running From Zombies]

How much of the brain would you have to destroy to actually kill a zombie? As the areas that control abstract thought and organ functions are useless, what areas would be the prime target and how easily could that be done with a blade or gun for that matter?

[Dave Of The Dead]

If you shoot a zed in the head, it basically turns everything in and around the path of the bullet to mush right? Not an expert on guns, but I can imagine that pretty much what happens. So a shot in the center of the head, and not a glance of the side, re-death will probably occur. With a blade, a sharp one, you can kill a zombie a number of ways. Decapitation (with disposal of head afterward), sever the spine (again, disposal of head is needed), or even with a really sturdy and sharp blade you can get through the skull and into the brain. The frontal lobe is in the very front of the brain which controls very basic thought processes (I can imagine this is what the zombie uses to "think"). So if you pretty much get a zombie right in the front of the skull, you can destroy the zombie.

[Faran Brigo]

Actually, no. The frontal lobes control advanced functions and likely zombies do not use them. Based on their behavior, I think they use their reptilian brain, that is, the brain stem and lymbic system minus neocortex.

What's the difference? the brain stem is at the base of the skull, not in front behind the forehead. I don't think it would be enough to pierce the skull.

Also, it's incredibly ironic that the only time I've had some use for my "biological basis of behavior" classes was discussing bloody zombies online.

[Running From Zombies]

I managed to find this on a zombie survival training blog, though I'm not too sure if a single bullet would usually or rarely (depending on the angle) kill a zombie by tearing up the right areas. That is, I don't know what kind of particular damage a single bullet does when it enters the head, though this would also be dependent on the type of gun/bullet. With a blade it would appear that stabbing the base of the skull would do the trick.

The Brain
After my extensive post yesterday that remained unresolved I started researching the brain. Before understanding brain damage, I figured it was important to understand healthy brain function.
The brain is made up of four lobes and the cerebellum.

Overly simplified, here is what each part is responsible for:
Cerebellum: Governs movement and coordination
Occipital Lobe: Governs visual reception and recognition
Parietal Lobes: Processing sensory information and responsible for speech
Temporal Lobes: Sound and smell receptors and may be involved in short term memory
Frontal Lobe: Primary processing center, responsible for personality.

However, this is an oversimplification, and much of how the lobes interact to form consciousness and much of what we consider to be human is not understood. However, we might be able to speculate on how a zombie's brain might function. Obviously there is an interested sensory awareness, primarily in hearing and smell. Sight loses the primacy it most likely had in life due to accelerated decomposition in the eyeballs, and the decrease in use. The cerebellum is very important as far as maintaining the shamble, but it is very protected due to its location within the skull and surrounding muscle tissue. The largest part of the brain, the frontal lobe is inconsequential, as these higher functioning skills are no longer necessary for the zombie simple hunt/eat stratagem.

So how does this all effect the damage to the brain? Is it possible to injure part of the brain and not kill the zombie? Or (the more likely theory) the brain is a summation of its parts and needs to be whole in order to allow for zombie survival. I tend to think this may be the answer. Even though live humans are able to make up for parts of the brain that are removed zombies lack the healing (and cell growth) to allow for the brain to compensate for its absent bits. Regardless, this will require more research.

[detpat]

It might destroy the applicable parts of the brain due to the decomp damage already suffered. The hydrostatic pressure [shock wave if you will] of a bullet impacting the skull with enough force to penetrate may simply create enough of a temporary stretch cavity and shock effect to disrupt the remaining brain function.

this may also be related to progressive loss of function as the zed decomposes .

[Dave Of The Dead]

Also, it's incredibly ironic that the only time I've had some use for my "biological basis of behavior" classes was discussing bloody zombies online.

And that's a bad thing?

[JakAttak]

might need a neurosurgeon when Z day hits.

[Onslaught]

it is an excellent idea to become familiar with the anatomy of the brain.

however, it should be noted that zombies may use the brain differently than humans.

it seems to be that a zombie will go down no matter which part of the brain is destroyed. there are many examples of this in the romero movies.

i believe that brooks has put forth the hypothesis that the zombified brain becomes a self sustaining organ that will fail (due to it's inability to heal) if any part of the organ is compromised.

it may still be a good idea for those weilding blades to strike from the side at about earlobe/spinal column level when possible.

[JakAttak]

yeah I like Max he's got good ideas.

[Dave Of The Dead]

I said before somewhere that I enjoy the idea of decapitation much more than the idea of attacking the skull first. With blades that can decapitate, it is easier on both you and the blade, but others like small hatchets I would be aiming for the head.

[ERiKDude]

Any thoughts on this survival shovel?

personally i think it'd be great to carry along, because not only could it go through the skull or decapitate, you can also dig holes and cut wood.

http://www.bestglide.com/product_images/TS1062_lg.jpg


and here's a video of it in action:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxFJmx5ymiI

[detpat]

i didn't watch the vid, so this may be redundant but you can throw those with considerable accuracy too. great piece of kit there.

[Dave Of The Dead]

Yeah, I was thinking about buying one of those earlier when I went shopping for all my Cold Steel gear and decided not to. Yes it is a great weapon and also a great tool, but in an urban setting, I see no use for it. The only time I have used a shovel is when I was tending to my garden.

[Faran Brigo]

I'm guessing when factory farms stop working you'll be tending your garden quite a bit.

[Dave Of The Dead]

I live next to a warehouse, my neighbor is a truck driver for "Little Debbie's" and I already have about 4 month's worth of stocked food in my basement. I have a feeling that I wouldn't be running out of food for a while... And if I am really lucky, the train will stall on the tracks next to the warehouse and we could raid that too! But, that is just if I have amazing luck that day.

[Faran Brigo]

You're still going to need fresh foods, it's not the same. Besides fresh foods will make your non-perishables last longer and it's better you get the hang of growing your own food while your life is not riding on it.

[Behemoth]

You're still going to need fresh foods, it's not the same. Besides fresh foods will make your non-perishables last longer and it's better you get the hang of growing your own food while your life is not riding on it.
I don't think that statement is correct, during the 2nd world war in the year 1942 the old boy who lived next door to me once told me his family ate only tinned food for well over a year. He was about 75 when he moved down to coast.

[Faran Brigo]

Assuming that you are indeed about 74 years old and "that boy next door" is a reliable source, a friend's grandmother is about 92 years old and still smokes and drinks on a daily basis (and has been doing so for the past 40 years), and I don't take it as a sign that smoking and drinking are good for you.

There are exceptions to the rule, but most people need fresh foods to avoid nutritional deficiencies or damage to their digestive system. Try living off spam and instant ramen for a year, you might be alive, but you will not be in good shape. I'd be surprised if living solely off non-perishables didn't result in eventual pellagra, scurvy, beriberi or rickets. Even if you don't die, you're going to be impaired by lack of proper nutrition.

[Dave Of The Dead]

I have been doing exactly that, living off of ramen for years. I'm not overweight, and I maintain my build. I'm not saying that I don't indulge myself with some Taco Bell or even a nice steak every once in a while, but I am saying that the human body can do good with what it is given.

[Behemoth]

Well it would be an a great advantage to have fresh foods, but what is the nutritional difference between tinned grapefruit & fresh? I belive i read that both contain vit' c at the RDA, also if you have power you would have food in the freezer, so i think fresh food & the doom & gloom fix you put on it are unfounded.

[Faran Brigo]

This is interesting but it's got nothing to do with blades and zeds, so I'm making a thread about this. Darkness might move these comments over there.

[Behemoth]

I think that shovel is a must, i would personally sharpen one side to use as a makeshift cutting tool.

[Onslaught]

i am also a fan of the CS shovel. very similar to the "lobo" in WWZ.

it does seem to be less effective in an urban environment.

if we're talking about bladed weapons that can also be tools, maybe that shovel is the choice for rural living and something based on a wrecking bar would be better for urban envrironments. i still feel that the wrecking bar should be modified with more of a blade rather than relying on sheer BFT.

[Behemoth]

Might be difficult to modify a wrecking bar without making it weaker. If you have an idea of how, let us know.

[Onslaught]

Might be difficult to modify a wrecking bar without making it weaker. If you have an idea of how, let us know.

simple. although it depends on what you're doing to it.

you can cut the hoolk off aand weld on a blade or several flanges to make a sort of axe or mace.

you can forge the hook into various other tools.

you can even cut the thing up and make tomahawk heads out of it. (just google wrecking bar hawk )

after that it's all time and temperature.

[mattdettorre123]

Ok, all things made and tools. I don't care what it is, it's a tool and it was built with a specific job in mind. Yea I'm sure you could kill a zombie with a machete or an axe, but they were not meant to do that and WILL be unreliable at best. A standard hardware store axe's blade was designed to cut wet wood, AKA a tree, anyone disagree? too bad your wrong, now if you want to use an axe to fight someone get a halberd, it was designed to fight people. Someone once told me that a $200 dollar knife is worth its weight in gold when cutting something, and worth its' weight in horse shit when trying to loosen a bolt. You want to kill something with a long blade, you can buy a battle ready folded steel Katana, designed for cutting competitions and fighting for $250-350. They are sharp and built with the intent to strike other swords and flesh. Sure if you have a hatchet or machete then that's what you have but don't expect it to be a war device.

[Onslaught]

Ok, all things made and tools. I don't care what it is, it's a tool and it was built with a specific job in mind. Yea I'm sure you could kill a zombie with a machete or an axe, but they were not meant to do that and WILL be unreliable at best. A standard hardware store axe's blade was designed to cut wet wood, AKA a tree, anyone disagree? too bad your wrong, now if you want to use an axe to fight someone get a halberd, it was designed to fight people. Someone once told me that a $200 dollar knife is worth its weight in gold when cutting something, and worth its' weight in horse shit when trying to loosen a bolt. You want to kill something with a long blade, you can buy a battle ready folded steel Katana, designed for cutting competitions and fighting for $250-350. They are sharp and built with the intent to strike other swords and flesh. Sure if you have a hatchet or machete then that's what you have but don't expect it to be a war device.

exactly.
tools break if misused. since none are designed for killing zombies, killing zombies with a tool is misuse.

i am still highly skeptical of any "batle ready katana" especially selling for 250. do you have a link?

[mattdettorre123]

http://www.mantisswords.com/practical_katanas.htm. well i guess they are like 400ish not too bad though

[Behemoth]

http://www.mantisswords.com/practical_katanas.htm. well i guess they are like 400ish not too bad though
The straight ones are $199.00, sale price $159.00, sounds good, but even if the weapon is a good one, you would still need a fair bit of skill to use one effectively.

[Dave Of The Dead]

In the description, It says that the tang is permanently attached to the handle with no pins. This means that the tang tappers down to the size of a pencil to preserve as much steel as possible and is held in position with glue, making the sword easy to bend and break at the point where the handle and blade meets. I've done it to my own katana with the exact same description. If you get a sword like that, you will break it sooner or later.

You say that these katanas and other sword are made for competition purposes. Well, competitions rarely consist of cutting through wood or you know... human bodies. They usually cut grass mats.

Katanas today are nothing more than cheap, rusting imitations of an art that died 400 years ago. You say that if you use any tool wrong, you will break it. Well swinging at katana aint like swinging a baseball bat sonny, and if you do, you will break it sooner than you will a machete or hatchet.

[Behemoth]

In the description, It says that the tang is permanently attached to the handle with no pins. This means that the tang tappers down to the size of a pencil to preserve as much steel as possible and is held in position with glue, making the sword easy to bend and break at the point where the handle and blade meets. I've done it to my own katana with the exact same description. If you get a sword like that, you will break it sooner or later.

You say that these katanas and other sword are made for competition purposes. Well, competitions rarely consist of cutting through wood or you know... human bodies. They usually cut grass mats.

Katanas today are nothing more than cheap, rusting imitations of an art that died 400 years ago. You say that if you use any tool wrong, you will break it. Well swinging at katana aint like swinging a baseball bat sonny, and if you do, you will break it sooner than you will a machete or hatchet.
I think what mattdettorre123 is saying is the katana would be better at despatching a zombie than an axe/hammer etc, as it was made for that purpose. Will it break? Yes, but most likely after you've taken off the zombies head.

[Hitman]

dave it said this - "This sword has a full tang and is sharp so it is ready for test cutting. The handle has been permanently attached to the tang, there are no pins. "

a full tang is not a pincil thin rod attached to the blade. it is the shank of the blade that is the same size of the grip . much stronger than the way most swords are made.

[Onslaught]

i believe the ones you linked to are 1095. 1095 steel is good for blades, as long as we're talking knives. it loses out when the blade gets a little bigger as it's not as impact resistant as other steels. i understand that when proper technique is applied that there is less impact on the blade. however, you won't always have great technique and optimal circumstances. they have a model for sale on that site that seems better suited... it's made from L6. L6 is on par with, and even surpasses 5160 in large choppers and swords. many smaller smiths shy away from it due to the comparitively dificult heat treatment process.

i can find no fault with the construction as described. full tang, pinned or not, is a good thing for a hard use blade.

[mattdettorre123]

exactly, All tools break. BUT if you uses them correctly they will last way longer. you never know when your gonna need that axe

[Dave Of The Dead]

I was just speaking form experience. I got a katana with almost the exact same description and that's how it turned out to be. It is amazing how much more trusty a couple wood pins are to some glue when it comes to saving you life too... :scare:

[Ball Tripper]

If I had any sort of fire arm I wouldn't carry a blade other than a big pocket knife for cutting stuff. I don't own any guns though, while I do collect knives and such. I've always planned that when shit hits the fan I'm going to attach a bayonet I have to a pole and use it like a spear untill I can procure a gun. The blade is thin and strong and pretty sharp, about as long as my fingertips to the crook of my elbow. If confronted with a slow zombie, I'm very confident I could take one down with a well aimed thrust of my make shift spear to the face. As long as I'm not caught off guard or in a bad spot, but that might just kill me no matter what weapon I have. While it's still melee, killing from farther than arm's rearch would definatly be a plus.

Making due with what I can, I think my spear would be a much better than any of the other weapons I have. Most are made for show and would be very impractical and unreliable.

[JakAttak]

In close qauters a spear would get you killed.

[Onslaught]

As long as I'm not caught off guard or in a bad spot.

isn't that prettymuch the idea of a melee weapon? something that you can use when caught off guard or in a bad spot? if you weren't you'd just evade or atack at your leisure from a distance.

the melee should be the weapon you use when you have no other option. when you need stealth or when you can't (for wahatever reason) shoot.

[Ball Tripper]

I'm well aware of all the flaws of using a spear. Thats why I said it's the best I could do with what I've got and I would only use it while searching for a gun.

[Dave Of The Dead]

I think you would be better off just using the pole of the spear for defense. The knife on the end isn't going to do anything but come untied and fall off half way through a fight. Blades that are used as stabbing won't do much good at all in a ZPAW.

[detpat]

a spear is not useless in cqb, you just need to learn how to use it.

if you are gonna plan to use any of these weapons for a zpaw you need to experiment with them and learn to use them. if you are gonna use a classic type of weapon you can do some research and learn the classic techniques developed by people when they were the primary weapons.

[Ball Tripper]

Dave- I would use a bayonet, if I can fit the pole into the metal loop I figure that might give it enough extra stability.

detpat- A spear is about the most simple weapon imaginable, it's most basic function is to stab something from a short distance away. I get what your saying about knowing some real techniques for using a classic type weapon. I've got a katana and a few broad swords, as well as an axe and a morning star. All deadly in their own right, but not knowing how to use them I would still go with my spear. I wouldn't be trying to do kung fu with it, afterall. Decent hand-eye coordination should be all that's required to use it effectively. Especially against an unthinking opponent who doesn't actively defend it self.

[JakAttak]

wait so you you have a boyonet but not the gun it would go to?

[Ball Tripper]

Yea lol. It's like an antique but I still think it'd be best. Most of my big knives and swords aren't made for actual use killing things.

[detpat]

you definitely have a point there, kung fu isn't necessary and many of the techniques taught there are more for forms competition than fighting. use the point to thrust and use the shaft to push, pummel and otherwise channel your zeds into your spears killing zone.

the broadswords are probably your best all around melee weapons. with a little skill, really, any of these weapons are gonna work for you if you learn to use them and keep in mind that they aren't gonna shoot you and you need to keep as close to zero exposure while fighting as you can! always be conservative and careful in every contact and take absolutely no chances. if you miss one you can always come back and get him later.

[JakAttak]

maybe for static defense but I don't fancy running around with one on me.

[Headless Lynx]

Some of you may think that i'm a little mad but I reckon that a shrap sword and large lightweight shield will make a challenging combo for the zeds. With sometime spent training to use both the sword and shield effectively, You could go quite far in an outbreak. What do you think?

[mattifikation]

IIIIII think a lot of people in the following thread have similar ideas:

Blades and Zombies (http://www.allthingszombie.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15751)

[Dave Of The Dead]

True, post about blades in the given thread, but shields haven't really been talked about as far as I've seen. Zombies are reachie-grabbie and would probably just pull their shield right off your arm. No point in having a shield if nothing is being thrown/ swung at you.

[bandits1]

Yup, eventually the weight of 1034835 zombies pulling on your shield will either dislodge the shield or your entire arm. And you'll eventually get tired of swinging that heavy sword one-handed.

Fighting against dozens and dozens of zombies with only a sword and shield = dead in 15 minutes.

[vortec1]

Might work with 300 more friends!

[Zev]

Might work with 300 more friends!

:lol::lol::lol:

I smell a sequel written by Frank Miller and George Romero:

The 300 Pt 2
Spartans vs Zombies

[csmasterrave]

If you all have seen the movie 300 unless the zombies are fast ones, spartan will win.
Even if they are fast zombie it will be a close fight

[bandits1]

If you all have seen the movie 300 unless the zombies are fast ones, spartan will win.
Even if they are fast zombie it will be a close fight
Unfortunately, I don't think anyone here is even close to being a spartan.

[Onslaught]

it all depends on the shield.

the classic greek shield had a handle at one side and s strap toward the middle.
this was useful for fighting in groups. you couldn't move your shield much, but you had a frirend on either side of you to back you up. it also discouraged individuals from breaking ranks because the shield was inadequate for single combat.

moving forward a few hundred years (like 17 hundred) and you have the buckler and other medieval shields.
these have a cup or "boss" in the center and a handle mounted in the boss. the hadle is central and the arm is not strapped in. this allows the user to have full range of motion with it as well as using the boss as a gauntlet to punch with. if the shield is encumbered you can simply drop it.

a shield may not be a great option aainst a zombie due to the fact that a shield is meant to defend against edged weapons. zombies trend not to use edged weapons. you may be better served for the weight by a sidearm or a hydration pack.

[Creature]

Know What? I'm trainin to use Swords. so i think i can behead a goddamn zombie any day. Get a group of people like us and we will be hackin our way through the horde... if that doesn't work i'm gonna find a ak-47. Oh ya.

[bandits1]

The "Tactical Sword" from MacKenzie Knives:

http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/3639/sword04ym6.jpg
...don't know how durable it is, but it sure looks cool.

[mattifikation]

It looks more like a tactical dagger to me.

[bandits1]

It looks more like a tactical dagger to me.
Kinda long to be called a "dagger". It's about 2/3rds the length of the M4.

[bandits1]

Here's a few cool "working" blades from Mineral Mountain Hatchet Works:

Katana-style:
http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/986/wakbn0.jpghttp://img145.imageshack.us/img145/5263/shasqclosegd8.jpg

...and Shasqua-style:
http://img393.imageshack.us/img393/5404/shasqor7.jpg

...their "Speed Stick" katana.
http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/6393/speedstickbp4.jpg

...according to the manufacturer: All tools rate ~58 on the Rockwell C scale. Axes and cleavers are ~56. 5160 spring steel in large tools. 1095 spring steel in small knives.

[Onslaught]

mineral mountain looks like good stuff.

i first ran into them from the "links" page on http://dervishknives.com/

if you really want to look up some great makers check out bladeforums.com. if anyone knows how to make an anti-zombie bladed weapon, it's them.

[JakAttak]

I might be able to make rudimentary blades at the forge at the round house.

[mattifikation]

Yeah, I'm sure just suddenly picking up a skill like bladesmithing is easy as pie in a zombie outbreak. After all, it only takes a lifetime or so of constant hard work and practice to master it under ideal circumstances.

[Onslaught]

to master it, maybe. whatever that means.

there is this strange mystical stygma surrounding badesmithing that i never understood.

there are really ony two things you need to know about making a good blade: TIME and TEMPERATURE.

the only difference between a blade and any other chunk of sharp metal is the heat treatment.

ask any modern bladesmith about their first shop. i assure you you'll hear about anything but "ideal circumstances". many of the best out there, (kevin cashen, tim zowada, don fogg, etc.) started out in either a garage or a backyard.

[mattdettorre123]

straight blades are better at stabbing than decapitating. The curved blades allow the blade to slice more efficiently than strait ones, the arc works with your bodies natural movement to increase the about of the blade being used during slicing.

[mattifikation]

Alright. Read this and feel silly:

http://community.nbtsc.org/wiki/HowToMakeSwords;1.28

It's NOT something you can just "pick up and do." It takes time, training, experience, trial and error, and knowledge.

Why the hell do you think blacksmiths were so important in the Middle Ages? Why do you think knights didn't just make their own swords? Or peasants, for that matter?

If what you mean by "making blades" is you're going to sharpen some cheap chunks of scrap metal until you can shank somebody with them, then by all means, say so. But don't say you're "making blades," because what you're doing is making prison weapons, not zombie killers.

[Onslaught]

Alright. Read this and feel silly:

http://community.nbtsc.org/wiki/HowToMakeSwords;1.28

It's NOT something you can just "pick up and do." It takes time, training, experience, trial and error, and knowledge.

Why the hell do you think blacksmiths were so important in the Middle Ages? Why do you think knights didn't just make their own swords? Or peasants, for that matter?

If what you mean by "making blades" is you're going to sharpen some cheap chunks of scrap metal until you can shank somebody with them, then by all means, say so. But don't say you're "making blades," because what you're doing is making prison weapons, not zombie killers.


please forgive me if i gave the impresson thatr trial, error, and learning were not required. training can come in many forms and a live physical teacher, while immensely helpful can be replaced by enough trial, error, and reading.

much learning is required. however, this is not 1299. steel no longer needs to be smelted and cast into ingots in a bloomery by the man wishing to make a blade.

extremely pure, engineered steels are more commonly available than you might realize. it is available in pre-ground thicknesses and widths at any length you could desire.

forging, while useful, is not technically necessary. stock removal blades can and do perform very well. (if you really want to get tachnical, all blades are "forged" as the stock that you buy was forged in the mill before you got it.)

please try to keep in mind that when i say "blade" i mean just that. i'm not talking about making laminated katanas with clay tempered hammons or rapiers with pierced fullers and bejeweled hilts. i'm saying that most people, with a basic set of tools, a few good books, a known steel, a little time can make a serviceable bowie style knife in a garage. and if they keep at it, they'll get better with time.

knights and peasants didn't have libraries, disposable income, or two car garages. they couldn't even read, and most of their day was filled with working just to live. we live in a radically different age where people are free and empowered to duild or do anything they have the creative capacity for. don't sell yourself, and everyone else short.

when i say "making blades" i mean taking a piece of high carbon alloy (5160, 1085, O1) and doing whatever it takes to make it knife shaped. (this could be forging or stock removal). then taking it through three normalizing cycles by bringing it up to critical and cooling it in still air. then hardening by bringing it up to critical once more (the point where a magnet will not stick to it, this denotes that the crystaline structure has reached austentite) and quenching it into heated oil until it gets below 400*F(if done properly this changes the crystaline structure to martensite). at this point the quench is interrupted and the steel is allowed to cool slowly to avoid grain growth and internal stress. then it's degreased and tempered three times. then the real fun begins because you have to spend hours and hours and hours polishing it.

read and feel silly indeed. there are reams of information that should be considered and if possible, absorbed in the quest for the perfect mastery of sttel on a molecular level. however, you can get pretty close with a few simple instructions too.

you really should head over to bladeforums.com and take a peek in the makers section. most of the guys in there, while immensely talented, started doing this as a hobby. many are still hobbyists.

oh, and ... ZOMBIES.

[stark55]

I think that i may have mentioned that I've seen what happens when you strike a moving dynamic target with a flat overly flexible blade. It often isn't what you expect. sheetmetal blades often flex in unexpected directions. when using a blade in a real life and death situation for defense you need it to do exactly what you expect and go exactly where you want it to. Machetes are just not reliable and certainly not the sort of tool you want your life and the life of loved ones to depend on.

Get the proper tool for the task. machetes are shaped the way they are so you can swing them for hours on end and cut through vegetable matter. A corpse does not have those properties no matter how old or stale or dried. There are MUCH worse times to learn these lessons!

what? i have a good machete and it shaped the way it is to hack deeply into things much denser than human flesh. do some real research in to the weapons you hate.

lets be real as hard as a skull is its not harder than steel. even a cheap Katana can be used. the biggest problem with them is the tang it is usually crap but the blade can pierce a skull its not going to bounce off. we would all want a good knife but even a crappy steel stick can be dangerous. i have a blade from a claymore im my room the handle had bent when i took the sword to Styrofoam but the blade isn't useless i wrapped the back end in denim and didn't do a bad job. if some how we had enough people that i ran out of hand weapons arming them i would make some adjustments to the "handle" and pass it out. but chances are it would be bolted to a window frame as a barrier that will bend instead of breaking. sheet mettle isn't a good idea i would only use it as window covering. you could make some armor but i wouldn't want to spend the time.

[stark55]

a blade is only a sharp thing it dosnt need to be tempered or even be made of metal. i can put a blade on a rock and have done so in the past. i can make a good fighting knife out of wood. look at the tribes of Africa they have made most of there weapons of stone and wood. many weapons like this are even made for attacking the head.:zom2:

[Dave Of The Dead]

See, but the problem with making weapons out of stone, wood, or eveb cheap steel is the fact that itn will bend, break, and shatter if used over and over again. And if it doesn't do that, then it will get blunt quick. I have a collection of blades myself, and only 2 of them are prop blades made with 440 steel. Both of those and nicks and dents and are bent to hell after training with them. I have to sharpen and polish them regularly or else they will rust and decentigrate back into minerals.... My others are made from spring steel. They kick a hell of a lot more ass but I still have to polish them and sharpen them to keep them looking and functioning well. Anyway, my point was, you can have the cheapest sword on the market and compare it with the most expensive. If both are sharp, then they will do the same amount of damage... in the beginning. Soon, the cheaper blade will bend, chip, and crack because cheap steel can only take so much. I'm not saying the expensive blade won't break at all. I'm just saying it takes a hell of a lot more to break it.

[JakAttak]

high carbon tool steel is a good choice or just a wrought iron stick with spiral design to enforce it (makes it look pretty too.)

[Bob]

If I was going to get a machete I would look at the Cold Steel ones.
They are a bit thicker than the hardware store ones.

I am a bit of collector of edged steel, no fantasy stuff that won't hold an edge mind you. Mostly functional folders and fixed blades. I have about dozen automatic knives a couple of el-cheapo and several Benchmade.
If I was going to buy another knife I would get a Benchmade Infidel, it's a double action OTF. I got to play with one this past Sunday, very well made but pricey to say the least. The automatics to me are really just toys since I can't legally carry one in this state. Funny isn't it, I can carry a gun but not a "switchblade". We can buy them and brass knuckles but we can't carry them.

[Bladezeta181]

I have over sixty two knives so I'am definetly ready for any creature of the living dead to come try and kill me and also I love how someone finally talks about blades and how hands down they are better in close range attacks, I would use them way more than any other weapon.

[mattifikation]

Bob, what state are you in?

We have a similar law here in Pennsylvania. I can walk around with a 12" bowie knife sheathed on one hip and a 44 magnum holstered on the other, and it's perfectly legal.

And I can own a switch blade... as part of a collection, kept at home. Oh, but the knife selling stores around here don't know that, so they won't sell to civilians (idiots.)

But a 2 inch switch blade, carried on my person? God forbid! Apparently, politicians are scared of buttons.

[Ash in Housewares]

I think blades are the WORST close range weapons against zeds

think about it: most likely the virus will spread through blood.

swinging big blades at zombies would cause alot of splatters, which leads you to danger of being infected. also you'd have to clean the splatters off ASAP.

long and blunt objects are the best.

[Darkness]

I think blades are the WORST close range weapons against zeds

think about it: most likely the virus will spread through blood.

swinging big blades at zombies would cause alot of splatters, which leads you to danger of being infected. also you'd have to clean the splatters off ASAP.

long and blunt objects are the best.

"Then you would love the conversation in this thread....."
http://www.allthingszombie.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15797
".....Or perhaps this one..."
http://www.allthingszombie.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15796
"Enjoy!" :)


*And now back to our schedualed conversation.* ;-)

[Gummerfan]

Bob, what state are you in?

We have a similar law here in Pennsylvania. I can walk around with a 12" bowie knife sheathed on one hip and a 44 magnum holstered on the other, and it's perfectly legal.

And I can own a switch blade... as part of a collection, kept at home. Oh, but the knife selling stores around here don't know that, so they won't sell to civilians (idiots.)

But a 2 inch switch blade, carried on my person? God forbid! Apparently, politicians are scared of buttons.

Here in AL, Bowies are illegal to carry concealed.(the AL Criminal Code specifically says "Bowie knife", and there's considerable leeway as to what constitutes a Bowie knife) I suppose one could "open carry" one and be legal, but I doubt strolling down a city sidewalk with a Bowie on your hip would go over very well.
It IS silly that I can carry a handgun concealed, but not a big fixed blade. :loon:
No wonder I rarely go into town. :lol:

[Bob]

SC

We cannot open carry here, we have to get a CWP in order to carry at all. The law regarding knives has changed and I am not certain how it affects blade length. I am going to research that.

[homelitexl]

around here anything is legal as long as it is not concealed arkansas is a great state.

[Bob]

Well it seem there is no limit to the size of a knife now.
I guess that means if I can fit it in my pocket and am not committing a crime it's ok.

They do not differentiate between pocket knives and sheath knives.

Also there is NO mention of automatic knives at all anymore.

I may just have to go buy that Benchmade Infidel!!!
There is a local dealer who has them for $300.

Here is a review of a Cold Steel Kukri Machete check it out.
http://www.twowolvesoutdoor.com/kukrimachete.html

[Gummerfan]

Well it seem there is no limit to the size of a knife now.
I guess that means if I can fit it in my pocket and am not committing a crime it's ok.

They do not differentiate between pocket knives and sheath knives.

Also there is NO mention of automatic knives at all anymore.

I may just have to go buy that Benchmade Infidel!!!
There is a local dealer who has them for $300.

Here is a review of a Cold Steel Kukri Machete check it out.
http://www.twowolvesoutdoor.com/kukrimachete.html
Be sure to check any applicable local or city ordinances as well.
(and if you're allowed to carry automatics, well, I hate you!) :)

[mattifikation]

Be careful. New laws generally only overwrite old laws if they specifically say so. Not mentioning automatic knives might mean the old laws are still in place.

I guess it's not a great big deal. A switch blade would be horrible against a zombie. No tangs, no thanks.

I would imagine anything but a really good bowie, or a tanto would be ineffective.

[Bob]

No mention of automatics / switchblades anywhere.
Previously they were covered by a general statement "Any person carrying a deadly weapon usually used for the infliction of personal injury concealed about his person" is guilty of a misdemeanor, must forfeit to the county, or, if convicted in a municipal court, to the municipality the concealed weapon, and must be fined not less than two hundred dollars nor more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned not less than thirty days nor more than ninety days. Nothing herein contained may be construed to apply to (1) persons carrying concealed weapons upon their own premises or pursuant to and in compliance with Article 4 of Chapter 31 of Title 23, or (2) peace officers in the actual discharge of their duties. The provisions of this section do not apply to rifles, shotguns, dirks, slingshots, metal knuckles, or razors unless they are used with the intent to commit a crime or in furtherance of a crime.

It now says;
The provisions of this section also do not apply to rifles, shotguns, dirks, slingshots, metal knuckles, knives, or razors unless they are used with the intent to commit a crime or in furtherance of a crime."

[Bob]

http://uk.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUKL2725351720070327?pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=0&sp=true

[KrimsonKing]

Here are several ways you can slay a zombie with a knife that has a blade at least 3’’ long.

Stab it in the temple.

Stab it in the eye, I believe an upward motion would be the most effective.

Stab it in the base of the scull.

Stab it in the base of the neck, severing the spinal cord. won't kill it but it will be immobile.

If your blade is at least 7’’ long you could thrust straight up from under the chin, the blade would continue through the roof of the mouth and in to the brain. Also without removing the blade, you could possibly use the handle to silently lower the body to the floor one handedly.

I would really like to get my hands on a ninjaken or ninjato which is used by the ninja, it is basically a wakizashi (Katana short sword) that has a katana length handle. The tanto tip that the Katana family is known for is designed for piercing armor so the hard yet brittle bone of the skull should not present a problem if you decided to say screw it and stab the zombie in the forehead.

[Bob]

Truth be known, I don't want to have to use a knife on zombies.
I do not want to get that close.

[KrimsonKing]

The "Tactical Sword" from MacKenzie Knives:

http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/3639/sword04ym6.jpg
...don't know how durable it is, but it sure looks cool.

That is a Ninjato, the only thing that is missing is the square handgaurd. When sheathed and leaning against a wall the handgaurd can be used as a short step, the Ninjato is then pulled up behind you with a cord.

[kiltedninja]

I have a ninjato, it's more of a machete, it's a cheap stamped steel one that I got from a friend, but it's thick and I've cut down small trees in a few blows, it's got a sheath, a smaller version, and I have my CRKT stealth First Strike. That knife itself is thicker than my sword, and my sword is thicker than most swords.

[KrimsonKing]

I highly suggest you check out this link. What you described dose not sound like a ninato to me but it does sound good.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninjato

[kiltedninja]

It's a cheap ripoff of a ninjato.

I want a real ninjato, that's going to be my next investment.

[tytanos14]

I collect Samuri Swords And Ninja Stars And Regular Swords Pretty much Anything That Can Cut a Head off I have hahaha

[Bob]

tytanos14

It does not count when they are made of plastic.

[Dave Of The Dead]

I collect Samuri Swords And Ninja Stars And Regular Swords Pretty much Anything That Can Cut a Head off I have hahaha

$10 says they're all replicas made of 440 stainless.

[mattifikation]

The best sword against zombies would clearly by Cloud Strife's Buster Sword from Final Fantasy VII.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Un1M7xbCCIs

Or... maybe not.

But it sure would be awesome if you could actually use it well...