Zombie Cliche Lookout: What Doesn’t Kill Me…
Anyone who survives any length of time in a zombie apocalypse is going to have to be either tough as a coffin nail or lucky as hell, probably a little of both. The longer you last, the tougher you’re going to have to become, and the better your luck is going to be. Zombie stories are a game of attrition. You start off with a lot of characters, but by the third act most of them are USDA Grade A zombie chow. What’s left tends to be the people who can kick ass and take names, or at least that’s what we’re supposed to assume. If you can make it that far, you must be doing something right.
About this Episode:
Look how tender and nurturing Abe is being in the third panel. Doesn’t that just warm the cockles of your heart?
Getting characters to interact physically is a bit of a challenge with LEGO® minifigs. They simply do not have the articulation necessary to do a lot of thing things that people do on a daily basis. Even here, where one character is simply touching another reassuringly on the shoulder, you have to be careful with your camera angle to keep it from looking awkward.
This is because the arms can only move up and down perpendicular to the body, if you don’t angle the character and the camera correctly, you tend to get a really weird looking situation where one character kind of looks like he’s punching the other in the shoulder for some reason.
Discussion Question: Swords
One of the things that annoys me most about zombie apocalypse planning is the fact that so many people believe that the Katana will be the ultimate zombie-killing weapon. I don’t have anything against the katana, it’s just that the weapon has been so mythologized over the years that katana in most people’s minds bears little to no relation to a sword in the real world. Nevermind the fact that find a real, battle-ready sword would probably be much more challenging than people think, and let’s not even get into the know how of using it.
So for this episode’s discussion, you tell me if I’m completely off base here. Are swords (not necessarily katanas) the ultimate in anti-zombie weaponry? Why or why not? And are you planning to make a sword a part of your zombie defense strategy?
Not a sword but a USMC Fighting knife.
A combat knife against a zed would be a last ditch thing for me. You’ve only got a couple inches between you and death.
5-8 and can stab him. Plus I was going to use it to cut things.
Definitely useful as a tool. I keep a similar knife in my camping/hiking pack.
Hell no. I have swords, daggers, warhammers, knives, etc, etc, and the swords won’t be my first choice. If I had to use a melee weapon it would be my mace: http://www.kultofathena.com/images/600626_l.jpg (I’ve removed the ahistorical black paint and am in the process of redoing the grip, but that’s either here nor there.)
A sword has to have proper edge alignment to be successful, can get stuck in the skull, can be awkward in enclosed spaces, etc, etc. The mace, being shorter and having no edge to speak of, does not suffer from these problems. No, it won’t be severing any heads, but with zombies the classic over-hand strike to the top of the noggin should be plenty, especially since zombies don’t try to deflect blows or duck, allowing one to put more force into the blow and not being careful about an intelligent counter-attack.
A mace does seem like a better weapon in this case. Another nice factor: a reduced risk of infected blood spraying all over you.
I don’t know why nobody uses weapons like swords and maces in wars anymore, A good mace could knock someone’s head straight off! especially useful in the zombie apocalypse!
It’s the same reason no one likes using bayonets anymore: why stab some mother when I can just shoot him?
I have heard of situations in which “tactical” swords and axes have been used in the Middle East. Apparently some troops have found themselves in situations such as caves where firing off lots of bouncy little bullets and hand grenades is less than desirable. The solution hit on has been to toss a flashbang around the corner, then rush in and “resolve the issue” with various pointy objects before the enemy has sorted themselves out.
The only thing to keep in mind is that such weapons and tactics tend to be very limited and require specific situations. Most melee weapons are never going to see use on the modern battlefield and are thus just dead weight/fancy jewelry.
That’s quite interesting, Bob. Do some soldiers still carry tomahawks? Or is that a Vietnam-era thing?
I don’t know about the specifics to be honest, I heard it on a “Sword Geek” podcast: http://www.theswordgeek.com/podcast/?paged=8
From the sound of the quote tactical style tomhawks wouldn’t be out of place.
Lots of “tactical tomahawks” and “tactical machetes” out there. Laci Szabo has the best stuff on his web page, only a Google search away.
The Katana: A hand-and-a-half saber with a excellent PR campaign. ;D
Oh man, I like that line Bob! Damn good line.
I stole it off the net somewhere. A bit paraphrased I believe, but the point comes across nicely.
Well stolen, sir, well stolen.
Actually I have never considered swords as an anti-zombie weapon. But thinking about this a little fast, they might not be convenient. The are heavy and mostly large. Rare to find/have, not anyone can use one, a bit impractical, can easily get stuck too. Blunt objects might be your best choice on close range. Combat knives are more practical but not necessarily the best. If in any case, swords would be an emergency issue, weapon for me at least.
Yeah, If a sword was next to me and I had nothing else to use to defend myself, then I’d grab the sword. Otherwise, I’ll stick to more conventional weapons that keep more distance between me and the zeds.
Sword? Too much weight.. A nice machete might do.. More practical and would do rather well for chopping through some rough things. I prefer a nice big knife though, much better.. That or an axe.. I do love my axes.
Machete will break easily, needs a LOT of maintenance, a short-sword would be a lot better, or yes an axe. Rick threw his away in The Walking Dead Episode 3!
I have never had a machete break on me, and I’ve used them a ton for clearing brush and chopping small to medium sized branches. The only thing I’ve had happen to them is chips and dings in the blade, and the handles coming loose. Both of which are fixable.
Axes and machetes are great because they have so many other, non-combat uses.
My experience with machetes has not been encouraging from a weapon of war standpoint. They are too light, and it wouldn’t be hard for a opponent to force through one’s guard with a heavier weapon. The cheap examples also tend to take a bend and don’t handle other metal objects well at all.
On the other hand, zombies generally don’t carry weapons or use them effectively, so they might be a nice lightweight back-up weapon for such things anyway.
I’ve never used a machete as a weapon (obviously) but they are frequently pressed into service as such. Just look at all the genocide in parts of Africa.
True. My point was that on, say, a medieval battlefield involving a variety of frequently heavier weapons and an assortment of armor, a machete isn’t ideal. It’s kind of a tangent I guess, since the topic is about using them on zombies, not heavily armed and armored soldiers. ;D
i hate swords, mostly because of my neighbor’s friends. They all have nerdy swords from ”The Legend of Zelda” and besides, where are you going to find a sword
“besides, where are you going to find a sword”
From your neighbors, by the sound of it. Although I don’t think I’d trust a Legend of Zelda sword with my life.
Most such fantasy swords are junk, though I came across a custom job on the net somewhere that a guy comissioned that was high quality tempered steel. I still wouldn’t want it though. It looked like it handled like a crowbar.
Note: I was referring to a Zelda sword. There are actually quite a few high quality fantasy swords, I’m just talking about a Zelda one in this case.
When I think fantasy swords, I think BudK garbage. I can’t imagine why someone would go to the expense to get a combat ready sword based on a fantasy novel or film, when there are actual tried and true designs.
i never did like the legend of zelda anyway
The very next episode, a zombie should show up! Preferably bouncing up and down outside looking in through one of the church windows, wondering how to get to the food inside! 😀
lets stay on task please, even though i like your comment
well, they’re in a church, that means it’s got a nice yard outside, perfect for zombies roaming around looking for food! So of course there should be a zombie showing up around here sooner or later! 😀
This seems perfectly on topic to me. Speculating about the next comic is totally fair game.
I hate to admit it but I’m getting a bit bored with where this is going. I usually love the dialog and character interaction but I’m ready to move on to some action. I even thought the President’s speech was great but this getting a bit old.
Sorry Dave.
Nothing to be sorry for, Angie; everyone is entitled to their opinion. Also, judging from the number of comments we’re getting lately, you’re not the only one who is ready for this arc to be over.
I know we’ve been stuck with the same two characters for a while now, and I know it’s been pretty light on the zombies.
I have one more thing I want to reveal, and then we’re going to change gears completely. Unfortunately, we’ll be taking a break before getting back to the other characters, but Evan has a pretty awesome set of guest comics ready to go.
And questions for discussion, too (I know; I gave him a couple 😉 ).
Yeah, he shared one or two with me. Should make for some great discussion.
but you know what bugs me about zombie movies? its the stupid catch phrases, thats what i like about this, no catch prasses
Catch phrases in general are irritating.
Swords. Let’s see, my claymore would give me some good reach and at 15 pounds is hefty enough that if the edge got messed up, it would still cleave pretty well. A bit awkward to carry though and bad in tight spots. I might grab my gladius. The Romans used them for centuries pretty effectively. Tough, lightweight, and I’ve learned some basic swordplay from a friend of mine in the SCA. Though I probably would stick with my entrenching tool for versatility.
Claymores weigh 15 pounds? Holy shit!
Mine does, its about 6 feet from pommel to point though. I mostly use it to destroy pumpkins after Halloween every year. At that weight I just have to swing it and the momentum does the rest. I couldn’t keep it up long enough to face a horde though.
Yeah, I imagine that would tire you out in a damn hurry.
Still, having a claymore would be kind of badass.
Most historical swords are under 8 pounds. Not saying anything about this particular claymore, just commenting on “most” historical examples. (As I recall, claymores are on the heavy end though. For comparison, my biggest sword is about 50″ long and is under 4 pounds. Not one I would want to fight with, since it doesn’t respond as well as my lighter swords, but fun to practice with.)
8 pounds still seems extremely heavy. That’s roughly a gallon of milk. That wouldn’t be easy to swing around for long.
The only sword I would use is a light saber, ha! Off topic? Oh come on, the best weapon to fight an imaginary threat is to use an equally imaginary weapon!
Yeah, a lightsaber seems like it might be an exception to the rule. Finding one in good working order might be tough though.
I know it has been said before but I can’t help thinking (and giggling) at the thought of the ending scene of “Paul”. Nick frost buys this stupid katana replica for a ridiculous amount of cash in a comic book shop during their road trip. He carries the thing strapped to his back and the first chance he gets to draw it the blade snaps in 2…
So someone’s already done that gag, eh?
… noted.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2EQWCpnIR8
Classic.
Love that video!
Forget swords, too much maintenance; you need to keep them sharp, clean and oiled. Plus, the skills required to handle a sword properly can’t be learned on the run or in a “For Dummies” book.
I’d go with something far more practical like a nice crowbar or a trench tool like Gumbyfingers said. In a situation like that, where you’re on the run, have to pack light and be ready to move at a moment’s notice, having multiple, cumbersome items can mean death so it’s vital that as few of your possessions serve as many roles as possible. Crowbars are excellent for both bashing rotted skulls in and getting into (or out of) closed off areas easily, can provide crucial leverage when you need to move heavy or awkward barricades, can be used as a variety of construction tools and are extremely durable so you won’t have to replace them hardly at all. Cleaning is a snap, too, just wipe them down with a rag or rinse them off from time to time. On top of all that, they’re relatively lightweight, take up very little volume and can be stored in a pack with ease.
A crowbar would get the job done, but those things are damn heavy. I started off using one when I demoed my house. Didn’t take long for me to switch out to a cat’s paw for most jobs.
I’d take that crowbar and Gordon Freeman every zombie in sight.
Everyone loves their Gordon Freeman.
Who has had any actual training with the sword, Western or Eastern?
*crickets*
The lightest sword is hard on the arms and shoulders without training. Better get your weight set out now and start working on preventing a rotator cuff tear. That will put you out of the fight in a hurry.
Put that romantic shit out of your head right now. Those fantasy replica swords are about made of pot metal. A “battle-ready” sword’ll set ya back a couple grand, at least. Machetes are mostly too thin for weapon applications, especially penetrating the skull. If you want something about the same dimensions but built for fighting men, I’d recommend a Bolo, Barong, or Golok: http://traditionalfilipinoweapons.com/Sandata.html (These are quality. I have a Hagibis; and it’s first-rate).
I’ve trained the blade, and keep coming back to the rifle, hands down, especially for shamblers. Just about any self-loading rifle with a red dot optic, and I could put down every zombie in town.
Yeah, the number of people who could comfortable handle a sword in a life-and-death fight is miniscule. For the amount of money and time you’d put into building the competence and securing a battle-ready weapon, you could have thousands of rounds of ammo and a damn accurate rifle ready to rock and roll.
until the rifle jams, then you have a metal tube stuck to a piece of wood.
If it’s got a solid stock, I could still bring the pain with it.
Better get good at your immediate-action drills, then. Most stoppages are easy to clear with practice. Most anything short of a squib load is cured with the “tap, rack, bang”. Double-feeds are tough. A squib (a bullet lodged in the barrel, usually propelled by the primer and no powder in the case) can be bad juju. The second round could blow up the weapon.
Other than that, transition to your sidearm until you can clear the malfunction.
You are planning on carrying a sidearm in addition to your rifle, right?
I never found it hard to clear out a jam with in just a few seconds or less..
Should take about one second to “tap, rack, bang”. On my worst day I can clear a type III malfunction, one-handed with the off hand in about three seconds. That’s with a handgun. Honestly, I’ve never tried a one-hand offhand Type III drill with a rifle. I’ve just transitioned to the sidearm.
Practice now, peeps. It’s later than you think.
“easy to clear” you say that as if once you know how you can do it the same in any situation, let’s say it is pouring down rain, it’s dark, and you are faced with a dozen zombies, and someone you are traveling with is screaming bloody murder, it probably won’t be so easy then, would it. Now I have no experience with firearms whatsoever, so I wouldn’t have anything to base my guesses and arguments on.
P.S. peeps? I didn’t take you as a “gangster”.
P.P.S. If I seem angry, don’t blame me, i’m sick.
Nah, dawg, I ain’t gangsta… 😉
Clearing a type I stoppage is the same, rain or shine, day or night. I’ve never had to perform one “for real”; but I have trained them in the rain, snow, dark, with smoke, noise, and mud. When the weapon goes “click!” (the loudest sound in the world) when you expect a “Bang!” immediately strike the magazine upward with your support hand. Then rotate the weapon toward the ejection port (usually to the right). “Rack” the slide or operating rod. Finally reassess the target and if needed continue firing. You should perform this action from cover or while moving.
A Type III malfunction is a real bitch. It occurs when there is a cartridge or shell casing stuck in the chamber with the next round behind it. That’s why I had to practice clearing them with only one hand (instead of two) and using the weak hand. It involves a magazine change, using your belt, holster, or boot heel to strip out the first magazine.
I have been working on some German swordplay in the Lichtenauer tradition and most of my toys are high carbon tempered jobs. Unfortunately I do not have a partner aside from my pell, which, for those who are familar with the art, means I am effectively reduced to the bare basics.
On the other hand, zombies rarely carry swords and do not have a good grasp of winding and binding. I could probably handle a few zombies at any one time, though I am a weak pansy and would need a breather between groups. Still, I would prefer my mace for melee.
Guns are another story, but since my father does not have any ammo for his and I do not have any, my options in a sudden zombie uprising are limited.
See, a guy like you with actual training and actual weapons (i.e. not wall hangers) could stand a chance.
Someone like me who has watched Lord of the Rings a few times and buys a ninja sword from a comic shop… not so much.
Can you purchase ammunition for those firearms, just to have some in the house? If you’re in the States (notice some international posters here), you can get rifle ammunition if you’re eighteen, twenty-one for handgun. Wal*Mart has common calibers.
I gotta go with the Zombie Survival Guide on this one. A crowbar is your best bet for a last-ditch melee weapon. Very handy tool, has good enough reach to keep the zombies at arm’s length, and is a hell of an effective bludgeon.
I’ve got a sword, but I’d trust a crowbar more.
What kind of sword do you have?
Basic one-handed fighting sword (some would call it a “longsword” but that’s not an historically accurate term), about 3’6″ long. It’s got good balance, but I have the feeling it might not stand up to repeat zombie-bashing.
“Longsword” is a historically accurate term, just not for what you describe. A real longsword is a bit longer than that, and typically uses two hands. And they’re a hell of a lot more nimble than you typically see in the movies, at that.
Swords are awesome in movies and stuff. In a zombie apoc, they aren’t really useful. Japanese swords are good for slashing, nothing else. Broadswords and other two-handed swords cause some damage, but they require some physical strength, attacks can’t be done fast enough(If zombies surrounded you, that is) and if any of your arms is harm you can’t lift them (At least properly) turning you into a perfect prey.
Rapier swords are pretty light, but the blade isn’t really strong, and stabbing is the only practical use.
Dual wielding these weapons to compensate their weaknesses wouldn’t work, since their fighting styles are entirely different. Inventing a brand new combat form just to avoid guns is kinda…dumb. Now, a firearm and a sword could work out, if that sword is quick to draw against nearby zeds, helping where your gun isn’t truly useful (Knives are better, though)
I don’t think there is a melee weapon that is perfect for fighting zombies. Most any way, you run the risk of getting their bodily fluids on you. Maybe a winged spear with a triangle cross-sectioned spike instead of a blade (akin to the old OSS spikes of WWII fame). The wings prevent over-penetration and the spike is very rigid, perfect for stabbing. Put it on a medium-length pole, say four feet long, like a spontoon.
Regarding blood-borne pathogens, I don’t know if I mentioned this before, but many “knife guys”, trained bladesmen, are switching from carrying knives to old fashioned saps and blackjacks in jurisdictions that allow it, because smacking someone with a lead-filled leather club causes less bleeding than cutting the same goblin with a knife. Less blood, less chance of acquiring hepatitis or HIV.
Blood borne pathogens are what I always think about. For a hand-to-hand weapon, I’d likely grab a machete since that’s what I have that I would feel most confident with. However, the blood element makes me want to switch to a crowbar or aluminum baseball bat instead.
Hopefully the zeds don’t show up before I can work this out.
Actually the katana is not bad for stabbing lightly armored targets. The tip acts to slice the fabric and flesh of an opponent and the samurai did practice the stab as well as the cut.
Also, you state that broadswords and other two-handers (a broadsword is a one handled sword by the way) take strength and are slow? I get the feeling that you are comparing them to katanas. This is untrue. Katanas on average (2 to 2 and 1/2 pounds) are barely lighter than most other types of swords (which are generally 2 and a 1/2 pounds to start and mostly hover in the 2 and 1/2 to just under 4 pound range).
The slight advantage the katana has in the speed and strength fields is that it is effectively a one-handed sword with a two-handed hilt.
However, most two-handed Euro swords (longswords), to name an example I am familar with, have a longer hilt to go along with their extra weight and longer blade. This affords greater leverage and thus such weapons can be wielded just as fast as the uber katana. (In my experience handling both katanas and the lighter Euro longswords I found I could move much faster with the Euro blades!)
Long story short, though I admit I am baised due to the fact that I practice the German art of the fence, I would much prefer to take the longer European two-handed swords to a actual fight, since speed is about the same and I like to capitalize on the reach my long arms afford me. This feeling is frequently repeated by those who practice with and handle both types of swords. Assuming equal skill and physical ability, there is a big advantage with being able to hit an opponent who cannot reach you.
Solid information here Bob. Any interest in doing a guest blog post about zombie defense swords?
Hmmmm… I can and will babble about swords, daggers, maces, warhammers, pollaxes, spears, martial arts, armor, etc, etc forever and a year, but not sure I’m the most knowledgeable about zombies. If asked what sword one should use against zombies, I would repeat Tinker Pearce the Sword Geek (http://www.theswordgeek.com/podcast/?paged=8) and say “an old service revolver with hollowpoints.”
After that I would say “the one in your hand…”
After that I would say anything that can cleave a skull, I.E. not a rapier…
After that I would suggest a blade intended for the battlefield and not a light dueling weapon that might be more intended to lightly slice and stab rather than all-out hew…
“An old service revolver with hollow points…”
Yes!
A while back there were a glut of S&W Model 10’s (the old M&P) out there. A couple of those and a few boxes of .38 service loads would do anyone well in a ZPAW.
Katanas seem like they’d need a lot more practice. If the zombie (or your arm) moves up or down just the slightest bit, you risk damaging you katana against the Zombie’s skull, or even them being able to grab you- should your swing not cleanly decapitate them. While a nice broad sword (a Claymore for example) is tough, sharp, and most likely capable of getting through a skull.
A cutlas or light cavalry saber might be a good option.
A cavalry saber would be pretty badass.
That they are. I have an interest in historical fencing, and am thinking about buying one of the Cold Steel ones when I have the money to spare, it would be look great on my wall. And one could probably twat a zombie with it in one shot if one knew what they were doing.
my problems with swords are, that in order to use one you have to be able to keep maintained which can require some fairly heavy things (whetstone, oil, and some sort of towel or rag), you also cant really crouch, climb or do anything agile with them, and you can’t hand it to someone else and have them use it. I would go with a pickax and/or a fire-ax.
Regarding maintenance, a firearms requires about as much. I mean, the spare parts kit I carry in my bag is about as big as my fist, with assorted pins, springs, firing pins, and a cleaning kit. The tools that go with it are about as heavy as a small whetstone. Then I end up carrying a small stone anyway, for my sheath knife.
Like we said yesterday, the weight can add up in a hurry.
I was thinking along the same lines. I already keep a sharpening stone in my backpack, and I keep a small diamond stone in my leatherman case on my hip. The only thing extra I’d need is some oil. I imagine you could probably use the same oil for your gun as for your sword.
Sure a gun’s maintenance kit can take up little room, but think about the ammo, even if it may not seem so heavy, it can become a burden.
Ammunition is always the wildcard. You can never really carry enough, even for smaller, lighter calibers like the 5.56/.223 and 5.45 Soviet.
That’s a great discussion question: How much ammunition are you planning to pack?
Actually it depends on where you are and how much you actually care about your sword. I had swords in Hawaii and in the humid climate they would rust inside a week even if oiled. On the other hand, in the mid-west I’ve left my swords unoiled for months with no effect.
The matter is somewhat academic anyway. On most reasonable conditions it would take years to actually rust a sword to the point of seriously reducing it’s overall effectiveness or cause it to break. Just wipe it off with a rag after cleaving your zombies and don’t worry too much about it. In a true life and death situation where carrying things would be a big issue I would just take my sword/swords and not give a hoot.
Yay for the midwest!
I live on the pacific coast, and my older brother has a lot of swords, and if he didn’t have nearly waterproof, very absorbent sheathes on them, they would be rusted and pitted within a week without constant care.
P.S. I live in a very rainy area, we get more rain than people on the eat coast get with hurricanes, it is just that this landscape is the right landscape for that much rain, it only ever floods when there are extremely large tides).
my weapon,sandwich and a red dot,have them follow the red dot around till the collapse and have the sandwich if they get hungry,or i use a shotgunwith a bayonet
why shotgun with a bayonet? why not a semi-auto shotgun with an underbarrel shotgun?
The ol’ Mossberg 590 with fixed bayonet is a formidable weapon indeed- built like a brick outhouse and just as ugly.
Note to self: buy a shotgun with a bayonet lug. Make the wife understand somehow.
Dave, Mossberg 590’s are about $450 on Gunbroker, less shipping and transfer fees: http://www.gunbroker.com/Pump-Action-Shotguns/BI.aspx?Keywords=mossberg+590
I had one for a couple of years. Solid weapon, just too long for me.
im thinking well if i shoot one,i have to reload,so if i get zombies coming after me while im reloading,stab them with a bayonet,@l3mm0nm4n what happens when you have to reload it?if i had to have another attachment it would be a grenade launcher because when it hits the ground far away from me it would attract most of the zombies while i escape.
You can get civilian-legal 37mm “flare” launchers and load them with buckshot. >:->
nick, some under-barrel shotgun attachments have magazines, and can have a stock and/or pistol grip attached should you need a smaller weapon.
No on sexy katanas; not even if you own a Muramasa sword.
1. Nope, very few people own a Muramasa, which means that we have crap quality, bad manufacturing, lousy steel (IF you’re lucky), etc. We assume that that cool blade is well make; but, most are ornamental and not even meant for combat use at all.
2. As others mentioned: Lack of training.
3. Lack of strenght. Maybe in AMC’s The Walking Dead one can shove a butter knife onto a zee’s head, but human physiology is tough! Neck, vertebrae, skull, et al, are really difficult to penetrate; or to hit accurately, let alone, cleanly sever necessary parts.
4, Endurance: Hackin’ ‘n slashin’ not only takes effort, but when overrun by The Herd, weilding a sword for a long time is going to be exhausting. Especially, since due to lack of accuracy, many times you’ll be having to pull out the imbedded sword out of body places. And you better be quick on the pulling! Oh, and pulling a lodged blade takes almost as much effort (and on a different set of muscles) as it does with the cutting.
5. What happens when you miss your target and get the sword inadvertantly, but securely imbedded into, say, a tree, door frame, et al?
There seem to be all kinds of weapons that may be more effective at close quarters, with a higher return for the effort.
Speaking of which, here’s the anticipated 100th issue of The Walking Dead. Here you’ll find a modified oldie, but lethal weapon. Be warned, this episode is a heartbreaker if you’re a fan. 🙁
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6YkZ4wQrgQ&feature=g-all-u
Hah! I had to Google Muramasa.
On point three: good call. That thing with jamming a folding knife through a human skull was insipid.
That’s why I think a spear would be preferable to a sword. To me, the thrust seems superior to the slash, and more pertinent to removing zombies.
Number 5 has a lot to do with number 2. While a lot of schools that advocate test cutting do favor broad sweeping blows, the more serious schools dictate that blows should end in langenort (Long Point), where the arms and sword are at nearly full extension in front of you. This is important because a big sweeping blow might get beautiful test cutting results on bamboo mats, but also puts your sword off-center and leaves you open to counter-attack. Even if an attack fails, you always want to threaten the opponent.
That being said, obviously since a lot of schools do test cut and teach these kinds of techniques and because of 4, 5 isn’t that unlikely for many, even if the strictest training tries to avoid such things.
No. Close-range weapons are a terrible idea. The best weapon to kill zombies with is a bow.
Quieter than every gun in the world, quicker and easier to reload than a crossbow.
I’ve been wanting to get into archery for a bit now. Seems like it’d be a great hobby.
I would not mind trying archery for hunting (survival poaching). It seems such a niche I’ve never justified the expense, in money or time.
I own a decorative sword that’s not all that heavy and isn’t sharp in the slightest. But with enough force I’m sure snapping a neck or putting out a knee is a possibility. Don’t know if it’s preferable to a baseball bat though.
If it’s cheap metal, it might just snap right in half.
Swords are like chains: Only as strong as their weakest link. On CallME, I would check the rivets or screws on where the hilt meets the blade. So many knifes, cutlerey, swords, machetes, are poorly assembled. For the sake of argument, maybe the blade is moderate to ok value; however, if the blade loosens from it’s grip, it is now worthless. And even a hazzard to user.
Oh, no, it’s decent metal. To be honest, I’m unsure if it’s actually for decorative use, but it’s clearly a replica of some kind.
i might not want a sword at the end of my gun, a knife would do nicley though
i thought that a shotgun with a shotgun attachment was possible!
Question:
Well, I’m no expert fencer, but it’s not like the zombies are either…
I wouldn’t necessarily say the ultimate, no, but if you do have a good sword, it’s probably better than most improvised weapons. A quick thrust to the face will drop a zombie basically every time, although a good spear is even better.
I’d rather take them out from a bit further away with a rifle, but sometimes it’s better to save your ammo. A bayonet on a rifle is a good idea, and a lot lighter than carrying a spear as well, but it isn’t quite as good as a proper spear; you can only grip it in a couple of ways.
Do I plan to make it a part of my plans? Well, I don’t have a real sword at the moment. I might get one at some point, and if I do I’d certainly take it with me in a zombie crisis, yes. The extra reach over other weapons would be worth it, in my opinion.