Zombie Blades?

[Richard Simmons]

Ok, we all know that when the dead walk the earth you need firepower and lots of it but what about those instances when you're out of ammo or don't want to bring the herd down on you by firing a shot?

That's where the Zombie Blade comes into it's own. IMO there are a couple of things to consider when slicing and dicing the undead.

1. Cross contamination.
2. Physical exertion.

For #1 you want to deactivate the zombie as cleanly as possible to avoid splatter from their blood. For that you need a good clean chop to either remove the head or trash the brain.

For #2 you don't want to find yourself fighting 20 walkers with a 10lb broadsword. You'll run out of steam swinging the thing and recovery from either a missed stroke of pulling that bad boy out of a skull will wear you out way too quickly.


My personal choices would be a good size, 18" or so Kukri. Good chopping, natural leverage in the swing and you get a lot of return for the energy expended.

Another choice might be a spear. Stabbing takes less effort then swinging and you don't need a lot of room to the side for a swing. Straight ahead thrusts to the ear canal, eye socket or base of the brain are all viable targets. Plus with the spear you can keep those skull munchers at a distance.

For a spear I kind of like the Cold Steel Boar Spear

http://www.coldsteel.com/boarspear.html

For a Kukri I'd opt for an HI Gelbu Special

http://yhst-7333098713883.stores.yah.../21ingesp.html

So what are you guys and gals gonna use?

[AK-J]

I'd use stuff I already have. Either my Woodman's Pal or my Paul Chen Musashi Katana for melee, and/or one of my many long guns with bayonet attached.

[Richard Simmons]

I'd use stuff I already have. Either my Woodman's Pal or my Paul Chen Musashi Katana for melee, and/or one of my many long guns with bayonet attached.

Now the fixed bayonet is interesting. An AK or AR with a bayonet might be a bit of a compromise (shot weapon and short bayonet) but a Garand or say a Mosin Nagant 91 or 91/30 with a bayonet attached would give lots or reach and that cruciform bayonet would penetrate without a lot of effort. Nice choice!

[FunkyPertwee]

My bayoneted 91/30 is my best melee weapon. Then its the M44, SKS, M590.

I almost always have my buck 110. Also I have a two-chained star flail that would be good for skull crushing. Also I like hammers. steel roofing type claw hammers, and maybe an 8 lb mini-sledge.

[Dieselbuilder]

Anything from here...
http://zombietools.net/

[Richard Simmons]

For those of you on a budget check out Ka-Bar's entries into the market:

http://tomarskabars.com/ZK-KNIVES.html

[cevulirn]

For zombies I'd choose this:

http://www.coldsteel.com/chinesewarsword.html

Or just roll with the swords I've got...

[Lysander]

Tinker Pearce XVIIIA



Customized Cold Steel Poleaxe

[abpt1]

[Bluntforce]

I already have a Cold Steel Boar spear and a Che Guevarra Zombie shirt. For real up close and personal though, the Cold Steel mace is what you should use. No chance of it sticking in a skull, light enough to use for a while and short enough to swing from one skull to another if you're boxed in.

[Lysander]

I'd use stuff I already have. Either my Woodman's Pal or my Paul Chen Musashi Katana for melee, and/or one of my many long guns with bayonet attached.

Is the grip on that PC epoxied together?

[AK-J]

Is the grip on that PC epoxied together?

Don't really know. I know that grip is removable via removing a couple of bamboo dowels pinning it on.

Honestly though, it's most likely the last thing I'd grab as I really don't know how to use a sword.

[Solidus-snake]

I have been watching the walking dead series and it got me thinking so I picked a good wrecking bar from lowes yesterday. Also have my. M44 with bayo . My brother has both the cold steel boar spear and poleaxe so also their German sword. He's set anyways lol

[Richard Simmons]

The more I think about it the spear really seems like a good choice. As I stated earlier, it seems like a thrusting motion would be less tiring than swinging from side to side and stabbing a walker in the eye at 6+ feet (figuring the length of the spear shaft and arm reach) seems like a good amount of distance. With the right design spear point you could also do some slicing/hacking but I think the thrust is the strong point, no pun intended.

In that movie "The 300" about the Spartans they had a spear, think it was called a Dorry that also had a metal tip on the butt. I realize it was just a movie but if it was used in real life like they used it I'd say it was a pretty good weapon though today we'd probably not be using a shield like they did.

You know a good spear and a shield, something like the police use for riot control may not be a bad set up for moving through a clutch of the undead?

[Solidus-snake]

Ok not posting on my phone now so I can really discuss this.

From what I have heard about Greek and Roman spear/shield men, what you said is right Simmons, thrusts were their most used move in combat. If you look at the spears htey used you can see that they would be most effective that way and not so much for slicing maneuvers. Also they were good for throwing.

My brothers boar spear is a beast of a thing. Shaft is thick and on the heavy side but the razor sharp blade is quite long enough to behead a walker and actually with its width, you could probably stab the center of the neck and take the rest of the head with it. Also the flanges on the side would keep you from stabbing a walker and the blade going through to the shaft making it difficult to remove quickly. Overall I would say a pretty good weapon to have.

This is the sword my brother has:



Its a bit long I think but its sturdy and handles surprisingly well to me. Very sharp and could easily decapitate a walker and even the one next to it lol.

[FunkyPertwee]

The loadout of a late Roman empire soldier is pretty bad ass.

A pilum, a gladius, and a big ass iron backed wooden shield lined with miniature throwing spears (or darts) along the inside. Cover yourself in leather and iron and your ready to rock and roll.

[Solidus-snake]

The loadout of a late Roman empire soldier is pretty bad ass.

A pilum, a gladius, and a big ass iron backed wooden shield lined with miniature throwing spears (or darts) along the inside. Cover yourself in leather and iron and your ready to rock and roll.

Hells yeah, I would say that a skilled one with knowledge of his enemy would be able to lay a massive ass kicking on a herd of G's

[O.S.O.K.]

Well, since my primary zombie weapons are AK's and AR's, etc. - then the back up will be the mounted bayonet. Almost all of my zombie guns have lugs and bayos for them.

[Lysander]

The more I think about it the spear really seems like a good choice. As I stated earlier, it seems like a thrusting motion would be less tiring than swinging from side to side and stabbing a walker in the eye at 6+ feet (figuring the length of the spear shaft and arm reach) seems like a good amount of distance. With the right design spear point you could also do some slicing/hacking but I think the thrust is the strong point, no pun intended.

In that movie "The 300" about the Spartans they had a spear, think it was called a Dorry that also had a metal tip on the butt. I realize it was just a movie but if it was used in real life like they used it I'd say it was a pretty good weapon though today we'd probably not be using a shield like they did.

You know a good spear and a shield, something like the police use for riot control may not be a bad set up for moving through a clutch of the undead?

Spear and shield is interesting, and the Viking shieldwall might be more what you had in mind:



Tactically it was very strong, but depended on each man knowing exactly what to do and how to fight. Spears are easy to mass produce and fairly simple to use (though there are many advanced techniques for them as well). You can do a lot of nasty damage to an opponent with a lugged spear.



If it were up to me, and I needed the "ideal" polearm for fighting zombie hordes, I'd think a lugged chopper like this glaive:



By Arms & Armor of Minnesota might be just the weapon. Since you aren't fighting armored opponents, you could even look into English/Italian Bills and German/Swiss Halberds or Swedish Swordstaff. All give you reach and very versatile weapons. Poleaxes were designed primarily to engage other opponents armored cap-a-pied with a secondary purpose for dealing with less/unarmored foes on the battlefield.

A good chopping blade, like a Messer would be a great option as well. The problem with the Cold Steel version is it handles like crap. Balance is horrible and it is much, much slower than historical examples and most of the better recreations. CS makes a lot of good things, their swords are not one of them. A single handed messer and buckler, or a good backsword/schiavona and targe/target/rotella would also do you well. Even fighting Viking style with a solid chopping blade and shield would work. Remember, though, that if you get bit, you're dead. This is a bit different than what was historically encountered.

So, if I was going to face a horde of zombies and have to fight my way out with pre-gunpowder weapons, I'd opt for a full plate of late 15th/early 16th century plate with gussets, fauld, and standard, a kriegsmesser as a secondary weapon, and a halberd as a primary weapon. Of course, it's personal taste. Even a full suit of transitional 14th century armor or a late 11th/early 12th century set of mail would work so long as you paid attention to protecting the usual places. I would not ever, ever, ever, ever opt for a greathelm. Fighting in those things is miserable. Hell, fighting in a helmet with a wrapper or bevor is bad enough. Breathing is miserable and your vision with a closehelm or sallet really takes a nosedive. If you ever fight in a greathelm you realize quite quickly why it fell off in popularity on the battlefield and was relegated to the tourny.

[Solidus-snake]

That glaive is fricking sweet! Looks well made too, I wouldn't mind having that piece!