What is the best Katana for a zombie apocalypse?

[CrunkJuice5]

its to late guys

http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/05/2...macarthur.html

the zombie apocalypse is upon us

[Seegtease]

Why a katana? Honestly, depending on the zombies, they could end up being frail. Something small and something you could dual wield would be great, and lots of swords fit that bill. If the zombies do have weak flesh, then we know piercing weapons would be bad. But a bludgeoning weapon would do wonders. Shatter them to pieces.

Or, if you're a real man, use a Kunai. Don't kill them until their rotten flesh drips on you.

[Taliesyn]

Have you ever dual-wielded melee weapons? I have. Trust me, without a lot of practice, it's strictly inferior to single-weapon or sword-and-board.

Besides, we're talking zombies here, and that means destroying or removing heads. They just don't bleed out. Something small and easily wielded just isn't going to work, which is why I recommend a .22 for ranged headshots, backed by a bayonet you can affix to the end, and a machete for really mixing it up. Just keep in mind that dismemberment is way, WAY harder than it looks in the movies.

Edit: Or a claymore. That might be handy.

[Seegtease]

Have you ever dual-wielded melee weapons? I have. Trust me, without a lot of practice, it's strictly inferior to single-weapon or sword-and-board.

Have you ever had to fight off 6 zombies at once? I have, and taking 2 out at a time is absolutely vital.

[Taliesyn]

Have you ever had to fight off 6 zombies at once? I have, and taking 2 out at a time is absolutely vital.

Impressive. Where was this? I can't seem to find any accounts of actual zombie infestations in my online searches.

Or is it that you just don't believe someone, say a member of SCA (or someone with military or martial arts experience now that I think about it), might actually have some practical experience with melee weapons and you're trying to be snarktastic in some misguided attempt at proving me 'wrong'?

Edit: And if taking out two at a time is that vital, I'd recommend either a claymore or a grenade launcher. Preferably the latter.

[Seegtease]

Or is it that you just don't believe someone, say a member of SCA (or someone with military or martial arts experience now that I think about it), might actually have some practical experience with melee weapons and you're trying to be snarktastic in some misguided attempt at proving me 'wrong'?

Wee-ooo-wee-ooo, here comes the fun police.

[Lysah]

The katana would be much better suited to fellow humans than zombies. If the zombie apocalypse happens, you're far better off finding a remote island, everyone knows zombies can't swim. You could also try living in Florida, where the quantity of fresh meat for their consumption is drastically lower - they will likely leave for more fruitful areas.

[Blckdrgn]

Oh look, a katana thread.

Might as well leave this here then:

ww w.youtube.com/watch?v=XLWzH_1eZsc

[Taliesyn]

The katana would be much better suited to fellow humans than zombies. If the zombie apocalypse happens, you're far better off finding a remote island, everyone knows zombies can't swim. You could also try living in Florida, where the quantity of fresh meat for their consumption is drastically lower - they will likely leave for more fruitful areas.

Did you see the latest Living Dead movie? They're dead - they don't need to swim to cross water.

Antarctica might start looking good come the Zompocalypse.

[Tarx]

I'm ready too for the rise of zombies I will fight them with axe.

[Taliesyn]

Axes are good. I'm thinking .22, machete, and sledgehammer, myself.

[Frizzlewits]

Katana? no... Machete? noo...


TWO HANDED KATANA MACHETE!!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y--Dkk3nNOc

this wins, omg i love it

[Seegtease]

Axes are good. I'm thinking .22, machete, and sledgehammer, myself.

I see no reason to use a significantly heavier weapon like an axe or sledge. If we assume the stereotype - the living dead, with bodies being barely held together, slow moving, and so on, then we only need one good hit on them. And if there are many of them, then it might be wise to have something faster, but with enough impact to take them out - like a bat. A .22 would just fly through them. I think guns would be less effective, since there would be less impact on decaying flesh, the bullet would just keep moving, only taking that piece that was barely attached to begin with.

Machete would be a solid choice, though.

[AdriWar]

Get a claymore! They're a B to carry but it makes a good offensive and defensive weapon against slow zombies.

[Deleted]

Gladiatorial swords from Spartacus ; or axes,or schytes you know those oldschool ones wich they used to cut the grain XD.I have some of those in the basement LUL

[Taliesyn]

I see no reason to use a significantly heavier weapon like an axe or sledge. If we assume the stereotype - the living dead, with bodies being barely held together, slow moving, and so on, then we only need one good hit on them. And if there are many of them, then it might be wise to have something faster, but with enough impact to take them out - like a bat. A .22 would just fly through them. I think guns would be less effective, since there would be less impact on decaying flesh, the bullet would just keep moving, only taking that piece that was barely attached to begin with.

Machete would be a solid choice, though.

.22 is for headshots. It's big enough to scramble the brain sufficiently for a kill, yet recoil is minimal. I have no illusions about bullets to anywhere but the head being effective, but a gun lets me fight from outside melee range, which every movie has shown to drastically favor the zombie horde. I'd actually go for the Red Jacket Firearms anti-zombie AK-47 selectible ROF with full auto and laser sight, bayonet, and integral grenade launcher, but I have no military training to speak of (which it really requires), and no permit to allow me to acquire it ahead of the zompocalypse. The .22 allows me to carry a TON more ammo, too.

The sledge is simply because pulling a blade like a machete out of bone (after a successful headstrike) is a gold-plated bitch. Specifically, I'd prefer to use a long-handled ten pound sledge rather than the standard twenty-pounder. It would allow me to crush skulls without having to worry about working a blade free of a skull in the middle of a melee.

A claymore could work instead of the sledge, I suppose, but then you still have the 'sword stuck in bone' issue.

And yeah, machete is a very nice backup weapon.

---------- Post added 2012-05-30 at 01:27 AM ----------

Gladiatorial swords from Spartacus

It's called a gladius, and it's awfully short for fighting outside of heavy infantry formations. I'd really prefer having a larger weapon between myself and the zombie hordes if it came to melee.

[Deleted]

Well you have to melee them dont you?xDso they have to be close ) or you wanna go trident/spear?

[Taliesyn]

Well you have to melee them dont you?xDso they have to be close ) or you wanna go trident/spear?

If you can take them out with headshots, which most of the lore does allow, then there is absolutely no need to melee them if you play your cards right and don't screw up. The melee weapons are there as backup, as no battle plan ever survives contact with the enemy.

Spears and tridents are terrible weapons against zombies. Remember, you have to either remove the head or damage/destroy the brain. Spearing through the skull is...not easy...and removing the spear from the skull afterward would take forever OUTSIDE of combat.

ETA: All bets are off, though, if they're RAGE zombies and not undead zombies. THOSE bastards bleed out just fine.

[obdigore]

If you can take them out with headshots, which most of the lore does allow, then there is absolutely no need to melee them if you play your cards right and don't screw up. The melee weapons are there as backup, as no battle plan ever survives contact with the enemy.

Spears and tridents are terrible weapons against zombies. Remember, you have to either remove the head or damage/destroy the brain. Spearing through the skull is...not easy...and removing the spear from the skull afterward would take forever OUTSIDE of combat.

I agree with the long hafted sledge part, but you do need a close weapon besides your .22 in case you get caught in a hallway or something.

You also need to be a rather strong person to swing a 10LBS sledge for any amount of time. Better start working strength training now. Cardio too.

[Taliesyn]

I agree with the long hafted sledge part, but you do need a close weapon besides your .22 in case you get caught in a hallway or something.

You also need to be a rather strong person to swing a 10LBS sledge for any amount of time. Better start working strength training now. Cardio too.

To be quite brutally honest, ANY melee weapon is going to require serious strength and endurance if you plan on swinging them for any length of time, even a simple two pound gladius. And how do you know I'm not already in training for 12/22/2012?

Also, keep in mind that the .22 I have in mind is a bullpup-style rifle. The machete is for the close-in work, which was why I listed three weapons. By far, though, I'd try to stick to ranged whenever humanly possible.

ETA: In high school, my introduction to helping my dad with carpentry was 1) Grab hammer, 2) Use hammer for 20-30 minutes, 3) Down asprin before I could start feeling my arm again, 4) Try not to scream. Yeah, I know what kind of bitch swinging heavy objects can be.

ETA II: You know what's really ironic about this whole discussion? I have an actual katana sitting not three feet from me right this very moment.