Analyzing/Explaining the Best/Most Common Zombie Weapons

[Fresnel]

Iron_Lynx

I have a question... Isn't it harder to pull a serrated knife free from flesh if you stab with it? I could have sworn I'd heard that in relation to a bayonett my grandpa had.

That WOULD explain why the only serrated bayonet I know of is a recent design, and why most KA-BARs are smooth. Only the newer ones are semi-serrated, and even then I doubt that's the military model.

[Shrantic]

Fresnel

Iron_Lynx

I have a question... Isn't it harder to pull a serrated knife free from flesh if you stab with it? I could have sworn I'd heard that in relation to a bayonett my grandpa had.

That WOULD explain why the only serrated bayonet I know of is a recent design, and why most KA-BARs are smooth. Only the newer ones are semi-serrated, and even then I doubt that's the military model.

Yeah, serrated blades tend to tear, while plain-edged blades cut far more cleanly.

[Shrantic]

Some info on serrated edges vs plain edges:

Quote:

In general, the plain edge is better than the serrated when the application involves push cuts. Also, the plain edge is superior when extreme control, accuracy, and clean cuts are necessary, regardless of whether or not the job is push cuts or slices.

In general, the serrated edge will work better than the plain edge for slicing cuts, especially through hard or tough surfaces, where the serrations tend to grab and cut the surface easily. Some of the cutting power of the serrated edge is due to its format alone; thus, even a dull serrated edge knife will often perform competently at slicing jobs. The serrated edge gets its slicing ability from a number of factors. The high points on the serrations will touch the material first, and this gives those points higher pressure per area than if the same pressure was applied to a plain blade; this allows the serration to puncture more easily. In addition, serrations are normally chisel-ground into the blade, which means they are thinner (and thus cut better) than the comparable plain blade.

The plain edge will work better for applications like shaving, skinning an apple, skinning a deer. All those applications involve either mostly push cuts, or the need for extreme control. Serrations work really well on things like tough rope or wood, where the serrations bite through quickly.

Generally, the more push cuts are used, the more necessary it is for the plain edge to have a "razor polished" edge. A knife edge becomes more polished when you move to higher and higher grit stones. Generally, 1200-grit is considered polished; a 6000 grit Japanese water stone would polish the edge further.

One interesting case is cutting a tomato. In theory, you can just push a blade through a tomato, so a razor polished plain edge would work fine. However, the tomato is soft, and unless your plain edge knife is very sharp, the tomato will simply squish when you start pushing. You can (and many people do) use a slicing motion with your plain blade, but if it's even a little dull it won't cut well and it may not even break the skin. Use a sawing motion with a serrated knife (even a dull one), and your tomato will slice fine.

You will read about test after test where the above view is confirmed. That is, the plain edge excels in push cuts, and the serrated excels in slicing cuts. This confirms the conventional view... to an extent.

Since you probably shouldn't be slicing or making it more difficult to withdraw your blade, plain edge is the way to go. Maybe, if you're going to have a work knife, you might want serrated or half-serrated instead, but there's a reason Ka-Bars and many popular combat knives are all plain edged.

[InterElli]

Fresnel

Iron_Lynx

I have a question... Isn't it harder to pull a serrated knife free from flesh if you stab with it? I could have sworn I'd heard that in relation to a bayonett my grandpa had.

That WOULD explain why the only serrated bayonet I know of is a recent design, and why most KA-BARs are smooth. Only the newer ones are semi-serrated, and even then I doubt that's the military model.

Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire issued serrated bayonets to their engineer units during the first world war. Spain and England had them in the mid 19th century (I think). Those are the only non-modern examples I know of.

[Shrantics Pretentious Ego]

InterElli

Fresnel

Iron_Lynx

I have a question... Isn't it harder to pull a serrated knife free from flesh if you stab with it? I could have sworn I'd heard that in relation to a bayonett my grandpa had.

That WOULD explain why the only serrated bayonet I know of is a recent design, and why most KA-BARs are smooth. Only the newer ones are semi-serrated, and even then I doubt that's the military model.

Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire issued serrated bayonets to their engineer units during the first world war. Spain and England had them in the mid 19th century (I think). Those are the only non-modern examples I know of.

I remember the British did a bayonet charge some time ago.

They didn't get any kills, 'cause the enemy surrendered. xd

[Fresnel]

InterElli

Fresnel

Iron_Lynx

I have a question... Isn't it harder to pull a serrated knife free from flesh if you stab with it? I could have sworn I'd heard that in relation to a bayonett my grandpa had.

That WOULD explain why the only serrated bayonet I know of is a recent design, and why most KA-BARs are smooth. Only the newer ones are semi-serrated, and even then I doubt that's the military model.

Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire issued serrated bayonets to their engineer units during the first world war. Spain and England had them in the mid 19th century (I think). Those are the only non-modern examples I know of.

Well yeah, engineers. Hell, our EOD guys get bayonets without lugs. The M11 is identical to the M9 bayonet, except there's no ring to go over the barrel and no lug to attach to the rifle. The butt is a flat hammer.

@Shrantic: I think that was the USMC, actually. I can't remember which war it was, but it was outside of Baghdad.

[Fresnel]

I've got an interesting question for you guys, pointless as it may be. If you had to grab any TOOL in your house and use it as your primary melee weapon, what would it be? I'm not sure what I'd grab... our machete is recently sharpened, but it's really shitty... I think it's home-made. The maul is too heavy and the swing would be difficult to judge... I'd probably end up with a pipe wrench. If it's good enough for Col. Mustard...

Then again, I have this two-foot-long, flat-blade screwdriver. That might make a decent weapon too.

[Shrantics Pretentious Ego]

Fresnel

I've got an interesting question for you guys, pointless as it may be. If you had to grab any TOOL in your house and use it as your primary melee weapon, what would it be? I'm not sure what I'd grab... our machete is recently sharpened, but it's really shitty... I think it's home-made. The maul is too heavy and the swing would be difficult to judge... I'd probably end up with a pipe wrench. If it's good enough for Col. Mustard...

Then again, I have this two-foot-long, flat-blade screwdriver. That might make a decent weapon too.

Definitely an axe. Really though, I'd only bring a tool for use as a tool. Getting hit with a steel buttplate or having a large shotgun swung at you like a club is going to put you down for a while, pain or no pain.

[Fresnel]

Shrantics Pretentious Ego

Fresnel

I've got an interesting question for you guys, pointless as it may be. If you had to grab any TOOL in your house and use it as your primary melee weapon, what would it be? I'm not sure what I'd grab... our machete is recently sharpened, but it's really shitty... I think it's home-made. The maul is too heavy and the swing would be difficult to judge... I'd probably end up with a pipe wrench. If it's good enough for Col. Mustard...

Then again, I have this two-foot-long, flat-blade screwdriver. That might make a decent weapon too.

Definitely an axe. Really though, I'd only bring a tool for use as a tool. Getting hit with a steel buttplate or having a large shotgun swung at you like a club is going to put you down for a while, pain or no pain.

You'd really use an axe? I wouldn't... IMO, it's too much like playing baseball and hitting the sweet spot EVERY TIME, except if you miss, you die.

[Shrantic]

Fresnel

Shrantics Pretentious Ego

Fresnel

I've got an interesting question for you guys, pointless as it may be. If you had to grab any TOOL in your house and use it as your primary melee weapon, what would it be? I'm not sure what I'd grab... our machete is recently sharpened, but it's really shitty... I think it's home-made. The maul is too heavy and the swing would be difficult to judge... I'd probably end up with a pipe wrench. If it's good enough for Col. Mustard...

Then again, I have this two-foot-long, flat-blade screwdriver. That might make a decent weapon too.

Definitely an axe. Really though, I'd only bring a tool for use as a tool. Getting hit with a steel buttplate or having a large shotgun swung at you like a club is going to put you down for a while, pain or no pain.

You'd really use an axe? I wouldn't... IMO, it's too much like playing baseball and hitting the sweet spot EVERY TIME, except if you miss, you die.

I wouldn't be swinging it like a baseball, but more like a maul chopping wood- from the top. Even if I miss, I still hit SOMETHING and can recover quicker than the zombie with an axe in his shoulder.

[Fresnel]

Shrantic

Fresnel

Shrantics Pretentious Ego

Fresnel

I've got an interesting question for you guys, pointless as it may be. If you had to grab any TOOL in your house and use it as your primary melee weapon, what would it be? I'm not sure what I'd grab... our machete is recently sharpened, but it's really shitty... I think it's home-made. The maul is too heavy and the swing would be difficult to judge... I'd probably end up with a pipe wrench. If it's good enough for Col. Mustard...

Then again, I have this two-foot-long, flat-blade screwdriver. That might make a decent weapon too.

Definitely an axe. Really though, I'd only bring a tool for use as a tool. Getting hit with a steel buttplate or having a large shotgun swung at you like a club is going to put you down for a while, pain or no pain.

You'd really use an axe? I wouldn't... IMO, it's too much like playing baseball and hitting the sweet spot EVERY TIME, except if you miss, you die.

I wouldn't be swinging it like a baseball, but more like a maul chopping wood- from the top. Even if I miss, I still hit SOMETHING and can recover quicker than the zombie with an axe in his shoulder.

You ever missed with an axe and hit the handle on the stump instead? It HURTS.

[Ninth Pariah]

Fresnel

I've got an interesting question for you guys, pointless as it may be. If you had to grab any TOOL in your house and use it as your primary melee weapon, what would it be? I'm not sure what I'd grab... our machete is recently sharpened, but it's really shitty... I think it's home-made. The maul is too heavy and the swing would be difficult to judge... I'd probably end up with a pipe wrench. If it's good enough for Col. Mustard...

Then again, I have this two-foot-long, flat-blade screwdriver. That might make a decent weapon too.

I've got a hatchet somewhere here. It's a little shorter than I'd like, but it's better than anything else. Except maybe the mattock we have for tearing up tree roots every time my mother wants to plant some damn flowers. But my LARPing shield is half-inch oak plywood. Use that with the hatchet....

[Shrantic]

Fresnel

Shrantic

Fresnel

Shrantics Pretentious Ego

Fresnel

I've got an interesting question for you guys, pointless as it may be. If you had to grab any TOOL in your house and use it as your primary melee weapon, what would it be? I'm not sure what I'd grab... our machete is recently sharpened, but it's really shitty... I think it's home-made. The maul is too heavy and the swing would be difficult to judge... I'd probably end up with a pipe wrench. If it's good enough for Col. Mustard...

Then again, I have this two-foot-long, flat-blade screwdriver. That might make a decent weapon too.

Definitely an axe. Really though, I'd only bring a tool for use as a tool. Getting hit with a steel buttplate or having a large shotgun swung at you like a club is going to put you down for a while, pain or no pain.

You'd really use an axe? I wouldn't... IMO, it's too much like playing baseball and hitting the sweet spot EVERY TIME, except if you miss, you die.

I wouldn't be swinging it like a baseball, but more like a maul chopping wood- from the top. Even if I miss, I still hit SOMETHING and can recover quicker than the zombie with an axe in his shoulder.

You ever missed with an axe and hit the handle on the stump instead? It HURTS.

Zombies aren't quite as hard or lodged-in-the-ground as most stumps. razz

I understand what you're getting at though- that an axe has a fairly small blade and a fairly large handle.

[Flavias]

I would have to go with a 10mm, they have easy to find ammo, moderate damage, and are relatively quiet. For my close range weapon I would have to go with a bat, they are light weight, and are every ******** where!

[uryu ishida]

Flavias

I would have to go with a 10mm, they have easy to find ammo, moderate damage, and are relatively quiet. For my close range weapon I would have to go with a bat, they are light weight, and are every ******** where!

Wat?

WAT!?