a serious question of real life application

[ABanzhof]

So I have just become an adult and finished paying off my first house now the next important step for me is preparing for disaster. I have a whole room full of emergency food supply, lots of seeds, ammo, and one of the nicest combat rifles money can buy. I thought i was totally prepared until last night when i was watching the movie "the road." While watching i came to the startling realization that i overlooked something big, in a post apocalyptic situation ammo conservation is a must as well as having the ability to still fight when 99% of the worlds ammunition has already been expended, what i need is a melee weapon that will give me a competitive edge in melee combat situations. Now i must admit i have some martial arts experience but little to no experience with weapons, this is why i need the help of seasoned ma practitioners in narrowing down the myriad of melee weapon choices available to me.

My first question is what type of of weapon should I chose. My second question is what brand/model to get for a particular weapon type with a 600 dollar price limit though this is somewhat subject to reconsideration if i really need to spend an extra couple hundred for a ridiculous quality difference.

Before you make a suggestion there are at least four important factors that i can think of to consider, the types of weapons my theoretical challengers will be likely to wield i.e. metal pipes, machetes, knives and baseball bats spiked or otherwise, the learning curve as i will be spending little to no time practicing before the need arises, the durability as it will need to be able to kill hundreds of opponents before needing replacement, and of course a little info on me the wielder, i am a 6ft tall 200lb male.

In my mind ive narrowed it down to spear or rapier/dagger combo, but this is certainly subject to change because as stated earlier i have little experience in this field, a well reasoned argument will almost surely alter my perception. Its the learning curve issue that made the spear stick out in my mind. It seems to me that if two complete newbies were pitted against each-other with their choice of melee weapons a spear would be the best choice as neither would be capable of blocking effectively meaning the one with the longest range wins almost every time.

Also i have been thinking that since there is little to no incentive for a spear maker to put the level of quality into is product necessary for it to be a practical tool for real life combat situations, and since military's all around the world use daggers maybe my best option is to modify a rigorously tested dagger into a spear.

On one final note, are their spears with metal shafts instead of wood. It seems imperative for the shaft to be able to block blades with out the need for immediate repair. Maybe what i need to do is have a shaft machined for me with a titanium core for the light weight and a steel outer layer for blocking bladed attacks then fasten a dagger to the end somehow but i really don't know how to go about making something as customized as this, maybe someone else does?

Anyway thanks in advance for your time nd before you ask "is this guy serious" yes I am VERY serious.

 

[Tez3]

I think you will also need a medical degree in emergency and combat medicine, you'll need a wife and several children not fathered by you or with her to ensure the human race continues without inbreeding. You'll need animals for food, leather, glue etc, a veggie garden for your greens, a well that can withstand a siege.
Zombie hunting is a speciiality of the people here so I expect plenty of posts telling you what kills them, I believe CDs do a good job.

 

[Sukerkin]

That's a bit of an odd one for a first post, ABanzhof.

I'd suggest taking a wander over to the Meet & Greet forum and introducing yourself.

 

[ABanzhof]

i wont lie i signed up for the forum so i could ask THIS question and this question alone, i hope that doesn't offend but i didn't know where else to turn, im not a martial artist but i need the advice of martial artists at this particular juncture in my life

 

[oaktree]

My first question is what type of of weapon should I chose. My second question is what brand/model to get for a particular weapon type with a 600 dollar price limit though this is somewhat subject to reconsideration if i really need to spend an extra couple hundred for a ridiculous quality difference.

Your first question reads as 1.a video game addict 2.someone who lost touch with reality
It is ok to post as a Hypothetical question but you tend to take it serious which is disturbing.

"is this guy serious" yes I am VERY serious.

i wont lie i signed up for the forum so i could ask THIS question and this question alone, i hope that doesn't offend but i didn't know where else to turn, im not a martial artist but i need the advice of martial artists at this particular juncture in my life

I really hope that you do not get the answers you are looking for.

 

[ABanzhof]

why should one not take insuring the safety of their family and loved ones seriously? are you so naive as to think that the use of deadly force is never warranted? or that circumstances which would warrant it never arise? Or maybe you think that modern society is totally secure and nothing could ever cause it to break down. If this is the case may i remind you that over 20 countries on the planet have weapons that are capable of destroying every microchip in the united states with a single blast. One of these countries being china, china who ownes a huge portion of our national debt, and the only way the united states can currently make its minimum interest payments is to borrow more money thus increasing said interest payments with each passing day, and lets face it china is really starting to get pissed at us for continually debasing our own currency in order to lessen our obligation to them, and rightfully so! they lend us trillions of dollars we spend it then print so much money out of thin air that when we turn around to repay our debt the dollar is worth a quarter of what it was when they lent it to us meaning we stole 3/4 of the money they lent us. Stop for a moment and contemplate just what aspects of your life which are essential to your survival require microchips somewhere in the process, ill give you a hint, all of them. If that isnt enough of a wake up call the sun naturally produces solar flares which release emps powerful enough to destroy every microchip on 50% of the planet roughly every 50 years, and guess what, its been 50 years since the last one. You say i sound like a video game addict, i say you sound like a main stream media addict.

 

[baron]

Well for a medium to long range weapon how about a sling and staff. Generally speaking rocks are easy to locate. Remember the story of King David in 1 Samuel 17, he slew a bear, a lion, and a giant. He had just his staff and his sling. Read the story and see how the King Saul gave David his armor, sword, but David said he could not use them because he had not proved them. But David did prove his staff and sling. You say you will not spend much time with what ever you choose untill you need to. Remember David proved his weapons every day. Martial artist train daily proving their ability (sharpening their skills).

According to the new TV show The Walking Dead gunfire draws them to you. So I can see why you are looking for a weapon that will be quiet and conserve your amo. But remember if you still do not train when you enter hand to hand combat you will become tired and then be supper. Because there will always be more of them, than of you.

Please PM me with instructions of how to get to your houes so if this happens my family and I will be at your door. lol.

So the best you can do is train hard daily and enjoy your life.

 

[ABanzhof]

so i think ive found my solution. I dont trust the quality of spears on the market today because there is no need for a spear to be a reliable weapon for real life combat because such a situation never arises and so what incentive would any company have to produce such a product but daggers on the other hand are used by militaries all around the world. This dagger in perticular is used by the united kingdom special forces (http://www.blackhawk.com/product/United-Kingdom-Special-Forces,1244,35.htm) so you can be sure that it is unquestionably durable and reliable. This is the hardest wood on the planet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lignum_vitae). This website sells lignum vitae according to custom specifications (http://www.lignum-vitae.com/). So i have a new question to pose, can anyone see any reason why i shouldnt mount the uk-sfk on the end of a 7 ft lignum vitae pole and call it the worlds most practical real life combat spear? maybe balancing would be an issue? or the weight would just be totally unmanageable?

 

[ABanzhof]

i like the sling idea, i had not even considered it, thankyou

 

[oaktree]

why should one not take insuring the safety of their family and loved ones seriously? are you so naive as to think that the use of deadly force is never warranted? or that circumstances which would warrant it never arise?

That is not how you proposed the question. You proposed it in a format that sounds like 1.someone lost in video games 2.some crazy end of the world nut.

You speaking of this:

durability as it will need to be able to kill hundreds of opponents

Speaks volumes of your maturity level and/or to be taken seriously.

Or maybe you think that modern society is totally secure and nothing could ever cause it to break down.

Secure enough were I do not need to post on an internet forum speaking about the end of the world and how to prepare for it.

. If this is the case may i remind you that over 20 countries on the planet have weapons that are capable of destroying every microchip in the united states with a single blast.

May I remind you to look up the word Paranoid:
2.Exhibiting or characterized by extreme and irrational fear or distrust of others:

One of these countries being china, china who ownes a huge portion of our national debt, and the only way the united states can currently make its minimum interest payments is to borrow more money thus increasing said interest payments with each passing day, and lets face it china is really starting to get pissed at us for continually debasing our own currency in order to lessen our obligation to them, and rightfully so!

As others have pointed out China has no interests as of now to destroy America(if they could) Here I will say it in Chinese for you:
中国没有兴趣和美国打仗。zhongguo meiyou xingqu he meiguo dazhang=Chinese have no interes in fighting Americans.

Stop for a moment and contemplate just what aspects of your life which are essential to your survival require microchips somewhere in the process, ill give you a hint, all of them. If that isnt enough of a wake up call the sun naturally produces solar flares which release emps powerful enough to destroy every microchip on 50% of the planet roughly every 50 years, and guess what, its been 50 years since the last one. You say i sound like a video game addict, i say you sound like a main stream media addict.

I did not know my Lungs were made of Microchips(Air) did not know my food was made out of Microchips(food) Did not know my bed was made out of Microchips(sleep)

Can you break up your sentences so they are easier to read you sound like a rambling mad man!! But your whole point as you said:

i wont lie i signed up for the forum so i could ask THIS question and this question alone,

Sorry not everyone thinks you are a rational person with good intentions. Maybe if you posted as a Hypothetical question I would take it more serious or maybe if you said against a home burgular I'd take it serious but with your words I stick my finger at my screen pointing at you and laughing:
:rofl::rofl::rofl:

 

[Tez3]

i wont lie i signed up for the forum so i could ask THIS question and this question alone, i hope that doesn't offend but i didn't know where else to turn, im not a martial artist but i need the advice of martial artists at this particular juncture in my life

Those zombies are a real pain to get rid of aren't they? It's not like you can take them to be rehomed like unwanted kittens or puppies.

We didn't have thousands rampaging last night just 700 squaddies up here on exercise determined to drink the place dry and fight anyone who stood still long enough,it was great fun! Haven't enjoyed myself so much for a long time, ah I love the sound of handcuffs clicking on in the early morning ROFL.
Sorry sidetracked thread there but then it's probably not a bad thing!

Ok guys back to the OP, how does one kill that many zombies, has anyone here seen Shaun of the Dead? Great film, lots of ideas of what to do when they come for you.

 

[Chris Parker]

I'm not going through the lunacy of your OP, but I will take this apart:

i wont lie i signed up for the forum so i could ask THIS question and this question alone

Your entire question is based in delusional paranoia. This is not the forum for that, a psychologist's office is. No sane, rational person will treat it seriously.

, i hope that doesn't offend but i didn't know where else to turn

No, this isn't the only place you turned: http://www.martialartsplanet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=97518

Here it is the identical post, the identical OP, the identical title, which makes me think that you are actually just a troll, doing this for your own sense of fun. If not, seriously, get to a psychologist straight away, you need help.

, im not a martial artist but i need the advice of martial artists at this particular juncture in my life

If you have no training (not a martial artist), what on earth makes you think any weapon suggestion is a good one? First step is normally to get training, but in your case, see the psych first. You need it.

EDIT: Okay, just checked your profile. What do you mean when you say you're not a martial artist, then claim on your profile that you are an Isshin Ryu purple belt? Seriously, such things just scream "Troll!" to me.

 

[ABanzhof]

to oaktree

its very difficult for me to break this concept down simply enough for a sheep to understand, but ill do my best to bring it down to your level. This whole issue doesn't stem from my belief that the end is nigh im not one of those guys with a card board sign screaming repent, it stems from a belief that there are multiple eventualities which could lead to the destruction of the social, ecological, or technological structures that we rely on for our day to day life. I will now present you with some resources to show you the reality of a few of these potentialities. (http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2006/10mar_stormwarning/) This is nasa telling you to prepare, yes national aeronautics and space administration nasa. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_pulse) this is a wikipedia article on electromagnetic pulses, i suggest you read it in its entirety, when you couple this information with even a minor understanding in game theory (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_theory) you will realize that this is a very legitimate concern. At least you would if you hadnt already resigned yourself to a position which god himself couldn't sway you from because if you did admit i was right you would look like a moron in front of your friends. And of course good old yellowstone (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellowstone_Caldera). Oh we better not leave out the possibility of meteor impact may i remind you it wouldn't be the first time, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impact_event). Pandemics are very real and happen on average once every 100 years, here was the last time (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1918_flu_pandemic) roughly 100 years ago. I could go on for a while longer but as previously stated nothing could alter your perception and really even if i could, you arnt worth it, your death would be evolution at work.

Now this is a hard one for people to grasp but sanity has nothing to do with convention, i recall a man once said the world was spherical and not flat at that point in history he was possibly the only man on the entire planet that believed that, he could have easily been committed to a psyche ward but that wouldn't have changed the fact that he was correct. My belief is based on reason and has nothing to do with what anyone else believes. It is not i who is delusional for thinking that society can potentially break down it is you who is delusional for thinking the chances are so low that you shouldn't even do one second worth of research on the subject.


Now i believe that you think its possible too SOME extent, i dont think your very intelligent i must admit but i dont believe you are so dumb as to think its imposable, you just place the likelihood at maybe .01%-2% i too place the odds low maybe 10% with in my lifetime, that 10% however justifies preparedness in my mind because i love my wife and my children and im not going to gamble their safety even on a 1% risk in exchange for a nicer car or bigger tv, thats called responsibility, trust me i would have rather bought a motorcycle than emergency food supply that i will probably never use but i am a responsible adult not a naive child.


As for the comment about being able to kill hundreds of opponents, once again I do not consider it likely that even if an apocalypse did present its self that I would be able to successfully kill hundreds of looters, but why should I not prepare for the unlikely thats the point of buying this weapon to begin with, and furthermore why should I not want my children to be able to use it after I die or their friends if they die.


As for the bit about needing a microchip to breath or sleep I commend you, you are entirely correct, my original statement as very short sighted and I feel pretty dumb for saying it, I thank you for bringing said shortsightedness to my attention. Now let rephrase my original statement so I can more clearly convey the intent behind my words. Food distribution requires microchips at several stages in the process from tracking inventory to placing and receiving orders, in a large emp event there would cease to be food on the grocery store shelves. The water grid is controlled by you guessed it microchips, they are present at nearly every stage in the filtration in distribution process, in a large emp event your tap would cease to produce water. Hospitals are run on nearly ever level by microchips, nearly every medical machine short of a stethoscope would cease to function properly in hospitals all across the country. Transportation, you guessed it your car has electronics in it which are necessary for function just watch the emp episode of future weapons he actually drives a car through and emp to test it. I think you get the point.


You are 100% right as of now china does not have any interest in destroying us, I wont contest that, but neither does that in any way present an argument against my original statement. Oh and I dont know what makes you assume I can read Chinese, but I dont and even If I did whats the point in saying the same thing twice?


About the final comment, I wasnt aware that this thread was pertaining to the intricacies of your sense of humor. Im sorry I have no real response to that because it contains no noteworthy information.


To chris parker


You say my entire question is based on delusional paranoia, it is not I who needs to defend myself it is you who needs to defend this statement. Why is it that I should not prepare for worst case scenarios? Maybe you believe that no scenario could lead to the need for a melee weapon, if this is the case let me know I can quickly rectify this delusion.


On to the comment about me posting it on two separate forums, I did this because I thought posting my question in two separate forums would increase the likely hood of receiving the answer I was looking for. To me its comical that you cant understand this concept. Let me try to make a simpler analogy maybe that will help, do you think you are more likely to win the lottery if you buy one ticket or two, the answer is two. As for me being a troll, I dont consider myself to be one, maybe others do, but to me this post was entirely serious.


If I have no martial arts training what makes me think one weapon suggestion is a good one. That would require a reasonable argument backed by logic, my minimal ma training means I am not equipped with the skills to make a strong argument for or against a particular weapon, it doesnt mean I am unable to understand reason when someone else prevents me with a reasonable argument.


And I spent 1 year 4 nights a week 2 hours each of those nights in Isshin Ryu karate class, I was 17 at the time and I am 21 now. I never belt tested because I didnt see any point in paying to test my abilities because testing them does not improve them and to me the purpose of karate class was to improve my abilities, so I simply guessed at what belt I thought I was. By near the end of that year I was invited into the advanced class everyone in that class was purple or above that is what I based my guess on. I dont consider that enough time spent for me to call myself “a martial artist” what do you think if everything I said in this paragraph was true would you consider me a martial artist?


On one final note to both of you, even if I am crazy I dont think that would justify your rudeness, really guys didnt your parents teach you any manners. Yes this post is rude I know that but its only because im responding to such rude comments. When someone says something you disagree with dont just call them loony and delusional then move on, you should provide a series of verifiable facts which back up your case like I did, its like my dad always told me if you dont have anything intelligent to say, than dont say anything at all.

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Okay I will be the first one to say it.

This thread is stupid!

 

[KenpoTex]

Okay I will be the first one to say it.

This thread is stupid!

but, entertaining... :ultracool

 

[Tez3]

Obviously nail clippers should be the weapon of choice.

I wish people wouldn't denigrate sheep, up the road from me at a local farm, a ram killed someone. They quite often do, they can be quite nasty creatures. Never underestimate sheep.

Oh and btw there's a rule here that says don't attack the poster, ABanzhof, as an adult with his own house paid off and about to be swamped by zombies I'm sure you can undertstand that. I think along with your list of food etc a book explaining how to write English would help you past the time between attacks.
My transport doesn't need microchips, I have a horse and a bicycle..

 

[bluewaveschool]

Zombies would eat your horse.

I think this guy and the mall ninja should get together and share ideas.

 

[Whitebelt]

You stand no chance alone against the world. Join a community, meet like minded people (you won't find many here amongst us sheeple) and please look into the possibility of this nightmare future and the systems that are in place to protect you from the magic commies bombs.

If all else fails and the cursed hordes come a'knockin', get a steelworker to make you a guandao or a podao, probably good for about 2.5 DPM (decapitations per minute). That will afford you a few seconds of life against multiple attackers.

 

[jks9199]

Let me assume that you're on the more rational end of the scale of folks that are busily preparing for some amorphous doomsday fall of civilization. In other words, your preparations are based in extreme, but rational, assessments of possibilities.

OK; you've laid in food supplies. You've got some firearms, it seems, and ammo. (Lay in more ammo. Do you reload? Do you have a healthy stock of rounds -- or a bullet mold -- and powder? Do you know how to make black powder? Do you know the effect loading and using black powder will have on the guns you have? Have you had any TACTICAL shooting training?) I'll assume you're making at least periodic visits to a firing range to practice. Now you're trying to find some alternative weapons that don't rely on ammunition.

But you're assuming stronger/harder wood is better. It's not... because that strength and hardness comes at the price of brittleness. Not good for something taking impact, huh? Instead of trying to find an unbreakable wood -- learn to craft shafts for your spear from woods available to you.

(Maybe learn to make a bow and arrow, as well... Medieval reenactors like the SCA can help you there...)

And you're completely ignoring the absolute reality that if you haven't trained and practiced with it -- you will not be able to use it.

So... it certainly seems to me that your plans are still rooted in fantasy, not reality. But, hey, you're apparently looking at spending some money, and that'll help the economy...

Cold Steel makes serviceable spears. If you check some of the threads about swords, you'll see which brands consistently get decent marks.

 

[Sukerkin]

At the risk of hijacking the thread, I'd like to ask people to ponder for a moment why it is that firearms became such prevalent weapons when, for quite an extensive period of history after their invention, they were seriously poor compared to the other weapons available.

Any ideas?

The problem with many of the other weapons invented and developed through mankinds bloody history is that they take a considerable amount of skill and training to know how to use them.

Whilst it is unfair to characterise the difference with the old aphorism that "Any fool can pull a trigger", it is comparatively easy to aquire sufficient skill with a gun to use it with some effect.

A sword on the other hand ...