Hand made Full Tang katanas for cheap

[oldnick]

Google ads are great. I logged into this forum this morning and glanced over at the google ads.  They've gotten a lot better over the past few years. (when i had a site google kept wanting to put anti-flatulence ads on it, but that's another story for the OT threads...)

But anyway, this morning they had an ad for a hand made sword site. I figured they'd be $200-300 minimum but I clicked on it anyway just to have a look around. To my amazement they have lots and lots of handmade katanas for under $100. They even have a Damascus, 10x folded, hand sharpened katana for about $150. I know where some of my income tax refund is going this year.

I personally can't think of a better melee weapon for taking out the the undead than a well made katana or wakizashi.  They're practically designed for that purpose.

The ad said something like "Traditional Japanese samurai Swords" and "Wholesale Prices". I can post the direct link if you can't find it or if the ad isn't showing up any more, but it would probably be better if you click it off the google links to help support this site.

[OVERKILL]

 Thanks for the post, I don't know how I missed that one as I have been looking for a funtional katana for some time.

[ZOMBIE_EXTERMINATOR]

You know that they don't have to be speacial jeez you don't need super powers to kill zombies just give them a thwack in the head with a frigin' baseball bat 

[rarocksnow]

A katana is one of the best meel weapons to have (if you have a good one) They are almost impossible to destroy (unless you have a cheap battle-ready sword, then it would probably bend, it's really only good for a few whacks). I seen in a video where this guy wanted the test his katana. So a few army guys shot a the Kanta and the bullets would litterly be cut in half.

If you want some really good handmade Katanas for under $200 go check out this website  http://www.handmadesword.com/japanese-sword-under--100.html. 

[bruce]

I am working on my own version of the "lobotomizer" as described in "world war-Z". I'll take something like that over a "sword" any day

[sventhewarrior]

As someone who knows a thing or two about swords, I don't think that a katana is really as practical as you guys seem to imagine.

Now, an art quality katana in highly trained hands, yes. Very effective. However, there are about five old Japanese guys who actually make swords of that quality anymore. Any others are left over from before Meiji. Just because it's "hand made" doesn't mean that it isn't crap. Most such swords are made for martial arts, not for zombie slaying.
Now, if I were going to try and get my hand on a practical katana, I would go with one of the WWII era swords for officers and NCOs. They had similar quality to those used of the samurai, but were mass produced. They don't have the artistic flair of the traditional swords, but they are effective weapons.
However, most of them were destroyed during the American occupation of Japan. Any swords not considered national art treasures were considered weapons and therefore banned. Most of those that survived were bought by American GIs and shipped to the US. After that they were largely neglected. Any one that's been well-maintained and taken care of is going to be a valued collector's item. It will therefore be expensive, but a lot less so than a traditional sword of the same quality.



However, I don't think that it's a good idea for most people. Katanas, despite how it seems in the movie, they are hard to use, particularly in enclosed spaces. More importantly they also require constant maintenance! There are men in Japan who spend seven years learning to take care of a traditional Japanese sword, and that's just the apprenticeship. Just keeping the weapon sharp requires a big heavy stone.


No, I wouldn't recommend a Katana.

[Admin]

As someone who knows a thing or two about swords, I don't think that a katana is really as practical as you guys seem to imagine.

I agree actually... but not for sll the same reasons

Now, an art quality katana in highly trained hands, yes. Very effective. However, there are about five old Japanese guys who actually make swords of that quality anymore.

Not exactly. I'm close friends with over 2 dozen 'smiths who are classically trained in the art, and I don't know that many of the guys who are doing it. It's certainly true that the number of people making swords properly versus the number of people selling swords is a small percentage, but besides my own personal aquaintances I'm aware of at least 100-150 people making traditional Japanese blades "the right way"

However, I don't think that it's a good idea for most people. Katanas, despite how it seems in the movie, they are hard to use, particularly in enclosed spaces. More importantly they also require constant maintenance! There are men in Japan who spend seven years learning to take care of a traditional Japanese sword, and that's just the apprenticeship. Just keeping the weapon sharp requires a big heavy stone.

I agree that a katana (or most any other non-firearm) would be generally less practical, however, we're not talking about high combat with a well trained swordsman, we're talking about decapitating Zombies. most of the less expensive swords that are "battle ready" should be just fine for this purpose, I'd just much rather have a 12 gauge and buck shot.

No, I wouldn't recommend a Katana.

Neither would I as a first line of defense, but it certainly is fine as a back-up weapon.

[sventhewarrior]

I see your point, but I mean even as a backup weapon. If it's what you've got, sure, but there are more effective weapons out there. My weapon of choice is a machete. Mine is a military surplus machete I got from a surplus store. It cost me 20 bucks and it's significantly better than any "battle ready" sword out there. I would know, I have a few of those too.

I have put my machete through basically every sort of rigor I could think of. The only thing that did it any harm at all was slashing some pieces of steel. That dinged the blade a bit, but it sharpened out quite nicely. Machetes are small, nearly indestructible, light, and idiot simple to use. It's pretty tricky to use a katana to get a clean decapitation, but a machete is made to be able to hack through tree limbs without the use of advanced martial arts training.

Machetes, unlike katanas, are small enough to strap to your leg or your belt. A katana, on the other hand, can be carried on the belt, but it gets in the way when you do. That's fine for charging into battle, but not great for hiking long distances.

I could actually go on for some time about the advantages of machetes as zombie slaying weapons. In fact, I already did a week or so ago, and posted it on my blog. Anyone who wants to read about it can just click the link in my signature. It would be silly to retype it all.

[phantasm74]

I have to agree that it's not the most practical thing to use, but if nothing else were available I would give it a try.  Personally, a heavy crowbar, machete, or a shovel would be my first choices, probably in that order.

Katanas aren't overly complicated to use, just to use correctly.  I have a few, I've swung them around, they would kill something if I swung at it, but they're large and you'll more than likely end up injuring someone you didn't intend to (including yourself) while using it. 

What's with decapitating anyway?  Wouldn't the head still be alive?  I don't want them biting at my feet, I would rather bash in the skull or put something through it than cut off the head.

[sventhewarrior]

What's up with decapitation? That's a fair question, so I'll try and answer it.

It takes a lot less force to break or sever a neck than it does to bash or cut through a skull. The human/zombie skull is thick, round, and very hard, making it very hard to smash open. It looks easy in the movies, of course, but in reality it's very difficult to break one open cleanly in one hit. Usually you'd have to sit there and whack at it for a while.

A neck, on the other hand, is made of of vertebra, which aren't nearly as difficult to break apart. The rest of the neck is fleshy material, which a decent blade can easily cut through. One good slash, if well-placed, is enough to cleanly slice a head off.

And you're right, a zombie head is still a threat, however, not much of one. A zombie head is just going to sit where it lays. If you're wearing decent boots you've got very little to worry about. Just be careful. True, the zombie isn't dead, but it's disabled, and that's usually more than enough.

[AK]

I am a machete freak too. They are all around functional and devastating. Surplus store here in town, 60 bucks a piece, case comes with a sharpener at top so if you want to sharpen it, you draw it or put it back and hold the little piece in place. I like that aspect as I never have to worry about sharpening the blade too much.

I have one authentic sword, and I would rather have my machete than that. The Kitana is a light sword if you use it one handed, and in a zombie apocalypse you would probably need one hand free for whatever reason. The hacks to chop heads would not be too effective. It isn't a weapon like that. A machete on the other hand, has all the weight at the tip and you can use that even with only one hand. It also isn't as long, so you wouldn't get snagged up, or caught maneuvering the weapon by a swarm.

Good thread tho. In a sea of zombies, make mine machete.

[CyberNinjaWalrus]

I dont need a machety or a katana when I have my Zangetsu at the ready.

[OVERKILL]

 I have about 3 machetes so I think I'm pretty well covered. I have trained a little in sword fighting, most of which was from a martial arts guy who was also a huge Highlander freak, so how much was useful is up for debate. I've had a few katanas, but alas they were wallhangers and not very functional, I have shinai that I use to train occasionally and I have no problem cleaning an d oiling on a regular basis, as I do this with many other tools anyway. It may not be ideal, but nothing really is. An axe will be hard for a novice to use, but may be the best melee weapon for a country boy (or girl for that matter) with a wood burning stove that has never laid hands on a chainsaw. That being said, anyone have any experience with the swords in the original poster's link or could recommend a sword, katana broadsword claymore, etc. that is made tough enough for actual use. It's not so much that I need one as want one, but I desire a tool not a whatnot or decoration.

[oldnick]

i've been eyeing this one for quite a while

http://www.smkw.com/webapp/eCommerce/product.jsp?Mode=Text&Brand=&CatalogName=&PriceStart=&PriceEnd=&Feature=&Cat=1&SearchText=sawmill&list=50&SKU=SM14

i do have to agree with a lot of the posters on here that a machete, in the hands of most people, is more useful and definitely more versatile... just don't go with the cheap crap you find at walmart unless it's a last resort.

[OVERKILL]

 Heed Oldnick's advice. Never ever ever ever ever buy a machete at Walmart.