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Post by demonking on Dec 1, 2015 17:51:34 GMT
Im looking for a sword which would be most useful in some kind of anarchy scenario.
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Post by william m on Dec 1, 2015 18:35:05 GMT
A machete will be your best bet :)
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Post by Bryan Heff on Dec 1, 2015 20:45:07 GMT
TV and movies will guide you.
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Post by Rabel Dusk on Dec 1, 2015 21:49:04 GMT
Something short and easy to carry. If you want an upgrade from a machete, use a falchion. Maybe a gladius.
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Post by william m on Dec 1, 2015 22:31:42 GMT
Can't use a gladius or falchion for utility uses though..
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Post by Vincent Dolan on Dec 1, 2015 22:33:57 GMT
Can't use a gladius or falchion for utility uses though.. That's what the nice, sturdy knife that should already be in your pack is for.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 1, 2015 22:40:11 GMT
My zt Sinbad makes a pretty good sword. Easily wielded and light weight with plenty of attachment options. I've used mine to chop down trees, split and baton wood. It's sharp enough to do smaller tasks, but obviously not as well as a smaller knife
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Post by Gunnar Wolfgard on Dec 1, 2015 23:11:55 GMT
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Dec 1, 2015 23:15:50 GMT
A machete is hard to beat and reins king in my country. The best three cuts I’ve made were with my 26” machete. I wish that had made a video, but no camera then. I had harvested my bananas and topped the tree. The next step was to fall the tree, which I wanted to do in small sections. I needed them shortened anyway to haul them away more easily. I didn’t measure the trunk but it was a mature tree measuring about 12” across, perhaps slightly more. I took a swing and nothing happened so I did it again. Same result. I couldn’t believe my eyes. How could I have missed a tree twice? I couldn’t see how that was possible but moved slightly closer to the tree and tried the third time, and still nothing. I laid the machete down and examined the trunk closely and found a very small splinter like piece of wood on the distal side. I don’t know what made me do it, for the lack of anything better possibly, I placed my hand on the trunk and pushed. The upper portion fell over. I repeated it twice more each time pushing off a separate piece. Machetes are relatively cheap and are made to stand up to hard use although there are some cheapees out there that aren’t worth a flip. Most unfortunately are not designed for thrusting though they are out there. There are a variety of blade lengths from less than a foot to over 2 feet. They do lack hand protection. Come to think of it both Condor and Cold Steel make a machete with a point and guard. You can pay more and get more frills and bells for a lack of a better term with thicker more eye pleasing blades. For a functional, serviceable knife a machete is hard to beat.
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Post by randomnobody on Dec 1, 2015 23:46:36 GMT
Gonna second a nice, big machete. Personally, I'd pack a kukri, but a machete would probably be lighter.
Swords aren't really intended for "apocalyptic scenarios" and the ilk. Best to keep a good knife for the cutting chores, and some sort of firearm/bow for the "that's not yours" stuff.
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Sean (Shadowhowler)
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Post by Sean (Shadowhowler) on Dec 1, 2015 23:54:37 GMT
Lightsaber. Duh.
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Post by munk on Dec 2, 2015 0:42:54 GMT
The answer to this question really just depends on how realistic of a post-apocalyptic scenario you're imagining. A real SHTF scenario isn't going to be like Into The Badlands with daily sword fights against other people carrying swords. Your much more likely to run into people with guns, and there isn't a sword out there, even a light saber, that is going to offer you sufficient protection from that. That being said, if you simply cannot get a firearm and have no other choice but to "blade up", then my vote is a machete. Again, realistically speaking, it's use as a tool will save your life much more often than it's use as a weapon. Plus you can get like 20 of them for the price of a decent sword and equip a whole clan of people.
If we're just talking about fantasy SHTF, which is a lot more exciting and a lot less depressing, then the best sword is the one that you think is the coolest. There is a "cool" factor in believing that you're blade will have practical use in SHTF Land, so what you'd choose would vary on how much realism you allow into your fantasy. In general, shorter/lighter would be easier to use and carry around but really I'd just pick the one you would have the most fun backyard cutting with.
In the end, try not to get too serious about it, because if you do, you'll quickly realize that surviving SHTF is a lot less exciting that you might imagine. It's more about stocking supplies than weapons...and in order to have a remote chance at living a full life in SHTF, you basically have to dedicate all of your time, energy, and money into being a prepper (boring).
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Post by zabazagobo on Dec 2, 2015 1:20:01 GMT
A pair of katana for sure. Otherwise, Danny Trejo.
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Post by Jordan Williams on Dec 2, 2015 1:24:41 GMT
Exactly. Aside from the obvious choice here, is a machete a sword? Actual question, not posing a "philosophical" question.
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Post by munk on Dec 2, 2015 1:43:04 GMT
dictionary.reference.com/browse/swordnoun 1.a weapon having various forms but consisting typically of a long, straight or slightly curved blade, sharp-edged on one or both sides, with one end pointed and the other fixed in a hilt or handle. Yep.
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Post by Jordan Williams on Dec 2, 2015 1:45:31 GMT
Oh, cool.
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Post by Timo Nieminen on Dec 2, 2015 1:47:39 GMT
dictionary.reference.com/browse/swordnoun 1.a weapon having various forms but consisting typically of a long, straight or slightly curved blade, sharp-edged on one or both sides, with one end pointed and the other fixed in a hilt or handle. Yep. Is a machete a weapon or a tool? (That sword definition isn't perfect, since there are many unpointed swords, some strongly curved swords, and swords with no edges.)
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pgandy
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Post by pgandy on Dec 2, 2015 2:55:42 GMT
A machete meets the definition of a sword and many a machete has been used as such. Generally speaking, not always as there are exceptions, a machete has a thinner more flexible blade without a distal profile, the blade is often stamped, durable work horses that are lighter, and of less expensive construction. As I said there are exceptions. If I had only one big knife it would be a machete. I’ve done everything with mine except skin animals and fight and a machete is capable of both; I’ve killed mice, rats, dug holes, scooped dirt and dog crap, cut down trees, opened packages and boxes, cut rope, string, pruned bushes and trees, cut grass, cleaned out my concrete drainage ditches, prepared food, carved, made blowpipes, darts. Give me time and I can probably think of more. I have nothing against swords, I love them. But if I had only one it would be a machete as I can do so much more with one. I don’t know your situation but buy something now and something else later. No one blade is going to fill your every need.
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Post by Croccifixio on Dec 2, 2015 3:30:09 GMT
The one cleaving through the zombies' bodies. In my friend's hand. As I'm running for the car.
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Post by Jayhawk on Dec 2, 2015 3:36:20 GMT
Condor Dadao all the way. All the benefits of a sword and a machete rolled into one. Plus, it's just plain old fun to play with. :-}
Eric
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