A diamond sword... considering you will never ever come across such a thing why not just wish for a freaking lightsabre ?
Anyway a hammer would be better anyway as I highly doubt you lack the skill to use a sword.

noobs. you use a katana or a foil, if you absolutely must get in close. both excelent zombie killing weapons. and the katana excelent for a zombie apocalype scenario, because IIRC the design was such that they did not need sharpening, and were measued by how many bodies they cut through cleanly (the good ones were 5-i got stuck on the history channel). i would have to say a good ol fashioned katana if you MUST kill zombies with melee weapons-and no, dont say "but i dont have one at my house" because im pretty damn sure i dont have a sword made out of daimonds.

an alternative being a foil, but only if you previously did a LOT of fencing. good peircing weapon and super-light.

but even better... flaming lightsaber

Mercanary57:
Okay the way that we kill zombies is by destroying the brain.
So we started talking about weapons that would be most effective against this type of zombie.
I brought up a sword made entirely out of diamonds considering that diamonds are the hardest known material and most likely could easily destroy a skull.
Brandon however said that it was brittle and could not do such a thing and that a hammer would serve better.
So how was right? Me or Brandon?
Which weapon would actually not suck?

shotgun. But if i had to choose between the both id choose an ordinary katana. I've done kendo for about 11 years :P

A diamond sword...

Well-cut diamonds aren't exactly easy to break. But they do have these, uh, fracture planes. Force oriented along those planes is much more damaging to the diamond. Assuming any idiot who turned a flawless giant diamond -- something that was easily an order of magnitude bigger than the world's biggest diamond -- into a goddamn sword decided to do it right, the thing wouldn't fall apart in your hands. Because the material has a lower density than steel, you could also make the thing significantly thicker, if that helps the structure. However, when diamonds chip it's usually around thing edges, so the sharper you try to make it, the more likely it is to flake during use. (Notice how diamond points, not edges, are used for cutting.)

After all that work you'd produce a sword that costs more than the GDP of some nations but handles no better than a steel blade. Ultimately, hardness just isn't that big of a deal when cutting flesh (nor will it really help much when trying to cut harder stuff like tanks and evil robots, either, because you also need force to actually cut).

You really are better off wishing for a lightsaber. Or a magic nuclear-powered robot exoskeleton (they'd have a hell of a tougher time zombie-infecting you then). Or how about a remotely-commandable helicopter that you could use to escape to your own self-sustaining private island?

... Srsly diamond sword wtf?

-- Alex

Well I've heard the best blades are carbon (or diamond) tipped titanium.
Gives the best of both worlds.

For a hammer, I'm sure you'd just want something heavy (since your crushing things) so how about carbon coated depleted uranium?

Diamond tipped hammer... now where have I seen that before? hmmmm....
http://static.escapistmagazine.com/media/global/images/castfire/mini/209.jpg

IF you manage to get a large enough diamond and IF you manage to sharpen it enough and IF it isn't frail then ya, it would be awesome.

Nuclear bomb - flash-vapourize the brain and cripples any zombie with brain still in intact.

If you have four friends and happen to live in the UK you might find this a little more ... suited to zombie murdering

http://gallery.military.ir/albums/userpics/challenger2.jpg

742:
noobs. you use a katana or a foil, if you absolutely must get in close. both excelent zombie killing weapons. and the katana excelent for a zombie apocalype scenario, because IIRC the design was such that they did not need sharpening, and were measued by how many bodies they cut through cleanly (the good ones were 5-i got stuck on the history channel). i would have to say a good ol fashioned katana if you MUST kill zombies with melee weapons-and no, dont say "but i dont have one at my house" because im pretty damn sure i dont have a sword made out of daimonds.

an alternative being a foil, but only if you previously did a LOT of fencing. good peircing weapon and super-light.

but even better... flaming lightsaber

Katanas definitely require sharpening. There's a whole fancy Japanese hand-sharpening procedure. Swords don't lose their edge easily but they still need maintenance from time to time. Moreover, you've got to keep the thing clean (for a katana this includes occasionally breaking the glue that holds the scabbard together and cleaning off the inside, too).

The weapon is a good compromise between length and lightness, but an unskilled survivor is going to be using it like a baseball bat, anyway, which will likely be just as tiring. (And unskilled survival is also much more likely to find a piece-of-shit super-fake katana than anything actually worth using.)

...

A foil isn't really a combat weapon. Everything about them is engineered for sporting use. These things are several generations removed from any kind of weapon that was even remotely meant to cause wounds. Sure, any pointy metal thing can be dangerous -- that's why fencers wear the suits and hoods. Even then, against an opponent who can't be distracted by pain, the ability to poke and prod and gouge just isn't very useful. If you find a sporting goods store you're way better off just going for a hockey stick or a baseball bat (or, y'know, guns if it's got those -- not to mention survival gear and food).

...

hebdomad:
Well I've heard the best blades are carbon (or diamond) tipped titanium.
Gives the best of both worlds.

For a hammer, I'm sure you'd just want something heavy (since your crushing things) so how about carbon coated depleted uranium?

Diamond tipped hammer... now where have I seen that before? hmmmm....
http://static.escapistmagazine.com/media/global/images/castfire/mini/209.jpg

No point. Good steel is good enough.

Any kind of "hammer" that's not a historical pole weapon is also too short for reliable zombie combat. There's also the problem of heavy things adding to your carried weight and tiring you out with each swing.

-- Alex

Alex_P is right. Just anything blunt really. Guns would be a bad idea cause you would need to reload, plus they make alot noise which would actually attract more zombies.

Shiuz91:
Both weapons are bad against zombies. If you can get with arms length of the zombie you're too close.

If you don't live in exploding-head-world, your options for a ranged takedown are somewhat limited, aren't they? (Unless you sell the diamond sword and buy a magic shotgun that shoots head-seeking missiles, of course.) Are there easily-obtainable firearms that can be counted on to blow the cerebellum out of a zombie's head?

dead_beat_slacker:
Alex_P is right. Just anything blunt really. Guns would be a bad idea cause you would need to reload, plus they make alot noise which would actually attract more zombies.

I think sharp can be good, too -- a well-built heavy sharp thing is basically a heavy blunt thing that also concentrates the force, after all. If "you've gotta hit them in the head" really means "you've gotta trash their zombie heads completely", then the key thing is really to get something absolutely brutal -- you're trying to destroy flesh, not cause lethal injury to a human being. Like I said, kaiser blade.

-- Alex

The answers to all these questions and more can be found in the book "Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks" He reckons the best anti-zombie weapon is the trench club, it's just they're hard to come by, but I'm sure you could get one made.

Since this is all theory I'm going to insert another tidbit that you've all seemed to have forgotten ... Zombies have a DR 5/slashing (3.5 D&D) therefore the sword would be a better choice of melee weapon.

Personally i don't plan on getting into a melee situation with zombie, or zombie horde. I plan to stay snuggly on a boat with my ranged armed friends and if need be use a crowbar. Diamonds wouldn't dull but there's just something classic about a crowbar.

Mercanary57:
Okay the way that we kill zombies is by destroying the brain.
So we started talking about weapons that would be most effective against this type of zombie.
I brought up a sword made entirely out of diamonds considering that diamonds are the hardest known material and most likely could easily destroy a skull.
Brandon however said that it was brittle and could not do such a thing and that a hammer would serve better.
So how was right? Me or Brandon?
Which weapon would actually not suck?

A virus, bacteria or parasite that attacks brain cells

How useful do you think a Batleth would be?

I bought one from some dodgey internet site. It's not an official Star Trek on, since it's made of steel and it razor sharp.
I was actually slightly horrified that it had an actual razor sharp blade on it, considering the size and deadliness of this fictional weapon. I mean not even 'real' Klingons on Star Trek use metal ones with actual blades.

I've used it to slice through a rock hard turnip like paper, and it also chopped a broom handle effortlessly just by blocking a strike, so I'd imagine it would be quite effective against a zombie, both offensively & defensively.

come on guys. shotguns are for zombie killing. -.-

Use a tank for god sake.

When dealing with zombies, I have just three words: Rocket Propelled Chainsaw.

Ultrajoe:
Chainsword.

If it works on Plague marines, it will work on zombies.

Chainsword or lightning claw + assault cannon=win

EDIT: I would use a steel katana over a diamond one as it would be lighter and easier to clean and sharpen.

i skipped a few pages, but there is a distinction between hardness and strength.

diamond is hard.

steel is strong.

You wouldn't build a building out of diamond-- even with supply and cost limits overcome-- because it doesn't have the structural properties to support serious weight.

I've often wondered about a zombie's brain weakness. Most of the brain would have to be dead, a zombie only has its most primal instincts functioning. Mostly a desire to eat people. But it can run and walk. So that means only the brain stem is functioning, so the region where the skull meets the neck is the weak spot, and even lobotomizing (with a shotgun to the face) could leave the brain stem intact and functional.

Okay, being a true nerd I have to point out that the only precious stone that would make any sort of serviable blade is ruby , which would only work for a knife, and nothing longer. (It'd look damned awesome though)

Diamond, or crystal or whatever other thing you find is like glass. Sure, Diamond is really hard, but bend it just one degree (or something, depending on size) and it'll shatter into a million pieces. Ruby on the other hand can bend, not much, but it can. It's not as hard as diamond, but it doesn't have to be either. Compare it with wood, if you want. Oak is really hard. But it doesn't bend well, you can easily break it across you knee. Then try the same with willow. You'll notice nothing happens, it just bends around your knee and returns to it's previous shape (if I have my translations correct, I think it's willow). The effect with ruby and diamond aren't that exaggeratted, but the principle is the same.

If you really want to kill a zombie in close combat though, I propose an axe. You could use a sledge, yes, and it'd be effective, but very tiring. With an axe though you have a lot of weight, concentrated to a very, very thin point. Excellent for splitting things open (proven by cutting wood with it), and not that heavy, compared to a sledge. A sword might be more versatile against a human foe, and lighter, but you need to hit much harder with it to pierce a skull and damage the brain below. A small hammer works well too, but you don't really want to get that close.

Personally, I'd see about getting a pretty short axe with a small head, so that it's lightweight. I'd also get myself a police shield, and put on both a gambe and some chain. Both keeping the zombies from biting you, and having a nice weapon to bash their heads with.

Oh, and yeah, you would kill A (singular) zombie with a diamond sword. You wouldn't kill anyone else though, because the first one would break it.

Diamond Katana < Diamond Sword

Warhammer/Mace < Hammer

8D

Ultrajoe:
Chainsword.

BAM that's all we need, although if it was on fire too it would work better.

Also what's with this idea of diamonds being brittle? They're bloody diamonds, you know hardest thing on the planet?

Fraeir:
Diamond Katana < Diamond Sword
Warhammer/Mace < Hammer
8D

I think you messed up your signs there, coz < means less than. Although I agree on the katana < sword bit. Not sure where people get the whole "katanaz r sooo kewl gaiz!" thing.

id prefer killing them with a baseball bat.. haha its a fun way of killing them.. anyway they're already dead right.. so does this mean they're double dead? hahaha

Jamash:
How useful do you think a Batleth would be?

Batleths kinda suck in general, just by nature of their design. That's because they're big but have rather short reach.

I guess it would be better than some improvised weapons.

-- Alex

a gun ?

Mercanary57:
Okay the way that we kill zombies is by destroying the brain.
So we started talking about weapons that would be most effective against this type of zombie.
I brought up a sword made entirely out of diamonds considering that diamonds are the hardest known material and most likely could easily destroy a skull.
Brandon however said that it was brittle and could not do such a thing and that a hammer would serve better.
So how was right? Me or Brandon?
Which weapon would actually not suck?

Ill meet in the middle, an axe would be perfect(made from diamonds OC)

ahaha(sry about this)
A GUN THAT SHOOTS SHURENKINS AND LIGTHERNING
=D

videonerd250:

Datalord:
unless you shoot the sword out if a gun barrel

BRILLIANT!

EDIT: On topic, a hammer may take too many swings to destroy the brain, and if you're up against a bunch you'll get worn out faster. A sword made of diamond would work cause the brain's getting cut up. But then again, a sword made of diamond-zuh would be too brittle.

Indeed you could replace the lead balls in a shotgun shell with dimonds, i'm shure that would work.
Failing that just tape it to a firework.

It looks akward to handel.

Aardvark:
When the zombie apocalypse comes, are you really going to have a diamond sword just sitting around, waiting to be used? No, you're not. A hammer is a stupid choice as well. Too slow and clumsy. So both of you have just been eaten by zombies. Suck it.

Machetes, hatchets, crowbars, spikes and the old Shaolin Spade are the superior zombie-slaying implements if you're foolish enough to get close to them.

I'm a little bit surprised at the number of replies to this thread so I will start off with this in reply to Aardvark. It was only meant to be an extreme contrast between a unobtainable item and a common item. Also if your clip goes empty and your surrounded by zeds what will you do if you don't have a melee weapon? It would be difficult to destroy the brain with only your fists. And that is only if your fighting one. I'm sorry that I left out the other parts of the conversation as this seems to have caused you to think that I would run towards them instead of sniping them.
Viva la humanity.

There's no point in contrasting two useless weapons. The best thing to do is admit that you're both wrong and get yourself something that won't leave you open to zombification.

If you run out of bullets, your rifle/pistol has a butt that probably works a hell of a lot better than your puny, fragile little fists.

In the event of zombies, your first instinct should be flight. Get out of there.

Sib:

Fraeir:
Diamond Katana < Diamond Sword
Warhammer/Mace < Hammer
8D

I think you messed up your signs there, coz < means less than. Although I agree on the katana < sword bit. Not sure where people get the whole "katanaz r sooo kewl gaiz!" thing.

Nah, katanas are amazing weapons. Especially German ones, that are created using real quality steel, unlike the horrific steel they have in Japan.

That's the thing though, the Japanese of old HAD to make really complicated blades using really complex techniques just to get a working weapon. In Europe we had good steel, so if we just bashed it into the shape of a sword it could take quite a beating. If they'd tried the same thing in Japan, with the soiled iron they had there, you'd be hard pressed to kill an unarmoured man with it, and having the blade survive.

Combining the two, like they do in Germany today with swords for competition and training and such, produces really amazing lightweight weapons, with a much sharper cutting edge than western swords.

Granted, without proper training it's not going to do you much good, and against a zombie even less. Swords aren't that good for bashing brains or completely severing limbs, they're better for flesh wounds, that'd kill humans, sure, but not zombies.

So yeah, I'd stick with a short axe. It's good to have for other stuff as well, and it's excellent at splitting skulls. And a ruby and an obsidian knife, just for coolness factor.