Tameshigiri: Naginata

The Japanese knew how to make an edged weapon. This is a naginata in action against rolled bamboo mats, a practice known as Tameshigiri.

You've probably seen something similar with the familiar katana, or samurai sword. The Naginata was a polearm that essentially mated the cutting edge of the samurai sword with the leverage of a spear.

Traditional tales speak of warriors whirling the naginata around their bodies like windmills, sweeping flights of arrows out of the air with a swipe, and even beheading charging horses with one well-timed cut.

True? Maybe. The cutting potential of such a weapon is obvious. I'm not entirely sure I'd recommend a naginata as a zombie defense tool for the uninitiated, but it's worth looking into.

Gear Pr0n: Starter Kit

We're off to a pretty good start here. Shotgun as a primary. Glock pistol as a secondary. Then a light machete for quick work, and a tomahawk for general work, or when you want to put that Zed down with a single blow.

Gear Pr0n: The Tactical Gladius

Swords are awesome for zombies. Especially when you find them in small numbers. But you have to balance the convenience of ammo conservation with carry weight. So while your first inclination might be to get something long for extra reach, you really shouldn't overlook the short sword.

Here we see a selection of swords after the Roam Gladius fashion. Sturdy defenders that will easily cleave into some zed's skull, yet won't slow you down.

Gear Pr0n: Strider LM Nail

Strider makes expensive knives that are worth every penny. It's quality workmanship. So I had to do a little research when I heard they were making a weapon that retailed for $50. Seriously?

It turned out the weapon in question is The Nail. And pretty much, that is what it is. Up to 9 inches of steel ground to a very sharp point and not subjected to heat treatment. It's then paired with a dead simple kydex sheath with paracord looping. You can slip the Nail in its sheath through a single column of standard MOLLE webbing and tie it into place. Nothing to break.

The owner of these Nails has fashioned a paracord grip for a little extra tack in the hand.

So what are these used for? Well, the instruction manual is simple: "Insert pointy end into assailant. Repeat as necessary." It's a last ditch, close combat tool specifically designed to make the bad guy want to get off of you as quickly as possible, or die trying.

I can easily see slipping one of these behind a pouch on my chest rig for those inevitable close encounters. I wouldn't want to have to rely on one of these to finish off a zombie, but it's better than empty hands, and I'm pretty sure I can force into the brain case if I have to. It should strike primordial terror into the hearts of Vampires -- while wooden stakes are the Hollywood mainstay, railroad spikes and coffin nails have also been used to equal effect historically. This thing looks close enough to match.

Available at Blue Line Gear http://www.bluelinegear.com/p-427-strider-lm-nail.aspx and Monkey Edge http://www.monkeyedge.com/Strider_Knives_Fixed_LM_Nail_p/sk0437.htm.

Gear Pr0n: Cutlery Showcase

Obviously having a good knife in your kit for the inevitable day of Zombiggeddon is a smart thing. You'll need something stout to decapitate your shambling walkers, and you'll need something for your sundry survival needs. You don't need to take it to this extreme, but having options is a good thing.

Gear Pr0n: The Rambo Knife

Back in the 1980's, you weren't badass if you didn't have a "Rambo" Knife.

The movie First Blood introduced us to John Rambo, a Special Forces vet suffering from extreme Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and some form of dissociative disorder. Pushed too far, the rugged individualist Rambo struck back with his survivalist skills. And he used his trusty Bowie knife to help him out.

The first two movies set the pattern for the pop-culture phenomena of the Rambo Knife. He used large Bowie knives with sawbacks and hollow handles. An assortment of survival goodies were stored in the hollow, including a compass under the cap.

The third movie broke the pattern by using a knife without the survival kit handle. But the knife was still over-sized and created as an artfully-shaped Bowie.

The recent sequel went further. The knife was the biggest yet, but the shape had changed completely into a Jungle machete or parang type blade. Also, while the other knives had been handcrafted by artisan bladesmiths, the fourth knife was intentionally left more crude and primitive to reflect the storyline of the movie. (The knife itself, of course was still handmade by a bladesmith.)

Above are replicas of these iconic knives. And while the Rambo knife has had critics over the years, any of them will serve you well in the inevitable zombiggeddon. Just make sure you're buying a quality survival knife and not a $15 Taiwanese import.

Zombie Survival Kit Week: The Basics

Glock and Shotgun for basic defense. Machete for conserving ammo. Knife for utility needs. Crowbar and Tomahawk for melee weapons and the all-important task of breaking into spaces to scavange for necessities. Plus, a handy copy of the Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks. This person is off to a fantastic start.

Zombietools.net

I've mentioned before that while it's nice to have a bag full of cheap, efficient, sharp machetes, axes, and large knives, having a sturdy, craftsmen-made blade is a worthwhile investment when you've reached a certain level of preparedness.

Craftsmen lavish care and attention on their work, and turn out something special. These are knives and swords that won't let you down in a pinch. Having that level of confidence in your knife can help you sleep at night while the demons released from the gaping maw of hell wail in the darkness surrounding your fortified hide site.

There are a number of sword and knife smiths I've found that specialize in historical blades and forging methods. These are proven designs and that's why I like them. But maybe you're looking for something a little more flashy, yet still practical and combat-ready. Then maybe Zombietools.net is for you.

These guys seem to "get it." You're sure to find a blade that suits your badass, zombie-hunting personality from them. And while they aren't cheap, their prices are right in the sweetspot for craftsmen's work. I easily paid in this range a few years ago for a Last Legend Katana. So go on... Check them out.

Cold Steel Gladius

Everyone loves the machete because it's cheap, sword length, handy, and choppy-choppy.

And everyone loves swords because they tend to add a bit more control in anti-personnel situation.

So here's a machete that also a sword! It's the Cold Steel Gladius. The Gladius was the standard sword of the Roman Legions. It was originally used by some of their opponents, but the Romans found the shape incredibly useful for their way of way.

The Roman Legions were trained to fight in formation from behind shields. The sword would chops and stab, chop and stab, chop and stab, creating an action along the front of the formation like an enormous chainsaw ripping into the enemies. The short length of the sword encouraged the Legionnaires to close with the targets, and also brought them within the business end of their enemies' spears.

Most of us won't fight with shields, and while we don't really want to get too close to our zombie foes, we do appreciate the handiness of the shorter length. It's a good size for a one handed sword. And Cold Steel makes it cheap! AND they offer a polypropylene training version, so you can actually learn to handle the sword properly without risking your blade.

Zombie Survival Kit Week: Break Glass 3

While I am a fan of this kit, it does have some drawbacks. The shotgun does not have adequate ammunition available, the paddle looks a little too flimsy (import a cricket bat instead), the explosives are potentially more dangerous to the user than the zombies, and keeping Max Brooks excellent book behind glass until the moment of truth is shortsighted. Better to have it available and read well in advance of needing it.

Zombie Survival Kit Week: Gucci Gear

This guy seems to be sponsored by Oakley. Now, Oakley makes some good stuff, including some awesome boots I should review some day, and the assault gloves featured in this video (approved by both Batman and Delta Force). And I should note, you get what you pay for in terms of quality. But Oakley stuff is expensive, and most of it isn't designed for combat. His vest and his leg pouch are for adventure seekers. They aren't designed or constructed for hauling military gear or taking the abuse that's associated with combat.

His leg pouch can carry magazines, but they're just tossed into the top pouch. He's going to be fumbling around looking for one when his back is against the wall and zombies are closing in. A dedicated pistol mag pouch will hold the magazines sure and true and he'll be able to lay his hands on one quickly and reliably.

And it looks like he's soaked all his money into the Oakley gear and cheated himself on the giant bowie knife. His SOG tomahawk is a good choice, but that bowie looks like a flea market special. Maybe if he'd spent less money on his video collection, he could've purchased a San Mai steel Kukri from Cold Steel. That's a worthwhile investment.

Zombie Survival Kit Week: Video Review 1

Hmmm... This man has obviously placed a lot of thought into his zombie survival kit. Unfortunately, his kit has a high degree of Fail associated with it.

He does okay in his choice of firearms (the ever popular M4 and Glock) and knives (a Kukri and a RAT). He's pretty smart to include binoculars. And, of course, he has water.

But he's critically short of vital supplies such as ammo and water. Now, you could argue that he's only showing a representative selection, but it doesn't appear he has provision for carrying much more ammo and water.

What about food? Why does he waste space with a Rubik's Cube? And an iPod??? Seriously? Oh, yeah, I'll be sure to plug into earbuds and waste one of my most important senses for situational awareness.

Still, he has some nice equipment, and we can learn a lot from looking at shortcomings.

FMA drill

Sorry; I've been collecting and posting so many FMA vids over the last two weeks that I've lost track. I don't think I've posted this.

If I have, let me excuse it by saying that drills are important to any martial art. You need to drill your melee weapon skills, and you should carry over to drilling your firearms skills. Drill, drill, drill. It's the heart of preparation.

Max Brooks on Machetes

Renowned Zombie expert, Max Brooks, provides some advice about the Machete as an anti-zombie weapon.

FMA Week Too: Beginner's Sparring

The secret to developing practical martial arts skills is resistance against a thinking, live opponent. (Yes, this is ironic since so many of our opponents are technically "dead.") Sparring -- early and often in the martial artist's career -- is probably the best way to develop true skill. But often the examples we see are high level practitioners who have been sparring for years, even decades. This can intimidate beginners, who are afraid they will just look silly trying the skills with which they are still uncomfortable.

We've seen several examples of people who are excellent fighters, so I thought it might be worthwhile providing an example of beginner's at play. You'll see how tentative they are. You'll see mistakes. There is obvious room for improvement. All of that is completely understandable at this level. The goal is only to try hard and use what you've learned.

FMA Week Too: Fight Quest Part 5

The final challenge awaits! The guys face two battle-hardened Filipino Marines who are experts in Pekiti Tirsia Kali. Who will win?

FMA Week Too: Fight Quest Part 4

The big challenge gets closer still...

Gear Pr0n: What is Ready?

On the surface, this person appears to be "ready" for the inevitable zombie apocalypse. He's got the M4, pistols, a scoped rifle, a shotgun, and plenty of edged weapons. But his collection begs the question: just what is "ready?" How, for example, does he plan on carrying all this? Instead of buying a leveraction rifle, maybe he should invest in some pouches for his M4 magazines, or holsters for his pistols? Does he even have a backpack to carry loose ammunition? Something he could strap his swords to? This is haphazard. He has purchased without a plan. He's bought things that look cool. How many swords does he need? Something I learned early in this business is that you have to understand your Requirements, with a capital "R." What is your mission, what do you need to accomplish it safely and efficiently, and how can you wisely spend your resources to achieve those two functions? I recommend you start with three guns: carbine, pistol, and shotgun. Now, I like the M4, the Glock, and either the Mossberg or Remington 870 in tactical furniture. Next you need ammunition and something to carry it with you. After that you need to start thinking about a good melee weapon. Then take it from there. I don't just post Gear Pr0n features because the stuff looks pretty. You need to think about what you're seeing and adapting it for your needs. Today, my advice to you is to seriously consider what your needs will be for everyday zombie hunting, or Zombieggedon

FMA Week Too: Fight Quest Part 3

The guys continue to train with sticks and knives so they won't be hurt too badly during the final challenge.

FMA Week(end): Pekiti Tirsia Kali

More from the particular FMA discipline Pekiti Tirsia Kali, the art taught to the Filipino Marines