Ultimate Zombie Survival Knife

[ShadeWPI]

A friend of mine is working on a business venture - developing a high end "ultimate survival knife" for wealthier clients who fancy themselves "preppers". He asked me to provide him some design help, so I thought I'd toss this out:

If you were looking for an "Ultimate Zombie Apocolpyse Survival Knife" what functions would it be able to do?

Please don't list features, rather list functions - In your mind, what should the knife + sheath be able to accomplish?

If you were evaluating a "survival" knife, what tests would you put it through to see how well it works?

 

[Boghog1]

part kukri, part parangwith a bit of Gerber BMF and Tom Browns Tracker knife, I would actually suggest 2 knives in one sheath, one smaller because 2 = 1, 1=0

 

[Kisspik002]

Grip storage with compass, waterproof matches, fishing line, things like that. IMO sheath should have good belt attachment and string to secure to leg or bag, also a retention strap so knife doesn't fall out.

Best of luck

 

[ShadeWPI]

Bog and Kiss,

Thank you both for suggestions, but those are both feature lists rather than function lists.

We're not at the features point, we're defining the functions and testing criteria for it first. We need to list of what the knife needs to be capable of doing before we can even start into a list of features the knife should have.

Bog,

I totally agree on the 2 knife design, not as much because 2 = 1 and 1 = 0, but more because there are functions that the comination needs to be able to do effectively that are contradictory rather than complimentary.

 

[coastie]

Have the strength and heft to do some rough work. Chop firewood/ bone etc. Be able to keep itself sharp (sharpening device included). Be able to do fine work. Fillet a fish, clean a small furry woodland creature etc. I like the 2 knife idea. Have some storage capability for a few basics like a fire stick, some snare wire, paracord etc but dont sacrifice strength for storage capacity. I find most of the hollow handle knives to be junk because of this. Basically fire and food all in one neat package.

FOr testing I would pull all the stuff out of it/off and see what it has. I had a nice knife thtat was wrapped in paracord. It was great when it was wrapped up but if you had to use the paracord for something you were left with a very crappy handle with sharp edges that was very uncomfortable to use. Would the stuff provided with it meet basic survival needs?

Then use it. Can it hack down a small tree a couple inches in dia? Can it split wood? How comfortable is it to wear around? Is it so heavy that I would leave it at camp? How does the edge hold up? It wouldnt be the most scientifc of testing but I would try to use it for whatever I tihnk I need it for.

 

[Boghog1]

Functions should include cutting vegetation, splitting wood, preparing game large and small, cutting vegetables, splitting pelvic bones of large game animals because too many don't know how to clean game properly. smashing stuff using the side of the blade like chestnuts and skulls, saw function. avoid the hollow handles as they are too weak

 

[atmay]

12-15" drop-point bowie, 3/8" thick spine, 2" wide blade, 1.5" wide primary bevel, total zero grind, handle long enough to squeeze two hands on to, checkered rubber. Full tang construction. Lanyard hole at the FRONT end of the handle.

ETA: this is what id be looking for in a big chopper, sharp enough to do precision cutting, long enough to fight with. Which is what id want in a survival knife.

 

[dnepro-mike]

one thing i've learned after most recent zombie appcalyps that knif is a useles tool agains zombies.
if you've go them at the arms reach you are pretty much a goner. as every scratch and minor wound will infect you.
you 've got to keep them beyond their arms reach.

old fashion army entrenching/survival 'Lobo' tool end up being the best meely combat tool there is against zombie hordes.

if you really want uses - read 'World War Z' book. very pragmatic approach to survival in zombie Apocalypse scenario

 

[Zepp]

+1 on the kukri, and a on board sharpening device would be great. Im not a huge fan of a hollow grind as a scandi grind is much easier to maintain in a tough situation. A serrated cutting edge would be a plus as well. Maybe an in built striker for fire steel... A thick blade for prying applications as well

 

[jmjkd]

The knife “is” the feature, the operator makes it function.

 

[Eta-Carinae]

If it's a true zombie uprising tool, while the ideal strike will be a decapitation, there will be unavoidable need to stab them in the head at times.

It should have a vacuum break and possibly even a gas injector like the scuba diving WASP knife.

Carbide striker for breaking tempered glass.

 

[newenglandjeff]

The knife/sheath combo should have a wire cutter to get through chain link fences.

 

[Rider]

It has to make Milla Jovovich appear on a GS1200 fully loaded and ready to kick ass.

 

[ShadeWPI]

Coastie and Bog,

Thank you both very much for taking this seriously and posting functions and tests and avoiding the "recommended features" like I asked people to do.

I know that in a ZA situation, a melee weapon is nearly useless - if you're close enough to use it, you're as good as dead, the goal here is to design a useful and effective tool.

jmj - if you're going to post completely useless comments to get your post count up, please do so else where.

Still looking for more thoughts / ideas for useful functions and tests. I've said it before, this is not a features request, that's later in the design cycle. Yes, there have been some useful feature recommendations, but without a target functions list, a features list is useless - and it's impossible to evaluate and compare features without a functional requirement to compare them by.

 

[P-14]

It should open a beer bottle to have a drink after living for another day.....

Having it open cans may be useful, too.

 

[Eta-Carinae]

Do stab/extract tests on a pig head, both with fist-strike and forward thrust motions.

Test grip performance when covered in blood simulator.

Usability as a spear with common plumbing supply pipe.

Usability as an improvised bayonet.

 

[coastie]

I don’t know if this helps but this is what I normally use for knives. I have 3 that I probably use 95% of the time.

First is a Swiss Army Tinker. I carry this everyday and use it all the time. I have filleted fish with it, cut kindling and tinder with it, dressed small game with it and even skinned a deer with it. I like having the tools as I am always using it to fix something. Downside is it is small and I would like one with a little heftier blade. Maybe with a partially serrated blade. The thing is I always have it.

Second is a 4” Mora I got from Sportsmans Guide for about 8 bucks. It is great. I use it for most of my butchering and cleaning fish and game. Everything from squirrel to moose. I didn’t butcher the moose with it as I had the processor do that but I have butchered deer with it. Have used it to split kindling and cut tinder. It is not rugged enough to do any real chopping with. The blade is easy to keep sharp and a good size. I particularly like the handle as it is rubber so the knife wont slip out of my hand when it is wet and bloody. One of these is always in my pack when I am hiking and hunting.

Last is an old Marbles knife. I got it when I was in high school at a yard sale. The blade is about 7-8” long. This is the heaviest knife that I normally use. I have used it to chop wood, build shelters and a number of tougher chores. It has the heft to chop and the balance to do finer stuff. I have used it on deer but nothing smaller. I could use it for small game but I haven’t had the need. It goes with me when I go up to camp to hunt. I usually leave it in the truck or the camp as I have no real need to carry it.

None of these knives are dedicated survival knives in the sense that they were designed as such and none of them have the capability to store other survival goodies. I usually have things like a lighter and a firestick in my pockets or pack and a small sharpener in my pack. They work well for me and what I use them for and I wouldn’t feel under knifed in a survival situation with any of them. If it was a true long term disaster and I were living off the land I would probably want something bigger that I could really chop with but if that were the case I would bring an ax or hatchet.

 

[SMS65]

Large: Chop, Saw, Pry, Crush, Defend, Not Rust, Full Tang
Small: Skin, Fillet, Gut, Not Rust, Can be used as a spear tip (i.e. as least 1 hole in handle) Full Tang

Nice-to-have/Interesting ideas: Grip can be removable braided para cord. Use sheath as storage, not the hollow handle; tackle, magnesium, whetstone, first aid, etc. are all relatively flat, and can be stored in the sheath between layers of leather/kydex. Or better yet...make the sheath out of reusable duct tape

Not: Zombie Green, Contain the word Zombie in the name, Hollow Handle

 

[Hiltonizer]

Float.

 

[jmjkd]

"jmj - if you're going to post completely useless comments to get your post count up, please do so else where.


Shade I'm not f**king with you, I'm serious. Get the most unbelievable knife design made and put it in your hand to fight zombie's or who ever, then put a shit box cub scout knife in the hands of Leo Gaji.
and that all American super blade design is irrelevant, grind, thickness, size, weight, sheath all meaningless. That's the combat side because you mentioned an opposition. So I posted.

Now if you are talking about the making of the knife alone for tasks, design matters. But the building of a knife has nothing to do with the ability to fend of an attack by zombies or anyone.
Just keeping it real.

 

[atmay]

Functionality:
split (via batoning) 8" log
Cut free-standing brush
Remove up to 3/4" branches from tree limbs
Reach vital organs of human from most/all angles
Chop through animal bone (for butchering)
Stab, slice and chop reasonably well.


Tests:
Split 8" logs
Cut free-hanging 1/4-4" manila rope
Buck logs via chopping (as with an ax)

 

[Boghog1]

I don’t know if this helps but this is what I normally use for knives. I have 3 that I probably use 95% of the time.

First is a Swiss Army Tinker. I carry this everyday and use it all the time. I have filleted fish with it, cut kindling and tinder with it, dressed small game with it and even skinned a deer with it. I like having the tools as I am always using it to fix something. Downside is it is small and I would like one with a little heftier blade. Maybe with a partially serrated blade. The thing is I always have it.

Second is a 4” Mora I got from Sportsmans Guide for about 8 bucks. It is great. I use it for most of my butchering and cleaning fish and game. Everything from squirrel to moose. I didn’t butcher the moose with it as I had the processor do that but I have butchered deer with it. Have used it to split kindling and cut tinder. It is not rugged enough to do any real chopping with. The blade is easy to keep sharp and a good size. I particularly like the handle as it is rubber so the knife wont slip out of my hand when it is wet and bloody. One of these is always in my pack when I am hiking and hunting.

Last is an old Marbles knife. I got it when I was in high school at a yard sale. The blade is about 7-8” long. This is the heaviest knife that I normally use. I have used it to chop wood, build shelters and a number of tougher chores. It has the heft to chop and the balance to do finer stuff. I have used it on deer but nothing smaller. I could use it for small game but I haven’t had the need. It goes with me when I go up to camp to hunt. I usually leave it in the truck or the camp as I have no real need to carry it.

None of these knives are dedicated survival knives in the sense that they were designed as such and none of them have the capability to store other survival goodies. I usually have things like a lighter and a firestick in my pockets or pack and a small sharpener in my pack. They work well for me and what I use them for and I wouldn’t feel under knifed in a survival situation with any of them. If it was a true long term disaster and I were living off the land I would probably want something bigger that I could really chop with but if that were the case I would bring an ax or hatchet.

I have the super tinker and it is by far my favorite, I also have a Mora and would like to get another with the slightly smaller blade. I would love to see a pick of the old Marbles knife.

 

[Zepp]

Moras are key for there simplistuc approach to a knife (again Scandinavian grind), i own several love them all. Something like this but with what i said in my erlier post, a nice choppa.



12-18" so its a short machett/long knife

 

[Boghog1]

nice knife who makes that?

 

[ShadeWPI]

"jmj - if you're going to post completely useless comments to get your post count up, please do so else where.


Shade I'm not f**king with you, I'm serious. Get the most unbelievable knife design made and put it in your hand to fight zombie's or who ever, then put a shit box cub scout knife in the hands of Leo Gaji.
and that all American super blade design is irrelevant, grind, thickness, size, weight, sheath all meaningless. That's the combat side because you mentioned an opposition. So I posted.

Now if you are talking about the making of the knife alone for tasks, design matters. But the building of a knife has nothing to do with the ability to fend of an attack by zombies or anyone.
Just keeping it real.

-1 w/ comment: still adding nothing to the discussion at hand. Add something or remain silent.

Yes, everyone knows that skill with a weapon means an order of magnitude more in a fight than the features / construction / functions of a weapon. That's not what we're discussing here. This is part of a product development cycle, the early stages of product definition which is functional identification - what will the product have to do and how to test it so that individual features can be evaluated to determine how well each feature meets the required function.

Your misguided attempts to add irrelevant comments about skill being more important than form of the tool in hopes of bolstering your reputation as a martial arts expert, are still irrelevant to a product development. If you have something to add regarding the product development based on personal experience with fighting techniques, I'd welcome them. As long as they're limited to irrelevant commentary, please look elsewhere.

 

[ShadeWPI]

To everyone who has contributed, thank you very much. Please know I am taking all of this down and it will all go into consideration as we move into the features defintion phase of the development. If you have more functional / testing recommendations, they're very welcomed.

Bog, Atmay, Eta, Coastie, et all, - thank you very much for you contributions. If we can get this project out of development and into prototyping, I'll see what I can do about getting you guys prototypes for testing.

 

[dwarven1]

ShadeWPI,

To me, first and foremost, a knife must be SHARP and it must HOLD that edge. It's primarily a cutting/slashing tool and that's what I use it for. I know this is more of a "feature" than a task, but it's got to stay sharp so that it can be used to cut whatever is needed - be it a zombie's neck, a 1/2" line or even small steel cable (I'm thinking that the ability to cut small cable locks - commonly found on, say, firearms - would be VERY useful, if it can be made that tough).

Many years ago I witnessed a "sharpest blade contest". The task was to slash through a section of the New York Times which had been rolled up and was suspended, free hanging, from a rope. The blade that won that contest was the only one that slashed through two rolls and then slashed through 2/3 of the third (in separate slashes). It was a 40 year old wakizashi, brought back from WWII. (BTW... none of the other knives even slashed half-way through one newspaper roll)

THAT'S the test I'd like to see your friend's high-end knife pass. If it can't do what that wakizashi did... it's not going to be something I'd like to rely on long-term.

Hope this is helpful.

 

[jmjkd]

For combat
Make sure the blade has a slight curve so to both slash and thrust.
Keep it blackened with no shine for concealment and avoid stroke detection.
Keep a Blood groove.
Full tang so it won't break entering or coming out of bone, sinew and such.
Make sure it has a guard to avoid cutting your own hand when getting stuck in organs and bone.
Make sure it has a universal grip to be held in various positions, standard, false, foil ect
Make sure the sheath has a universal attachment to be worn anywhere.
Make sure the butt end is a good skull crusher .
Make sure it is double edged to give you twice the chance if you suck at knife fighting.
the 2 cents

 

[Zepp]

nice knife who makes that?

Cold steel rajah 2 it has a.neat feature where it flips open upon extraction from your pockef the blades pretty heavy but the grind is meh.

 

[atmay]

Make sure it is double edged to give you twice the chance if you suck at knife fighting.
the 2 cents

Even if this didn't ruin just about any/all utility value such a knife should have, have you ever given a double-edged knife to someone who doesn't know what they're doing? And seen them try and use it?

For someone who isn't a capable knife fighter/user, a double-edged blade is nothing but a hazard.



ETA: I forgot to add anything about sheath functionality. I prefer kydex, with plenty of mounting holes....spaced properly for a tek-lok. All the sheath needs to do is protect the edge, and keep the knife readily accessible....however the user decides its best to mount it.