Zombie Tools: What do you guys think?

tueller said:
They are everything I hate about the whole zombie fad. The whole drink beers, play with knives called the "felon", and prepare for zombies, really hurts the knife community, bushcraft practitioners, and those that strongly believe in preparation for real life threats. The material is solid but you are paying for their marketing which I consider an insult to my intelligence. I said it before but my opinion of there company is that they are what would happen if the cold steel marketing team, green day and Buffy the vampire slayer had a baby, and the baby crapped. Sorry for the negativity but there is so much better out there.

We as knife enthusiasts work with knife rights organizations to educate the public and express that knives are tools meant for multiple responsible uses. A company like this does the complete opposite and sets us back so far. Really after looking at the website can you blame liberal people, liberal politicians, and liberal states that know nothing about knives. Of course there gonna see giant knives called "the felon" in cut tests, cutting off animal parts by beer drinking weirdo's, and want knife restrictions. And of course because of a biased media, they will get a lot more press than responsible knife owners.

Why not spend less money for a better knife and donate the remainder to kniferights.org or the NRA and ensure that you will be able to keep, carry and use your knife.
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I understand your view here but I think we need companies like this to be outlandish. I am glad people support them. It's a sad idea to think of everybody conforming and being PC out of fear. I like the thought of a good fellow American clearing some brush or breaking down some bottles with a $300 zombie slaying sword.
 
It appears to me that they are well made and apparently rather well designed (based on the bowies and the khukuri) with an over the top sort of marketing approach. I think they are, in those respects, somewhat unique. They use good steel, I've never heard anybody who has one not like it, they must know heat treating or engage somebody who does, they know how to shape and balance a knife. It's almost like a bunch of old school carbon steel knife guys are incorporated with a bunch of 17 year old video game dudes...and the knife guys get their way about 80% of the time on design issues and the video game dudes get their way about 99% of the time on the marketing side.

They have a rather unique construction in that they have the 5160 steel with aluminum scales wrapped with leather or some other leather-like material. Their coating treatment is not without aesthetic qualities.

I think they'd be a very easy company for old school guys to write off but I suspect their products are pretty good.
 
I have the apokatana well made and I like how it looks
I do feel that it is a little too heavy the blade is pretty thick.
but it also feels like it can take a beating and not break. The
kydex sheath could be alot better, I had a sheath for my swamp rat rucki
made by azwelke and there is no comparison.
 
tueller said:
They are everything I hate ...
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I don't know if I'd go so far as "hate"...but on the whole I have to agree. Silly, fantasy knives with teenaged-boy marketing, in my book.

That said, the brand seems successful enough, so more power to 'em, I guess. :cool:
 
These guys are having fun and putting out a solid product, what's wrong with that? I'm also willing to bet that they like their jobs a heck of a lot more than 50% of the people on this forum, and that's a conservative guess. They are using all american sourced materials and doing the work themselves, with the possible exception of the heat treating.

I'm not sticking up for these guys out of an appreciation for their somewhat juvenile approach, but rather out of respect for their freedom to have fun and to do what they like. I hate to say it, but we as a society need to lighten up a little and allow/accept more personal freedoms rather than criticize. To each their own is my motto.
 
Accelerator said:
These guys are having fun and putting out a solid product, what's wrong with that?
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Haven't you noticed? Fun is not allowed.
I've noticed this many times over the last few years, how anything which someone doesn't want themself is decried as "a grave threat to our right to own knives", or "juvenile idiocy", or some similar thing.

I for one like the variety which exists in the knife world, and if zombie themed blades get knives into the hands of more people, then awesome! They'll eventually end up using them for "woodsy" and gardening type tasks (as zombies tend to be in short supply), and end up building up the knife community further.

Who knows, if people got off their high horse, they might also have some fun along the way (gasp!).
 
Personally, I just like the overall design and look of the blades, being a fan of the steampunk/apocalyptic styling, plus finding more modernized sword designs is always cool. They may not appeal to everyone, but I feel like these blades are pretty high quality, and they seem to be guys who know what they're doing and supposedly have sword and weapon-based backgrounds going by their website, which probably helps. If I can find a maker on here who can make me a shorter and "beefed up" cutlass for some chopping of limbs (trees and zombies ;) ) in the $300 or so range I'd go that route, but it seems like something similar made by a well-established maker would run upwards of $500 if not even higher.
 
Big Chris has made some big knives in the $300 range (he's a maker on here).
Just ask around...at that price range you should be able to source something which will satisfy you. :)
 
stabman said:
Big Chris has made some big knives in the $300 range (he's a maker on here).
Just ask around...at that price range you should be able to source something which will satisfy you. :)
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Actually talking to him about an EDC fixed blade in M4, but maybe I should talk to him about a mini sabre in 3V... ;)
 
May go about having this made (a bit short, but for urban settings it's probably about right) or something similar. 1/4" 3V would be pretty great.
 
Accelerator said:
These guys are having fun and putting out a solid product, what's wrong with that? I'm also willing to bet that they like their jobs a heck of a lot more than 50% of the people on this forum, and that's a conservative guess. They are using all american sourced materials and doing the work themselves, with the possible exception of the heat treating.

I'm not sticking up for these guys out of an appreciation for their somewhat juvenile approach, but rather out of respect for their freedom to have fun and to do what they like. I hate to say it, but we as a society need to lighten up a little and allow/accept more personal freedoms rather than criticize. To each their own is my motto.
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Besides, if you don't like the finish, it can be removed, partially at least, which was what I did. It doesn't detract of the functionality of the blade in any way. Besides, for those who don't want you or me to have knives (or guns or whatever), there is no such a thing as the "right kind of knife". These people don't want anybody to enjoy something that they don't like, just because they don`t like it but we do. And I'll better stop here before some mod accuses me of being political. :D
 
Alvaro Candanedo said:
Besides, if you don't like the finish, it can be removed, partially at least, which was what I did. It doesn't detract of the functionality of the blade in any way. Besides, for those who don't want you or me to have knives (or guns or whatever), there is no such a thing as the "right kind of knife". These people don't want anybody to enjoy something that they don't like, just because they don`t like it but we do. And I'll better stop here before some mod accuses me of being political. :D
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Could you show your blade with the mods?
 
DSC00281.JPGDSC00282.JPG

O.K. here you go. I don't know if the difference with the "standard" Hellion sword, can be seen; I just sanded the blade with 240, 320 and 400 grit sanding paper. For one, the blades is of lighter color (I know, not the best photos).
 
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stabman said:
Haven't you noticed? Fun is not allowed.
I've noticed this many times over the last few years, how anything which someone doesn't want themself is decried as "a grave threat to our right to own knives", or "juvenile idiocy", or some similar thing.

I for one like the variety which exists in the knife world, and if zombie themed blades get knives into the hands of more people, then awesome! They'll eventually end up using them for "woodsy" and gardening type tasks (as zombies tend to be in short supply), and end up building up the knife community further.

Who knows, if people got off their high horse, they might also have some fun along the way (gasp!).
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This. I think it's far more a turnoff to non-knife people to have knife knuts acting like stiffs with no sense of humor, than a bunch of guys having fun AND making a living doing something they love.

I've got five Zombie Tool blades, including the D'Capitan. There is absolutely nothing related to the Zombie Tool style that would interfere with their function as swords. The finish can be left off upon request - none of mine have the splatter finish. The steel is good steel for the purpose. Yes, they will have a bit more stock than an historically "correct" blade; but they are modern swords, not replicas. They are a bit thicker and heavier for a purpose: strength in duties outside the range of "traditional" sword duties. Perfectly legitimate.

OP, if you like the style and you are aware of the slight overbuild, you will not be disappointed in the quality or performance.
 
BlackKnight86 said:
This. I think it's far more a turnoff to non-knife people to have knife knuts acting like stiffs with no sense of humor, than a bunch of guys having fun AND making a living doing something they love.

I've got five Zombie Tool blades, including the D'Capitan. There is absolutely nothing related to the Zombie Tool style that would interfere with their function as swords. The finish can be left off upon request - none of mine have the splatter finish. The steel is good steel for the purpose. Yes, they will have a bit more stock than an historically "correct" blade; but they are modern swords, not replicas. They are a bit thicker and heavier for a purpose: strength in duties outside the range of "traditional" sword duties. Perfectly legitimate.

OP, if you like the style and you are aware of the slight overbuild, you will not be disappointed in the quality or performance.
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Thank you for your input. Could we see some comparison pictures of yours as well?
 
VolundoftheForge said:
Thank you for your input. Could we see some comparison pictures of yours as well?
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Absolutely. I will try to do them tomorrow or Wednesday (got a 2 year old); but I'll get them in this week. Got the D'Capitain, Spit, Ferrous Wolf, Apokatana, and Zakasushi.
 
The Apokatana and Zaksushi on on my short list of swords to buy. They are cheaper than the alternatives (CS and some of the custom Japanese style sword makers). I would actually use them from some of my cutting and Gumdo forms. Korean swords are heavier than the Japanese equivalent, so the over build shouldn't be an issue. Anyone with a ZT sword do any tatami cuts with them?
 
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