Improvised Weapons

Improvised Weapons

What is the most effective hand-to-hand zombie combat weapon? Is it the Shaolin spade? The Japanese katana? The Swiss halberd? This question has been argued time and again by soldiers and civilians alike. The answer is actually quite simple: the best weapon is the one you have in your hand at the time of attack. A hand-forged samurai sword worth thousands of dollars is useless if it’s lying in your sleeping bag as a zombie clutches your throat. Likewise, a ten-dollar crowbar can provide years of faithful, defensive service if maintained well and used properly.

For an excellent historical example of weapon improvisation, look to Okinawa as a guide. In 1609, the island was captured and occupied by the Japanese Satsuma Clan. Shortly thereafter, the Clan banned possession of swords and firearms by all commoners and the peasant community. In order to defend themselves, the largely farming Okinawan population turned to their everyday agricultural tools, and developed them into the weapons-based martial art known as Kobudo.

Implements that were used to dig furrows (sai), carry baskets (bo), and harvest rice (kama) were transformed into the weapons that are still present and practiced hundreds of years later. Two of the most popular Kobudo weapons seen in the West are the nunchaku, made popular by the late martial artist Bruce Lee, and the tonfa, which has been modified for law enforcement use as the side-handled PR-24 baton.

Okinawan history shows us that it is not necessary or required to spend hundreds of dollars on custom-made weaponry. With a combat mindset, take a walk around your home, your garden, or your garage. You will spot many everyday implements at your disposal that can provide excellent protection against the undead.