No melee weapons

[cPT.cAPSLOCK]

Are you telling me that in LA there are no Do-it-yourself / hardware stores where you can buy tools (hammers, chisels, saws) and materials(wooden planks, beams/timber, and the likes) when required? I don't really believe there are none of those.
Heck, you could even get the required materials at the IKEA if you take your time

You're not dependent on anything growing outside or whatever.

Edit: looked up on Google maps, and there are several hardware stores in LA that have everything you need.

[HaveCrowBarWillTravel]

I was instructed with a slight snear and a slap on the back by a fellow SNCO to read the following:
http://www.equipped.com/21-76/ch12.pdf and http://www.equipped.com/21-76/ch8.pdf (look under killing devices)

That's the Army Survival Manual FM-21-76
You let me know if you still think you can make a bow from the wood in a home depot. My opinion only, but lumber is normally the only wood you find. Great for making arrows probably. a Bow is a bit harder. Some kind of rubber, plastic tube may work. The real question is: will there be enough force to penetrate a skull?
So, tell me how you envision making a bow, what kind of materials? I'm not trying to poopoo your idea, i'm asking for clarification.

[cPT.cAPSLOCK]

I'm sorry, but I find it hard to clarify it further.
English isn't my native language, so I don't know some specific words - like the names of specific types or 'shapes' of wood - which I'd need. A good ol' fashioned dictionary isn't of any help either.

All I can say is that I've built some bows as a kid with materials from a local hardware store.

Also, I worked on a potato gun roughly a year ago. After swapping the large, PVC barrel with a thinner (1cm radius) steel one, I could shoot marbles at over 100km/h. They shot straight trough several sheets of wood - they'd be pretty darn lethal.

The 'control panel', a 10x20 piece of wood, had a switch and a button.
The firing mechanism involved spraying deodorant in an isolated chamber, where a small fan (connected to the switch) caused the gas to spread evenly (60mm computer fan, running on 6v instead of 12). It was ignited by a spark from a 12v car battery after pressing the button.
Everything was home-made, and anyone with a little knowledge about physics could do the same. Besides, the fan wasn't crucial, it just improved the gun's performance.
The only problem with my gun (for my use) was that it's impossible to aim - the gun I had built was positioned stationary, and aimed in a straight line down the improvised firing range.

Still, if you'd wear the car battery like a backpack it'd be very possible to create a similarly effective portable version. Using a smaller battery would work too: it'd only need to be able to give a spark, and power a fan for a few seconds if you'd add one to the construction.

The biggest problem would be the rate of fire and ammunition. Unless you raid a toy store you won't have many marbles. And to load the gun, you had to push open a little latch (opened inwards), spray the deodorant, close the door, roll down the marble trough the barrel (it stopped because of a sorta barricade at the bottom of the barrel) and only then you could fire.

Not ideal unless rate of fire is no issue.

[nikvoodoo]

Angel left the stick. Me, i'd have kept it and shaped the inside curve with a cutting edge. One makeshift axe! Not a very strong one, but it's enough of a weapon when you don't have one. Hell, give me a BFR in a sock!

I applaud the ingenuity regarding the hockey stick, but you'd be better off the the loaded sock. A hockey stick (presumed to be a forward's stick) located inside a professional sports arena would 99 times out of 100 be a composite stick (fiberglass/aluminum). The odds of you doing any real lasting damage swinging the stick with the intent to kill would be so low. The blades of the stick are light weight, glued in place, and would probably fly off after a hit or two, if the shaft would last that long. Hockey sticks are designed to flex so if you hit a hard enough object, it would keep flexing and just snap....at least you'd have a spear as a last ditch effort...

Now, if you find a goalie stick, you would have something to go with. They are thicker, and designed to take punishment. They are heavier and weighted more to be wielded as a weapon. And if you were to put a blade on the paddle's edge, you'd have a far more effective weapon. Again, it wouldn't last long and the effort to make it would make it worthless...

but it would make Casey Jones proud....much like I am proud to have actually been able to use my years of hockey knowledge in a zombie apocalypse.

[HaveCrowBarWillTravel]

LOL@ Nikvoodoo's Hockey knowledge!
Thanks for the reply too. My thing is that you can put an edge on anything given time, rough surface or fire. My thing is that any weapon is better than your hands. The rock in a sock works too with a thick enough sock or couple socks. Most of the time you don't need to kill them, you just need to create space enough to get your ass outta dodge.

[Eitri]

Ok, so i'm talking about a time where all the bullets have been used, and until you can find more or find a replacement projectile weapon you'll have to use something else, a close range weapon. Modifications can be made on said weapon

My Melee weapon would either be:
A crowbar: its a tool, and it has a long reach.
Bowie Knife: 6 to 12 inches in length, well made and can be stored in a sheath.
Axe(fire, wood cutting ETC): good reach, can chop wood and a good weapon.
Chain saw: Yes it makes alot of noise but it cuts through zombies like a hot knife through butter.

The weight of the weapon is also a factor, and if it needs fuel. But it is a good idea to have a back-up in case your ammo runs out.
I rest my case.

[Ra1th]

well for one thing, i'm not using up all my bullets. Gotta keep one round for myself in case things get out of hand. Call it cowardice, but one flash of pain or being eaten alive? I'll take option A thank you.


But if I had to pick a melee weapon I'd prly go for a sword if I could get one, crowbar or an axe works too. But stealth is your only option. If its the WA universe the moment you're out of bullets, its all over. You'd have a small chance to run around and hide and try to skittles your way back to safety.

Chainsaw only works in l4d imo, i think the only way to go is stealth kills or long distance kills.

[Rock Daddy]

No bullets... I guess I'd really like an actual katana sword. I have some sword training, but finding a real heavy duty one that's battle-ready may be difficult. Most are display shits. Or maybe some type of spear... Melee weapons sound good for smashing skulls, but I'm afraid of blood spatter and getting the weapon stuck in the zombie. I'd love to use the chainsaw, but I think it's just a failure waiting to happen in the W/A zombie world.

[Luna Guardian]

Melee weapons I have immediate access to and would use:
- An US army surplus machete
- A Crocodile Dunee-ish "knife"
- Reserve Officer Academy knife
- A battle-ready 1400-era German knight's knife
- two crowbars, different size
- several baseball bats

All of which I can use. We also have a chainsaw in the shed, but I wouldn't use that except as a last resort. It's loud, dependant on outside power, very messy and has the risk of blowback.

[HaveCrowBarWillTravel]

Luna.. what the heck is a German Knight's Knife??? Take a picture and post that please! I'm an advocate of a large..ahem, Crowbar myself... Titanium preferably. Light weight, strong and multipurpose.
Machette are also a great weapon. I call them the AK47 of swords.