Knife Close Quarters

[Lou]

In the event of a close quarters 1 on 1 confrontation with the undead, with only a knife to use as a weapon at hand, I was wondering where the best place to strike the head woukld be. Through an eye socket, the temple or perhaps the back of the neck between the skull and spinal column. Tell me what you guys think

[bgaesop]

I would shove the zombie and run. Seriously, while knives are useful, I would not want to use one against a zombie. Unless by knife you mean claymore and by "you are fighting a zombie" you mean "William Wallace is fighting a zombie" I doubt you could do anything. Also, get something better suited before the PAW is my plan.

[randomusername]

I kinda figured in the eye, ear or under the mouth and up thru the whole head, while you'd need a long knife, i keep my K-Bar right her eon my desk so i'm not worried.

[Vindex]

In DOTD78, Roger drove a screwdriver through a zombie's ear into its brain. The foramen magnum also seems good (hole in the skull where the spine enters).

[bgaesop]

In DOTD78, Roger drove a screwdriver through a zombie's ear into its brain. The foramen magnum also seems good (hole in the skull where the spine enters).

....wouldn't you need to get the spine out of there first? If you can pull a zombie's spine out of its back, why are you bothering with a knife?!

[hydrogen]

get the military manual FM 21-150. teaches a lot about hand to hand combat with and with out weapons. a lot of points on places to strike and stab on the head.

[kyle]

I would shove the zombie and run. Seriously, while knives are useful, I would not want to use one against a zombie.

word.

At least pick up a chair leg or something. I'd perfer to knock it to the ground and boot it in the head than fumble my fingers that close to it's gnawing teeth.

[randomusername]

One thing my brother has theorized about it taking a knive horizontally into a zombies mouth, to the base of the head then pulling down, effectively cutting/ripping out its lower jaw, making it incapable of biting, ideas anyone?

other than the basic theory of "it'd scratch you" and other things, if there were no danger, I think it'd make for some harmless zombies.

[bgaesop]

One thing my brother has theorized about it taking a knive horizontally into a zombies mouth, to the base of the head then pulling down, effectively cutting/ripping out its lower jaw, making it incapable of biting, ideas anyone?

other than the basic theory of "it'd scratch you" and other things, if there were no danger, I think it'd make for some harmless zombies.

...


That's really creepy. Why would you do that instead of rekilling it? Seems to me it would be asking for trouble. It might get you while you're doing that, and why would you even do it? It could still hold you in place while other zombies try to eat you, unless you also contained it. That's just weird.

[Hollywood]

One thing my brother has theorized about it taking a knive horizontally into a zombies mouth, to the base of the head then pulling down, effectively cutting/ripping out its lower jaw, making it incapable of biting, ideas anyone?

other than the basic theory of "it'd scratch you" and other things, if there were no danger, I think it'd make for some harmless zombies.

Danger?

Other than the inherent danger of STICKING YOUR HAND IN A ZOMBIE'S MOUTH, no danger at all.

Nifty idea, only really feasible if you had some big-ass welder's gloves or soemthing.

And could you rip a jaw out...
my guess is it takes a lot of force-- animal jaws are tough to get out too.

[randomusername]

Well, i see that theory was just for fun, Bgaesop and hollywood, your hand doesn't go in, the knife goes thru cheeks to the back, then point down and pull, with a knife large enough to have a hand on each side and not INside, and yes, gloves.

[jamoni]

I agree with Aesop's first post. Shove him and run. A knife is by definition a weapon which requires you to move closer to your opponent to use. Right where you don't want to be. If a zombie has you down on the ground, you are better off using grappling skills to protect yourself from bites and achieve an escape. And you can take those grappling skills anywhere.

[TDW586]

Well, i see that theory was just for fun, Bgaesop and hollywood, your hand doesn't go in, the knife goes thru cheeks to the back, then point down and pull, with a knife large enough to have a hand on each side and not INside, and yes, gloves.

I really don't think you could cut someone's jaw off like that. I've skinned enough animals to know how tough muscle and bone can be.

[Moonrabbit]

If he's got you around the waist and his mouth is open about to sink in. yeah, knife through the temple, maybe ear, under the jaw. But there's bone behind the eye isn't there? Though probably pretty weak.

[TDW586]

But there's bone behind the eye isn't there?

Nope.

[*Mike*]

1. Shove down
2. Crush Head
3. RLH

I agree with Bgaesop, Kyle, Jamoni, screw the knife.
I'd say the ideal plave would have to be up through the bottom of the jaw if you did use the knife.

[CLEAR CUT]

But there's bone behind the eye isn't there?

Nope.

Check this out:http://www.instantanatomy.net/headneck/areas/bonesoforbit.html

I'm pretty sure there is in fact bone behind the eye. I don't think it's very sturdy but it is bone none the less.

[TDW586]

Check this out:http://www.instantanatomy.net/headneck/areas/bonesoforbit.html

I'm pretty sure there is in fact bone behind the eye. I don't think it's very sturdy but it is bone none the less.

You're referring to the Ethmoid bone? I'm not sure, but I'm pretty sure that's a part of the nasal structure, and doesn't extend behind the eye.

[jamoni]

The channel the optic nerves run through goes to the frontal lobe. I don't recall how big the nerve is exactly, but it's pretty big. And the bone behind the eye is relatively thin. Still, it's also directly above a zombiemouth (tm).

[CLEAR CUT]

Check this out:http://www.instantanatomy.net/headneck/areas/bonesoforbit.html

I'm pretty sure there is in fact bone behind the eye. I don't think it's very sturdy but it is bone none the less.

You're referring to the Ethmoid bone? I'm not sure, but I'm pretty sure that's a part of the nasal structure, and doesn't extend behind the eye.

The Ethmoid bone is one of them but from the picture it looks to me that there is a conjunction of several bones that make up the eye socket/orbit.

Overall I think this is a very weak part of the skull and worth a closer look. Perhaps a worthy target to exploit when dispatching a zombie.

The head is made up of a total of 22 bones. 8 in the cranium or braincase. 13 in the face( very small fragile bones of which some make up the eye socket/orbit) and 1 mandible. The fragility of the skull is legendary in a mortal. In the undead? Who knows. Wanna find out? I think this is part of the reason people wear helmets( I know we're talking eye sockets and orbits, but, I was speaking of the skull as a whole. The face is even more so).

[TDW586]

Clear-Cut, I agree, but I'm pretty sure there is a pretty big hole, with no bone, in the eye socket.

[CLEAR CUT]

I agree as well there is a hole. However large, I think this is a definite weakness. One worth exploring and exploiting when push comes to shove.

[Maj.Exec]

So very hard to stay on topic, when wielding a knife is near useless around zombies. I say, use the knife to whiddle a @#$% "shank", then @#% "shiv" the zombie in the face. Then stick the knife in it's head, and show to your friends how much a badass you really are...

[ProZombieHunter]

Whittle a club?

Whittle a SHANK!