The sword is one of the oldest weapons known to man. It first appeared in history during the Bronze Age and was little more than a long dagger. The sword is still part of military dress today but is more of a nostalgic accessory than a functioning weapon. Although it is not considered by most people to be the standard weapon of the day, it is still very popular and can be found in may homes as a decorative piece, or by sword enthusiasts who like holding on to a piece of history. A quality reproduction sword is fairly easy to find as present day blacksmithing is an ever increasing hobby and profession. Reproduction combat ready swords can be purchased for as little as two hundred dollars or as much as several thousand.

	A Reproduction Sword

The sword is one of those weapons that can either help or a hinder you. The main attack with a sword is a swipe or stab. Both of which are fairly useless against a zombie, but we'll cover that later. Depending on the type of sword you have will change the effectiveness of the weapon. For example, a German Großes Messer (Grosses Messer) is a fairly short fast weapon used for slashing while the European Rapier is primarily used of stabbing or thrusts. The high carbon steel of a reproduction sword will allow it to hold an edge for a decent amount of time, and unlike stainless steel, which becomes very hard and brittle, the high carbon steel will be able to withstand a good beating. However the carbon in the steel allows the weapon to become prone to rust, so more care is required for this type of weapon. Lastly, if you are lucky enough to have a sword forged by a modern blacksmith, or an antique blade in good condition, this is a weapon made for the sole purpose of killing, and will hold a good edge and withstand many attacks.

The sword relies primarily on a cleaving attack to cut your attacker, hopefully lopping off limbs or best case scenario, heads. Cutting a zombie is pretty useless; it does not hurt them. Cuts also spray blood and other bodily fluids everywhere which you will be in close proximity to. These fluids could be ingested or absorbed and then you too will become a zombie. When swinging or swiping at a zombie, the most effective way would be to aim for the head. The sharpened edge of the blade combined with the blunt force associated with the impact is usually sufficient to rupture the skull and dispatch a zombie. Stabbing again is fairly useless. As mentioned before, ZOMBIES DON'T FEEL PAIN!!! If you stab them in the chest or anywhere else, they will probably just keep walking, running themselves through to the hilt or guard of your sword, and then bite you. When stabbing a zombie, the most effective way would be to go right through the eye socket into the brain, although such a strike is hard and requires practice. You may get lucky but don't rely on this. Unfortunately, the effectiveness of a sword will rely on the quality of the weapon and the skill of the person wielding it. A sword is a weapon that can be picked up and used with relative ease but the skill that goes behind it takes a lifetime to master. An inexperienced wielder will tire quickly and the strikes will most likely be ineffective. In the hands of a practiced swordsman the attacks would be more effective, although you would still be within the “spray zone” and susceptible to infection. Also, the sword is not very useful when fending off large numbers of zombies and is really only effective against groups of 3 or less, but it is a silent weapon and will not draw the attention of nearby zombies as a gun shot might.

	A sword being forged

The durability of a sword can vary greatly depending on a number of factors. A high carbon or spring-steal blade is made to put up with the abuse or repeated impacts and will have a much lower chance of breaking than a decorative stainless steel sword. High carbon steel like stainless steel is very hard. However, unlike stainless steel, carbon steel is somewhat more elastic allowing the blade to absorb more force while still retaining its strength. Carbon steel almost never shatters or snaps. It is instead more prone to denting than chipping or cracking.

With a sheath, the sword is highly portable and can be worn on your hip or back for quick accessibility. Sheaths can be easily made from a variety of materials including leather, cloth, metal, and wood. Period swords and modern day reproduction swords weigh between 1 to 5 pounds (0.45 to 2.27 kg); 5 pounds being an exceptionally heavy sword for the day. Depending on the type of sword, they can range anywhere from 20 to a whopping 60 inches in length, making them somewhat cumbersome to carry based on the unwieldy length alone.

Swords were originally made for the sole purpose of killing in combat, and they can still do their job just as well today. However, the combination of skill required, size, and maintenance makes most other weapons a better choice for a primary melee weapon.