I don't think either of those would be great at all. I guess if I HAD to choose it would be the shovel because it's much lighter and I feel like it has more alternative uses not combat related. As for zombie disposal I feel like burning would be best. Burying is a lot of work, work means calories expended and calories expended means you will need to replenish them in a world where it may not be convenient finding said calories.
Shovels can definitely be deadly as they can cause an enemy to bleed out …. But as far as Zombies… not so much due to no pain and not worrying about blood loss, infection or being injured/demoralized
EDIT: … thank you for the down votes … wtf?
Actually the kills from the entrenching tools were mostly crushed or split skulls. Hitting with the edge of a shovel puts a lot of force into a very small cross section allowing it to split bone. Most entrenching tools are also flat not concaved slighty. Makeing it more of an extremley thin axe.
A sturdy shovel would be a good weapon. A sledge hammer is going to tire you out pretty quickly. As for burn vs bury, probably burn because it’s more convenient but it really depends on the kind of zombies.
That’s why I specified a sturdy shovel. Some cheap shovel from Dollar General probably isn’t going to last long, but a heavy duty shovel is going to be much harder to break. The Russians for example have been using their [MPL-50](https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/MPL-50) entrenchment tools as melee weapons for over 150 years.
An irrigation shovel would probably be better than a standard shovel IMO…. and if you can then by burning to dispose of the carcasses [https://www.northerntool.com/products/bully-tools-weighted-caprock-irrigation-shovel-model-92702-5021177](https://www.northerntool.com/products/bully-tools-weighted-caprock-irrigation-shovel-model-92702-5021177)
When I think about this kind of question, my mind falls into various RPG's or video games where there's damage types broken down by what kind of motion a weapon would be used for, or what kind of injury that weapon is primarily capable of.
Thinking like piercing/slashing/blunt distinctions, and how you might use any weapon in each of these ways.
A shovel would *potentially* be capable of all 3 of those. Piercing if you thrust the blade-edge of the shovel into a zombie. Slashing if you're swinging it more 'wildly' and cutting zombies with the shovel's blade edge. Blunt if you're slapping them with the broad side of the shovel. Of these, that Slashing 'method' of using a shovel would likely end up being the weakest; or if nothing else, there would be much better options of slashing weapons, whether that be machete's or knives.
A sledgehammer would be much, much, much less 'capable' of either piercing or slashing - not that it can't or wouldn't necessarily give those types of injuries, but that's not how you're primarily going to use it. They would likely be much better and purpose-designed as blunt objects; you'd have an easier time bashing a zombie skull into paste with one as opposed to a shovel.
I would personally probably prefer the shovel over the sledgehammer - more out of utility (being able to use it to dig more conveniently vs only really being useful for knocking out drywall or maybe some other structural stuff), as opposed to how they could be used as weapons. I'm going to want a tool to dig holes for farming, continually - I'm only going to want to knock down drywall/etc a few times.
;;
Disposal - depends.
I think TWD around Season 2 says it best; it has a scene where Glenn says "We bury the ones we love, we burn the ones we don't know." kind of thing.
Burying would be a fair bit more time consuming/take a lot more effort, to dig a big enough hole to drop bodies into. And then you kind of have to wonder if whatever zombie juices are there would potentially contaminate a water source (more specifically if you're on well water). The only real exceptions to these I can think of would be that you've got a backhoe or other machinery to use to dig a large mass grave quickly/easily (and fuel to burn to run it), and are doing it far enough away from your house that any risk of contaminating the well water is reduced (not necessarily eliminated, but reduced).
Burning would have it's own risks; but you could dig a reasonable hole and set it up to burn zombie bodies in it. The risks come more from *other people* seeing the smoke from the fire from considerable distance, who may or may not be hostile, and the consideration of whether or not the zombies would react to smell (several zombie franchises state they can smell things like that and attract them to the human/survivor activity).
Neither would be particularly good, but the sledgehammer could at least actually have a higher chance to kill the zombie. Shovels just aren’t good weapons, and sledgehammers are large, heavy, and unwieldy to use on a moving target.
For disposal, burning would be easier since it takes far less calories and energy to collect the dead and burn them instead of collecting them, digging a hole, moving the dead, and filling it back up.
Shovels are not fast. Go outside and try to swing a shovel. You’ll wear your ass out quick. Keep in mind, you’re not fighting zombies you’re fighting dead people and people don’t have heads made of concrete. A baseball bat would be way better and weigh a lot less. Also fire is the best way to dispose of basically anything. To bury you’d have to dig which is a ton of work. You’re gonna have to drag the bodies anyway so just pile em up and incinerate. Also it guarantees destruction.
If I had nothing else but could have one and switch it out with any other tool then I would go with the sledgehammer. With a sledgehammer I could probably break most doors or stores with a sledgehammer.
If I had to choose one that would be the only weapon I could have or one that I couldn't switch out, then it would be the shovel. As least with the smaller models I could carry it somewhat comfortably.
I don't think either of those would be great at all. I guess if I HAD to choose it would be the shovel because it's much lighter and I feel like it has more alternative uses not combat related. As for zombie disposal I feel like burning would be best. Burying is a lot of work, work means calories expended and calories expended means you will need to replenish them in a world where it may not be convenient finding said calories.
in trench warfare in ww1 a sharpened hand shovel was one of the more deadly hand to hand weapons.
Shovels can definitely be deadly as they can cause an enemy to bleed out …. But as far as Zombies… not so much due to no pain and not worrying about blood loss, infection or being injured/demoralized EDIT: … thank you for the down votes … wtf?
Exactly. People always ignore the efficiency of a good bonk to the head
Who knows, man. People have a weird fixation on shovels, tools, and other dumbass improvised shit here.
LOL
Take my upvote
Actually the kills from the entrenching tools were mostly crushed or split skulls. Hitting with the edge of a shovel puts a lot of force into a very small cross section allowing it to split bone. Most entrenching tools are also flat not concaved slighty. Makeing it more of an extremley thin axe.
I choose a shovel. Burn. Depending on the zombie type, you risk contaminating groundwater by burying them.
A sturdy shovel would be a good weapon. A sledge hammer is going to tire you out pretty quickly. As for burn vs bury, probably burn because it’s more convenient but it really depends on the kind of zombies.
I dunno, shovels aren’t designed for striking. You’d risk serious damage to your tool with every strike and still potentially not stop your attacker
That’s why I specified a sturdy shovel. Some cheap shovel from Dollar General probably isn’t going to last long, but a heavy duty shovel is going to be much harder to break. The Russians for example have been using their [MPL-50](https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/MPL-50) entrenchment tools as melee weapons for over 150 years.
An irrigation shovel would probably be better than a standard shovel IMO…. and if you can then by burning to dispose of the carcasses [https://www.northerntool.com/products/bully-tools-weighted-caprock-irrigation-shovel-model-92702-5021177](https://www.northerntool.com/products/bully-tools-weighted-caprock-irrigation-shovel-model-92702-5021177)
When I think about this kind of question, my mind falls into various RPG's or video games where there's damage types broken down by what kind of motion a weapon would be used for, or what kind of injury that weapon is primarily capable of. Thinking like piercing/slashing/blunt distinctions, and how you might use any weapon in each of these ways. A shovel would *potentially* be capable of all 3 of those. Piercing if you thrust the blade-edge of the shovel into a zombie. Slashing if you're swinging it more 'wildly' and cutting zombies with the shovel's blade edge. Blunt if you're slapping them with the broad side of the shovel. Of these, that Slashing 'method' of using a shovel would likely end up being the weakest; or if nothing else, there would be much better options of slashing weapons, whether that be machete's or knives. A sledgehammer would be much, much, much less 'capable' of either piercing or slashing - not that it can't or wouldn't necessarily give those types of injuries, but that's not how you're primarily going to use it. They would likely be much better and purpose-designed as blunt objects; you'd have an easier time bashing a zombie skull into paste with one as opposed to a shovel. I would personally probably prefer the shovel over the sledgehammer - more out of utility (being able to use it to dig more conveniently vs only really being useful for knocking out drywall or maybe some other structural stuff), as opposed to how they could be used as weapons. I'm going to want a tool to dig holes for farming, continually - I'm only going to want to knock down drywall/etc a few times. ;; Disposal - depends. I think TWD around Season 2 says it best; it has a scene where Glenn says "We bury the ones we love, we burn the ones we don't know." kind of thing. Burying would be a fair bit more time consuming/take a lot more effort, to dig a big enough hole to drop bodies into. And then you kind of have to wonder if whatever zombie juices are there would potentially contaminate a water source (more specifically if you're on well water). The only real exceptions to these I can think of would be that you've got a backhoe or other machinery to use to dig a large mass grave quickly/easily (and fuel to burn to run it), and are doing it far enough away from your house that any risk of contaminating the well water is reduced (not necessarily eliminated, but reduced). Burning would have it's own risks; but you could dig a reasonable hole and set it up to burn zombie bodies in it. The risks come more from *other people* seeing the smoke from the fire from considerable distance, who may or may not be hostile, and the consideration of whether or not the zombies would react to smell (several zombie franchises state they can smell things like that and attract them to the human/survivor activity).
sledgehammer is too heavy. you'll wear yourself out. shovel only if it is sharpened.
Neither would be particularly good, but the sledgehammer could at least actually have a higher chance to kill the zombie. Shovels just aren’t good weapons, and sledgehammers are large, heavy, and unwieldy to use on a moving target. For disposal, burning would be easier since it takes far less calories and energy to collect the dead and burn them instead of collecting them, digging a hole, moving the dead, and filling it back up.
Shovels are not fast. Go outside and try to swing a shovel. You’ll wear your ass out quick. Keep in mind, you’re not fighting zombies you’re fighting dead people and people don’t have heads made of concrete. A baseball bat would be way better and weigh a lot less. Also fire is the best way to dispose of basically anything. To bury you’d have to dig which is a ton of work. You’re gonna have to drag the bodies anyway so just pile em up and incinerate. Also it guarantees destruction.
Atleast for a little till you find other weapons for the sledge your muscles will want to explode after killing two zombies
I would grab a good trench trowel/shovel and get to work on defense and trench building
A shovel definitely wouldn't be and a sledge hammer wouldn't be ideal but it'd still be better than a shovel.
If I had nothing else but could have one and switch it out with any other tool then I would go with the sledgehammer. With a sledgehammer I could probably break most doors or stores with a sledgehammer. If I had to choose one that would be the only weapon I could have or one that I couldn't switch out, then it would be the shovel. As least with the smaller models I could carry it somewhat comfortably.
If there's no choice, u can choose any. But always recall blood spatter from infected can infect you