If you've been reading our print magazine, you may recall the kukri buyer's guide we published in Issue 14. In that article, we tested the Zombie Tools Vakra kukri, and found that it was much more than some cool-looking prop for Hollywood horror films. The Vakra is an impressively well-made blade with lots of durability and visual appeal, earning it our Top Pick award.
The guys at Zombie Tools have a great sense of humor, but they're also very serious about their craft.
More recently, Zombie tools has announced the release of a new fixed blade model that could give the Vakra a run for its money. It's called the Para Bellum, and it's an 18-inch twist on the traditional Filipino bolo knife. Like a machete, parang, or kukri, the bolo is used primarily to clear vegetation, but it also can be applied to combat and Filipino martial arts.
The Para Bellum fits into Zombie Tools' wide range of edged weapons.
ZT drew inspiration from the bolo design in 2009, when the company produced the first edition of the Para Bellum. It was created after a request from an Army service member for a compact yet substantial combat knife—hence the blade's name. The Para Bellum was eventually discontinued, but it has now been redesigned and refined.
This knife is constructed from 5160 spring steel, much like the Vakra and other Zombie Tools blades. It is also fitted with aluminum handle scales, which are then wrapped in black leather for added grip. The blade edge is 12 inches long, with a smoothly-curved edge and drop point. ZT says it is “balanced to feel fluid in the hand with a slight forward weighting”.
Here are the rest of the Zombie Tools Para Bellum specs:
As with all Zombie Tools' hand-made blades, you'll need to wait several weeks for any orders to be produced. However, based on our experience with the Vakra, this blade should be well worth your patience. To learn more about this blade, visit ZombieTools.net.
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Written by Patrick McCarthy
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