Sorry if this has been asked before but

Well there's more chance of the firing squad missing I guess.

both grim

I find it really painful if I just nick myself shaving, so I'd choose  firing squad every-time.

Poor bait. i hope you kept the receipt so you take it back to the tackle shop and get your money back.

However, you generally know where you are with a firing squad but in the other scenario you have to hope that the raving loon holding the blade has, at least, got some experience with a knife after working at his dad's kebab shop or somewhere, otherwise it could get Messi.

Barbarism of the worst kind and can only begin to imagine what happens.

I recall a few years ago where three were beheaded, and their heads left at the side of the road.

A comment from an observer was the the New Zealander suffered the worst convulsions!

Until then I had thought that the deed was done with one skillful (hopefully) swing of a sword.

A few years ago I cut a finger down to the bone and through a nerve. That alone was seriously painful!

I'm wondering whether the poor hapless victim may go into some kind of "shutdown", of the nervous system.

Yes, I can't imagine that they use that method as a clean, clinical and pain-free method of termination. More like, the more horrendous it is, the greater the fear-factor upon the rest of their victims.

I think that the Japanese did try to maintain a degree of professionalism to what we, in the West, see as an act of barbarism.

Ex work colleague was in Saudi when some soul was being marched out to the spot where he was to be beheaded.

The swordsman to his right stabbed him in the side and, as he jerked upwards, the one to his left took his head off with one practiced swipe.

he said that he was glad he was at a fair distance.

I don't want to post a link here but, for interested parties, just put "Gary Gilmore" into You Tube and take your pick.

Gilmore chose firing squad, but he wasn't offered beheading.