Props: The Machete

The killer for the film is wielding a machete as it is his weapon of choice (I explain why here). After looking online as well as in local halloween shops etc, I found the blades I found were either too expensive or looked cheap and unrealistic. So I therefore decided to create my own, using MDF and balsa wood. I designed the machete based on Jason Voorhees' machete as well as jungle machetes to come up with a design that I thought looked good. I got this approved by the tech teacher that would cut the blades out and I then transferred the design to the MDF sheet.

The MDF is 3mm thick and is about 500mm across, which is what I designed the machete to measure to. This was then cut out on the ban saw by the tech teacher (because I do not have the proper training to use it) and I was left with two machete "blades" for me to shape. I created the sharp blade effect by filing and sanding down the edge to the central point, giving the illusion that the blade is sharp.




Then came the handles, which are created by glueing two pieces of balsa wood to the handle shape on the blade. I traced a rough shape of the handle onto 10mm thick balsa wood and cut them out with a stanley knife. I used a hot glue gun to stick the wood together. I then filed the balsa down until it met with the MDF. I also filed and sanded curves down into the handle so it is easy to hold and this makes it look more realistic.



I then sprayed it with several coats of car primer (as it works on most surfaces and is extremely durable), letting it dry and sanding it down in between coats. Once I was satisfied that the primer covered the machete, I sprayed the machete with several layers of silver car paint. I used silver rather than chrome as I wanted it to look worn, not new, as the killer has been feral for many years, he shouldn't have a new, shiny blade. I then masked off the blade and used black spray paint to spray the handle.

I made two machetes, one so I could use as the full blade, and one so I could simulate the effect of being stabbed through the chest for Alice's death scene. I used a hack saw to cut the middle of the blade away from the handle and the front of the machete. I had to improvise with material for the strap on blade component, So I used a small square of pine wood, elastic fabric, stick on Velcro strips, PVA glue, leftover pieces of balsa wood to anchor the blade to the wood.  I cut two thin, rectangular holes that would accommodate the elastic with a stanley knife. I then glued the leftover pieces of balsa to the the blade and the wood panel, which I then stuck together and held in place until dry. Once That had dried securely, I cut two elastic strips from the reel I bought and cut large strips of the velcro and put them on the ends of the elastic, so as to eliminate the risk of being too long or too short. I then fed the elastic through the holes and sewed them, securing them in place.

This is the final machete, once I tested how the fake blood dripped from it, It doesn't absorb it all, and it lets the blood run off the blade, which is the desired effect from using spray paints. I am satisfied with my efforts, and it only cost around £15 for the materials to make these two machetes, not including the material I had at home already, which is much cheaper than any decent looking replica.