Hey everyone, I posted this how-to on another forum I hope it's ok that I reposted it here (as it's my tutorial I can't see why not). I had to edit 6 pictures from my how-to as I can only post 10 so I hope this still makes sense. If anything was "lost" by all means ask and I'll try to answer. This is a fun project to do and I have used this same technique for a variety of different props.

I decided to start it off by posting a step by step on easy safe prop
making, and as I felt like making a meat cleaver, here it is.

You need: Foamcore, Spray glue, spray glue and or hot glue, Acrlic paints, xacto knife, sandpaper, acrylic sealer, blood, hole punch, brushes.

Acrylic paints. Just to let people know spray paints will disolve the foam so seal it first before using it or stick to acrylics only.


Foil tape & holepunch.


Lie your foamcore down and draw or trace your shapes onto it. I had a cleaver that I wanted to duplacate the shape of so I used that.



Cut out as many as you like, these will all be used on one knife just layered together for thickness.


Use your glue to stick the two main parts of the cleaver together then the handle.


Cut an angle in your knife edge for the "sharp" part, and round off your handle if you want. For the shapeing I used a exacto knife and for rounding of stuff a sureform tool and sandpaper.


Here it is all glued together and shaped.



I layered different shades of paints to create rust and an old metal look.


Foil tape on the edge, then trim it.


Finish off the detailing by holepunching some "rivits" from your foil tape and stick them on the handle, and finish painting the blade. Then seal it with some crystal clear or acrylic sealer.


Dressed with some fake blood and it's done.


I need to say that during the building of this I decided ot use some hot glue to hide the joints it the board, just put it on with the gun then spread it out flat with a wet tounge depressor. You could use this way to build all kinds of things (a machette for jason)? You could add some plastic tubing into it when you built it and rig it to spray fake blood.
I also used this technique to make a sythe for a grim reaper costume and a "knife in the head" gag.

Dang! That looks real! Great job!!
Why is it bad to use real ones again?

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Very nice... i am going to try this. Thanks.

Very Cool!
Thanks for posting it.

That looks great! Do you have pics of your Scythe?

Thanks for the responses everyone!
Bob- have you ever tried getting into a club with a REAL 10' meat cleaver, let alone carried one around all night?

I have a pic of my full reaper costume but none of the making of the sythe. I made the skull mask and I got a friend to sew the robe for me. The sythe handle is made from P.V.C heated with a heat gun do form the bends, it also breaks down into three sections for easy cab rides (I'm 6' tall and the sythe is taller then me). The blade is made using the same method as the cleaver after making it I decided to do this demo. Have fun making these props if you have any more questions by all means ask.





p.s I posted a closeup pic of the skull for a little bonus.

i love the cleaver, and the method could be use for so many things, but, details on the skull mask man! that is by far the best one i've ever seen! did you make it? did you buy? really cool! i've always had a fondness for the reaper.

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Thanks batfly. Yeah I made the skull mask form start to finish. I sculpted over my lifcast and did a two piece hydrocal mold and did a slush latex mask then painted it with pax and inks.

Very nice! It looks even better than ones that I see in some prof. haunted attractions.

Can I ask how you got the coloring?

wow great job! very realistic!

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