Film Prop Thursday: A Tale Of Two Axes
Today we are going to look at two axes that were used during the production of Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter and Friday the 13th Part 7: The New Blood. We will explain their uses and where they can be found in the films, but the more exciting news about these axes is that they very well may be linked together. You could say that technically the same axe was used to kill Jason and Melissa!
Pictured below are the two axes in the discussion. Mario from the Friday the 13th Props Museum was nice enough to share pictures of these axes for fans to see. The axe on the left of the main pic is made of rubber and was used to swing at Susan Jennifer Sullivan (Melissa) by Kane Hodder in The New Blood. The axe on the right of the main pic was used in two different instances, to our knowledge. The first film it is believed to be the axe that is attached to Jason’s head in Friday the 13th Part 3 after Chris embeds it in his head and mask. The second film it is used in is The Final Chapter towards the beginning when the cops are placing the axe in the evidence bag.
We have examined these axes and a very strong case can be made that both of these axes were created from the same mold! There are very distinguishing marks on the pieces that Mario and I have seen that are not displayed in the photo above that make a compelling case. As of right now, it can be said that the same axe that killed Jason, killed Melissa!
We are in the process of verfying this information with members of the production crew, but what an unintended and spectacular find to see that the two axes from the very same mold were used throughout multiple Friday the 13th films!
This is very cool. I love seeing these props up close. What a story if these were indeed linked together!
Wow, who wouldve thought that the same axe was used in more than one friday film. Well theres another connection between parts 4 and 7. Thanks for the info, all these years I didnt know.
Thats really interesting… part 4 and 7 do seem to have a strong relationship. These axes were owned by ReelFX I bet, didn’t they work on both? I’m guessing these ran what $5k apiece?
Very interesting. Now, why would they use a stunt axe like that in Part 4 if the edge will be visible?
The edge actually is not visible on screen. If you check the film, you will see that they covered the edge with straw so you can not see it had the FX blade. These axes are a mystery and there is still details and infos to be researched. We will keep you up to date though. Both axes show the exact same markings and details that were given to them during the casting process. There were two stickers on the “mother axe” that was molded to create these two FX axes. The stickers, one on the blade and the other on the handle, had unique details like markings where someone was trying to pull them off the axe. As well as unique air bubbles and scratches that appear on both axes at the very same place. By these details you can tell that both axes came defenitely from the same mold. Now it’s up to being researched how the part 3/4 mold was ending up at the production of part 7.
Mario is trying his best, and i understand that, but the very first axe pictured is not an axe from Friday the 13th Part 7. I have one from Part 7 (you can see it on my website) and as you can see, his axe head does not match the style axe head as seen in the film (just look at the shape of the axe head in the upper left hand corner screen still and compare it to his. His takes a sharp downward dive). The axe head on Mario’s takes too much of a downward “dip” to be from Part 7. If you look at mine, you will see that it matches footage from Part 7 perfectly. My belief is that Mario might have found another Axe from either Part 3 or Part 4 (or it’s not from a Friday the 13th film), but it’s not from Part 7. Simply go to my website, go to the Friday the 13th Part 7 page, and I have posted a clear comparison to show that this information is incorrect. The one with the attached piece to it is clearly from Part 4, as I know where that one came from, but I am afraid to say, but he miscategorized this one. I wish him luck though.
After reading Mario’s post above, it’s clear that he answered his own curiosities. The axes, as he sees it, come from the same mold, and since we already know that the lower axe comes from Part 4, it makes sense that the top axe comes from Part 4 as well. But if you go even to HIS website, and compare that upper axe with the screenstill he has listed from part 7, the blade does not even match the style used on screen. Frankly, I dont understand how he missed that. But, hopefully he sees this for what it is, and doesnt try and fight it because he didnt figure it out himself. They are great pieces of Friday the 13th memorabilia, but they come from Part 4. Part 7 shows a completely different axe head although the handle is the same style, and I am not surprised by this because many “practical” axes have the same or similar style handles but the axe heads are different depending on what kind of work needs to be done.