The unsubtle knife: Halloween costume murder weapon

I used a blunt Japanese stainless steel letter opener to create this horrific fake bloody dagger.

Step 1: I gently sanded the handle and used a chalky-finish brown acrylic paint to distress the handle.

Step 2: I wrapped hemp rope around the handle of the letter opener and secured using a hot glue gun.

Step 3: To age the handle, I took a very fine brush, dipped the tip in brown acrylic paint and wiggled it into the grooves between the rope windings. It gave the handle more depth and dimension. I tried using my finger to rub paint over top of the string, but it just looked flat and dirty.

Step 4: I mixed together some deep (blue-based) red paint and burnt sienna (brown) to create a partially realistic blood colour. I mixed the paint in a deep disposable lid and covered it in plastic wrap between applications to keep the paint from drying out. I added equal parts water to paint for a pigmented, yet liquid paint application. I held the knife by the handle, with the the tip resting on the table. I slowly dripped paint onto the blade using a brush and let it run down to the tip for a streaked look. 

Step 5: I let the blood dry between layers and repeated this process for the other side of the blade. 

Step 6: I applied two coats of matte acrylic sealer on both the blade and handle to prevent the paint from bleeding. (Hah, I murdered that pun).

Happy scaring!