HispanicBusiness

Sorry, zombie hunters. Your weak-handled machetes from China are too dangerous.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and machete-maker Gerber Legendary Blades this week announced a voluntary recall of about 119,000 machetes. The problem is a weakness in the area where the handle meets the blade.

That could cause the handle or the blade to break during use, "posing a laceration hazard," the recall message said.

Gerber Legendary Blades, based in Portland, Ore., received 24 reports of breakages, including one report of a laceration injury in Canada, which did not involve stitches.

"The recalled product is a curved blade machete with an overall length of 19.5 inches and a blade length of 13.5 inches," the message added.

The machetes were sold separately at sporting goods stores or online for about $43 from January 2011 through June or as one of the products in Gerber's Apocalypse Survival Kit.

The limited-edition, $349 Apocalypse Survival Kit included seven tools, including the now-recalled Parang machete, that appeared on last fall's season opener of The Walking Dead.

"If the Dead walk, the continuation of the human race will become a daily struggle," Gerber says on its website for the out-of-stock item. "Are you prepared to protect and defend your family and friends? Your best chance lies in the Gerber Apocalypse Survival Kit."

The recall message said machete-owners should stop using the recalled products and contact Gerber Legendary Blades to receive a free replacement.

For more information, contact Gerber Legendary Blades (877) 314-9130 or visit the firm's website at http://www.gerbergear.com.