You can’t transform a plain pumpkin into a spooky masterpiece without the right tools. A sturdy knife will suffice in most cases, but some carving jobs require special equipment. In the video above, you can see what a chainsaw does to a pumpkin that’s too big to fit on most people’s porches.
Mark Clementz is an expert at cultivating giant produce. He’s earned multiple Michigan state records for his gargantuan pumpkins, which can exceed 2000 pounds.
Gourds of that size usually aren’t good for much more than competing in state fairs, but Clementz proves that they can still make impressive jack-o’-lanterns. After tracing on a design, he uses a chainsaw to rip into the pumpkin’s thick exterior. When the bulk of the damage is done, he switches to a small handsaw, which he uses to carve out the more delicate details.
Clementz sells seeds from his massive pumpkins online, so it may be possible to harvest your own giant squash in time for Halloween next year—just as long as you grow it under the ideal conditions. But we recommend against using a chainsaw to carve it into a jack-o’-lantern unless you know what you’re doing. Following these expert tips for carving a regular-sized jack-o’-lantern is the safer way to go.
Michele Debczak
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