Hackin' Wackin' and Smackin'

Hitman reveals more information about the second melee weapon - the machete - in FAS in this post under the 17 JAN 2008 News topic. He reveals that the machete "does a lot more damage, but swings slower and has a longer attack range to it" making it ideal for those that love melee combat and want something more powerful than the knife.

The machete has two attacks that are different from that of the standard knife. The secondary attack is a quick downward swing that does less damage than the primary attack, but benefits from a faster swing time. The main attack is a brutal side-to-side swing that "takes longer to recover from but totally fucks up the target." While powerful, this secondary attack does take longer to connect, making timing everything.

Currently the machete ignores body armor and hit boxes (so it does equal damage no matter where you hit) which makes it powerful in melee. However, Hitman is debating to change its mechanics so it mirrors that of the bayonet on the AK47 so that it takes into account hit boxes and armor allowing it to make head shots lethal, but limb hits doing only moderate damage.

Finally, in a later post, Hitman says that the machete starts off clean, but the more you hit people with it, the bloodier it becomes. After a killing spree it can become quite stained.