This guide will show you how to craft a devastating mace from commonly found parts. I bought all the parts from the local department store for about $22.

A mace is, essentially, a club with a weighted head. It's a simple yet effective weapon that has smashed a bloody trail throughout history and has even seen use in somewhat modern wars, such as WW1, in trench warfare. It can be used to inflict massive amounts of damage with minimal effort and training and causes damage through armour.

This particular mace is designed after some trench clubs I have seen. The pommel is hand tightened, allowing access to the hollow haft. It's heavy, brutal and has been named "Il Cuoco" because it can make your head look like a bowl of spaghetti.

The parts you'll need for this particular mace are relatively simple and common.
Parts:
-(1) 3/4"x24" threaded galvanized steel pipe
-(1) 1"x8" threaded black steel pipe
-(2) 3/4" threaded pipe cap
-(1) box of 3/4"x1.91mm nails
-(1) 1/4" eyelette
-(1) 1/4" nut
-good bit of material to act as handle

TOOLS
-coarse emery cloth
-bench grinder(wire and stone wheels)
-drill press
-1/8" drill bit
-1/4" drill bit
-welder
-chopsaw
-vise
-hammer
-pointed punch
-P.P.E.

!WARNING!
This is a dangerous weapon and should be treated as such. Read all instructions and warning for any tools used, if you haven't already. Use appropriate protective gear (P.P.E.). Galvanized steel is specially coated and releases potentially toxic fumes when heated. Drill bits can cut through flesh with ease and get pretty hot when cutting metal. Drill presses pose a tangling hazard and can snag and whip things around. Welders can cause burns, eye damage, electric shock and death. Chopsaws can come apart when damaged and pose obvious cutting and eye risk. Vises pinch. Hammers smash but sometimes chip. Also, I have blisters from this project. Sanding steel by hand is tedious work.

Step 1: Pommel and End Cap

POMMEL
Use the bench grinder to shave away the raised portions one of the end caps. Keep it spinning so it doesn't get any big flat spots. I screwed mine on the end of a short piece of pipe I had handy. Stop early and finish it by hand with emery cloth. Now, drill a 1/4" hole in the center. Bolt down the eyelette in the new hole. It can be used to attach a lanyard or to hang it on a hook.

END CAP
Grind and sand the other cap the same but drill a 1/8" hole in the center. Now put a nail through it and tack it in place.

Step 2: Haft

Take the 3/4" pipe and sand one end down until the 1" pipe will slide over it and spin with only mild resistance.

Step 3: Head

DRILLING
Start by cutting the threads off. Sand the coating off. Mark out where you want the studs. Punch a ding on each mark. Drill 1/8" holes at each mark.

WELDING
Slide the 1" pipe into the sanded end of the 3/4" pipe. Thread on the end cap. Butt the 1" up to the cap, leaving a small gap. Weld the pieces together. Grind the weld down in a similar fashion to the caps. Weld the 1" pipe to the 3/4" pipe.

STUDS
Put the haft in a vise. One row at a time, put the nails in the holes and tap them in with a hammer. Tack the nails in. I had intended to have spikes but I tested it with two rows and they bent when I ripped the mace out. Breaking the nails off at the welds left brutal studs.

Step 4: Finishing the Project

SURFACE TREATMENT
Do any metal treatments, such as patina or oiling. i just hit mine with a wire wheel and wiped it with oil.

HANDLE
Now, wrap your favorite material for a handle and, maybe, attach some cordage to the eylette.