Weapons: Tools as weapons?

So you've been plagued with peasant bandits who are wielding those silly primitive axes? Bare in mind if you are attacked by 3-4 users using those axes they will do a stacked amount of damage. You have a metal hatchet... Think about it: A basic stone axe vs a serrated metal axe. I think you're gonna win.

OK so in this game, you have a skill called Militia Service and it's pretty handy early game; Especially if it is level 60 where swinging attacks deal slightly more damage. Early game weapons are very ineffective in cases of damage: Except for the sling, used correctly you can KO a user in 4-5 accurate shots. But you will only have primitive tools at the start of the game, the most damaging of all of them is actually the primitive pickaxe dealing: 5 piercing damage on overhead strikes.

Now, since you are using primitive/metal tools as a weapon you suffer a combat penalty where 50% of your swings will actually miss their target due to their small hit box and because they are tools of course. However that doesn't stop you from killing users, using tools: eg My Tweet

In my experience I would recommend a mix of the following tools to be used as temporary weapons until you have access to actual weapons:

These weapons would be: a Pickaxe, a Pitchfork and a Hatchet. I have tested their worth and if you have a Strength stat of 30 and Agility stat of 25 can deal the following damage if used correctly:

• Pickaxe: 20 piercing 
• Pitchfork: 30 piercing
• Hatchet: 35 slashing

The best areas you want to be hitting a player with these tools are mainly the HEAD and TORSO. 

To make the tools I mentioned above, follow these crafting steps:

• Make sure you have sufficient Iron/Copper Ingots and Bars.
• Make sure you have sufficient handles crafted from softwood billets.
• Make sure you have Hardwood billets
• Build/Fire up your Anvil and Forge.
• Right click the forge, select FORGE and then FORGE METAL TOOLS (Hatchet and Pickaxe)
• For the Pitchfork, right click your forge, FORGE and then FORGE WEAPONS

Ingredients for the Pickaxe: 1 Handle + 2 Common Ingots.

Ingredients for the Hatchet: 1 Handle + 2 Common Ingots.

Ingredients for the Pitchfork: 1 Hardwood Billet + 2 Common Bars.