I know there are some who will not agree, but homemade weapons are not a good idea in this P.C. day and age. There are so many nice everyday tools that have a legitimate use and reason to be on your person, that to make something with sole end of a weapon is asking for a stay in the house of many doors.
I got a real good lesson in that a few years ago.
The better half and I went for a walk in a local wooded park with our welsh corgi. As we were getting to the parking lot to leave, a off leash pit bull attacket our corgi. I had a very stout hornbeam hiking staff, and used it to come down on the pits head with everything I had. It caved in the pit bulls skull, killing it, and the owner, a young shaved headed guy with a barbwire tatoo around his neck put me in a position of having to defend myself against him as well. He came running over in a rage, yelling that he was going to kill me for hitting his dog. Never mind that our corgi was in need of many stiches from the pit bull attack. The police took statements from other witnesses that were in the parking lot and saw what went on, and on the release from the hospital, the pits owner was charged with a few things. He responded by sueing me for the death of his dog, and the hospital bills for the damage to his ribs and broken collar bone.
When it came up into the court, the judge heard the case in the pre-trial motions, and he (the judge) tossed the case out for reason that 1. I was acting in self defense, and 2. most important, my hiking staff was not a "prepared weapon" and therefor not indicating mallice and intent to do harm. Those were the judge's own words; not a prepared weapon indicating intent to harm. Think about it. I did.
Lots of people make up these spiked bats, lead loaded sticks, homemade saps, but in the end I think in the wrong conditions, it's a jail sentence waiting to happen. Or even a law suit you will lose.
I tell people don't carry anything you won't be ashamed of it it's held up in front of a jury. Things can come back and bite you in the butt.
With all the canes, walking sticks, Maglite flashlights, screw drivers, metal pens, compact lockblade knives, box cutters, why take the chance. And if theres a 4 AA cell Maglite next to your car seat, so what.
Be very careful out there.