How to Make: WW1 SPIKED TRENCH CLUB (Easy+DANGEROUS)

About this video

ZNA set out to build a WWI-inspired trench club with their own design modifications, starting with a budget shovel handle and repurposed plumbing fixtures. The project involved creative problem-solving around material fit—using string and epoxy to make bushings thread onto the handle—along with drilling and shaping the head to accommodate protruding spikes. After finishing with staining and protective coatings, ZNA tested the completed club on pumpkins to demonstrate its effectiveness, showing how improvisation and material science thinking can transform cheap hardware store parts into a functional design.

Key takeaways

• Iteration and personalization matter: ZNA chose to modify an existing design rather than replicate it exactly, adding their own engineering approach to make the project feel original.
• Working with material constraints builds creativity: When off-the-shelf bushings didn’t fit perfectly, ZNA used string and epoxy as a creative shim solution rather than abandoning the design.
• Rapid prototyping and testing catch problems early: ZNA’s quick test with fewer string strands prevented a failed wrap-around and saved the assembly process.
• Finishing and protection extend tool life: ZNA applied paint, stain, and clear coats not just for aesthetics but to prevent rust and degradation of materials.

Episode details: published November 12, 2016 · 1.5M views · 12:03 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. ZNA’s builds are his designs and experiments, covered here as commentary on the engineering ideas — Self Growth Videos does not publish build instructions, and his weapon-style projects should not be replicated.

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