Instead of adding a recipe for each weapon, just make a set of weapon mods and a couple of highly configurable weapons. For example:
Modded War Hammer: 4 bashing slots, 2 shaft slots, 1 handle slot.
Modded Scythe: 3 cutting slots, 2 shaft slots, 1 handle slot.
Modded Sword: 2 cutting slots, 1 handle slot.
Modded Caestus: 2 bashing slots, 1 armor slot.
Modded Shield: 1 bashing slot, 3 armor slots.
Bash mods: Shotgun/Flamethrower/Pistol (2), Rocket Launcher (4), Single Shot Shotgun/Flamethrower/Pistol (1), JackHammer (2), Electrified (1), Flaming (1)
Shaft mods: Reach (2), Sniper Rifle (2), LightWeight (1)
Armor mods: Guard (1) add Block1, Sheath (2) add 2L sheath
etc…
As well as more mods for normal guns
Handle mods: Rope (1) add Reach, Revolver (1)
etc…
With maybe 10 moddable weapons and 20 mods, you could create most of the weapons listed in this thread so far, including a wearable shield with a sword sheath, scythe sniper rifle, shotgun gauntlets, bayoneted pistol with a rope attached, rapier with a revolver… might as well throw in elemental bullets for each caliber while we’re at it :). For the sake of balance, each mod should have a drawback (slower swing, weight, lower natural damage, -tohit) and each modded firearm would have lower stats than the item it is based on.