Features:

• New higher quality tiers (Model #) to most weapon manufacturers.
• Streamlined and partially equalized quality proggression between manufacturers.
  

• Manufacturers have different specialties.
• Player weapon crafting overhauled.
  

New models are available to NPCs, so Kenshi's world will be more challenging but also more rewarding.
Catun Scrapmasters and Skeleton Smiths can now compete with Edgewalkers, but only their rare highest quality models.
Catun Scrapmasters' specialty are heavy blunt weapons, Edgewalkers' specialty are light cutting weapons and Skeleton Smiths' specialty are mixed damage weapons. They still offer the same selection of weapons as vanilla, regardless of specialty.
Cross (Meitou) weapons are still the indisputed best.


Weapon Crafting Overhaul:

• Player crafted weapons have exclusive models instead of using models from other manufacturers.
• New research progression based on metals.
• Weapon Forges adjusted to reflect the changes adequately.
• Two new models added.
  

Homemade manufacturer's stat modifiers are still default, meaning that weapons of equal quality from other manufacturers will have slightly better stats.
Highest possible model that can be crafted is Superior Alloy (equivalent to Edge Type 3), only with a critical success at 75+ skill.


Homemade Manufacturer Specialization:
Player smiths now have their own unique specialization. The other established manufacturers may have their own secrets and techniques but Homemade weapons are adapted to the player hence they're easier to use in combat (Attack and Defense bonus).
With enough research and high enough Weapon Smithing skill (80), you can further customize the bonuses.
You can select if you want to focus on Balance (+2A/+2D), Attack (+8A/-4D) or Defense (-4A/+8D).
To do so, build the new specialized Weapon Forges. They have to be built from scratch, can't be built from upgrading the previous forge.
This is because the three of them upgrade to each other in a cycle, to prevent you from having to build 3 separate forges and allow you to freely switch specialization any time at no extra material cost.
I've tested this and worked fine for me, but to make this work I'm using some stuff in a creative unintended way, so let me know if you have any issue.

Import is required.

New Homemade Models List: 

• Prototype (Q:1-2)
• Scrap Metal (Rusted Junk, Q:5)
• Crude Metal (Rusting Blade, Q:10)
• Low-Grade Metal (Mid-Grade Salvage, Q:15)
• Crude Iron (Old Reffited Blade, Q:25)
• Low-Grade Iron (Reffited Blade, Q:30)
• Basic Iron (Catun No. 1, Q:35)
• Refined Iron (Catun No. 2, Q:40)
• High-Grade iron (Catun No. 3, Q:45)
• Basic Steel (Mk I, Q:55)
• Refined Steel (Mk II, Q:60)
• High-Grade Steel (MK III, Q:65)
• Special Alloy (Edge Type 1, Q:70)
• Refined Alloy (Edge Type 2, Q:75)
• Superior Alloy (Edge Type 3, Q:80)
  

Inspired by Better Smiths of Kenshi by BLKCandy, sought to put my own spin to it and bring balance closer to vanilla.
This mod does NOT add new 3D models or textures to the weapons.