Smithing



Smithing is a production skill in which players make useful metal items from ores and bars. It is one of the more popular skills since a player can make a profit from selling his/her bars and other smithed items if all or some of the raw materials are gathered by the player. As of the 6th March 6,833 have level 99 in smithing.

Smithing is a very slow process and can be expensive for quick levelling. Purchasing all raw materials and then selling bars will result in a modest profit, while selling smithed items will usually result in a net loss. This is not the case with gold, however, as gold bars sell for significantly less than gold ore.

Smithing has two distinct parts: smelting and forging.

Smelting
For a list of furnaces, see Furnace.

Smelting is the process of creating a metal bar by extracting metal from an ore, which can be obtained using the Mining skill. To smelt a metal bar, a player must use an unnoted, unrefined ore of the desired metal on a furnace, or left-click the furnace and select the appropriate bar. Some metals require different kinds of ore and smelting some metals require the furnace's temperature be raised by adding coal to the furnace.

When smelting just a few ores, it can be faster to choose the Smelt 5 or Smelt 10 options, as bars will be smelted until the player runs out of ores.

Success rate
All metals have a 100% success rate of being smelted with the exception of iron. As a balance to iron bars only requiring one ore, the smelting of iron ore will fail approximately 50% of the time at level 15, increasing up to 80% at level 45 with even higher success rates at higher levels. This success rate is raised to 100% under any of the following conditions: Note: The last 2 conditions are available only to members. '' * Also, iron ore will not give exactly half the bars of the amount of iron ore smelted. Every ore's "purity" is determined individually, so it is possible that more or less iron ores are actually turned into bars.
 * The iron is being smelted using the Superheat Item spell.
 * The player has a Ring of Forging equipped*
 * The iron is smelted in the Blast furnace mini-game*

Smelting using magic
With level 43 Magic, a player can smelt bars using the Superheat Item spell. Doing so grants the same amount of Smithing experience and has a few advantages: However, the cost of Nature runes required to support one inventory is enough to put off many players.
 * The player can emerge from a mine with a full inventory of bars instead of a full inventory of ores that will smelt into only a fraction of the bars.
 * The player receives both Smithing and Magic experience.
 * The player saves time by not having to commute between a bank and a furnace.
 * The player is granted a 100% success rate in smelting iron ore.
 * The maximum number of ores to be mined in a single trip is greatly increased.

Smelting table
A player will need a higher Smithing level to smelt progressively higher level metals. Bars that can only be smithed by members are italicised.

Smithing
For a list of anvils, see Anvil. Main article: Smithing tables

Smithing is the process by which a player makes metal items out of one or more metal bars.

Smithing is almost always done at an anvil; some require special anvils at certain locations. When a player uses a metal bar on an anvil, a dialogue is shown in which the player selects which item to forge. The player can either click the item to smith one such item, or may right-click on the item and select a higher quantity of items to smith.

All smithing done on an anvil requires a hammer.

Experience can be calculated by taking the experience for smithing 1 bar, and multiplying it by the number of bars required to smith the given item. For example, the bronze platebody requires 5 bars, each of them gives 12.5 experience, for a total of 62.5 experience. This works for all types of the standard smithable bars except when making cannonballs.

Ore and bar prices
If a player just wants to sell their bars or ores he/she gets from mining, then these prices are what he/she should follow. However, these prices will change over time.

Steel bars are the bars most recommended to smelt for profit. Many players smith steel platebodies or cannonballs to level up their Smithing skill, so there is a large demand for these bars. The best places to sell or buy steel bars is in Falador due to its centralised location to specialty shops (i.e. battle axe store in Port Sarim, shield store in Falador). Also try Varrock, on the official forum, or at the Grand Exchange. For current prices see Grand Exchange Market Watch/Mining.

Ores
The costs of buying ores for normal furnace smelting are as follows:
 * Copper and tin ores: and  coins, respectively, for a total cost of  coins per bronze bar smelted.
 * Iron ore: coins for a cost of approximately  coins per iron bar smelted and  coins per steel bar smelted.
 * Silver ore: coins per silver bar smelted.
 * Coal: coins is the current cost per coal.
 * Gold ore: coins cost per gold bar smelted.
 * Mithril ore: coins for a total cost of  coins per mithril bar smelted.
 * Adamantite ore: coins for a total cost of 0 coins per adamantite bar smelted.
 * Runite ore: coins for a total of  coins per runite bar smelted.

Yield
If one wanted to get an approximate yield from a load of metal bars (excluding iron), one could use this formula based on the amount of wealth invested.

Y = ⌊X/M⌋*B

Y = Yield

X = Invested Wealth

M = Cost of materials for 1 bar

B = Cost of 1 bar of the type you're making

Bars
All prices are based on current Grand Exchange prices contained at the Grand Exchange Market Watch/Mining page. All profit per bar figures are based on buying coal at current market price.

Training
Smithing can be trained a variety of ways for both free players and members as well as in conjunction with training other skills. Note that the experience per ore varies.

Free-to-play training
Free players can train Smithing with a variety of ores, bars, and smithed metal items.

By level
Here are recommended methods that a free player can use to raise their Smithing level.


 * Level 1 to 29 - Players can obtain 2 iron bars and then do The Knight's Sword quest. It gives 12,750 Smithing experience, which can take a level 1 smith to level 29. Note that level 10 Mining is required (or level 9 with dwarven stout).
 * Level 1 - Players can smelt bronze bars.
 * Level 15 - Players can smelt iron bars.
 * Level 20 - Players can smelt and sell or craft silver bars.
 * Level 30 - Players can buy iron ore and coal from the Grand Exchange, smelt them into Steel, and resell them.
 * Level 33 - Players can smith iron platebodies. Making iron platebodies out of iron bars is the most efficient way to power-level Smithing until level 88, considering losing money in a ratio of 8 coins to 1 experience currently.
 * Level 40 - Players can smelt and sell or craft gold bars.
 * Level 48 - Players can smith Steel platebodies and then cast high level alchemy on them. Or use an explorer's ring 2 or 3 and low alchemy them for no profit loss.
 * Level 50 - Players can smelt and smith mithril. To level up more quickly, some players buy the ore, coal, and nature runes to superheat this ore and sell the bars while standing at the Grand Exchange. Currently the net return per bar from doing this is coins. Another way to level Mining quickly while training Smithing is mining the coal and buying the mithril ore and nature runes to superheat. Currently the net return per bar from doing this is  coins. Mining half the coal and buying the other half, the mithril ore, and the nature runes results in a net return of  coins per bar.
 * Level 70 - Players can smelt or superheat adamantite bars and come close to breaking even (depending on the current Grand Exchange prices). Currently the net return per bar from doing this is coins.
 * Level 71 - Players can smith and sell adamant hatchets for coins each.
 * Level 74 - Players can smith adamant swords and then high alch them for 1248 coins. A player with enough mining and magic level can buy adamant ore and then mine coal and superheat them and then sell only 20% of the bars and smith the remaining into adamant swords then high alch them. this will guarantee no loss or profit and highest experience possible for that. The 20 % tends to fluctuate over time, so recalculate it.
 * Level 85 - Players can smelt runite bars and sell them for coins each. To level up more quickly, some players buy the ore, coal, and runes to superheat this ore and sell the bars while standing at the Grand Exchange. Currently the net return per bar from doing this is  coins.
 * Level 86 - Players can smith and sell rune hatchets for coins each.
 * Level 88 - Players can smith and sell adamant platebody for coins each. They are an efficient way to power-level Smithing, considering that they give about 175k exp an hour and cost roughly 17 coins per 1 experience. Adamant plates also have a relatively low cost per alch as well, so they can either be alched or sold on the Grand exchange relatively quickly.
 * Level 90 - Players can smith and sell rune scimitar for coins each.

Other strategies

 * Mining ores and buying coal - Players can mine mithril or adamant ore, buy the pre-required coal, smelt into bars, smith into platebodies and high-alch them. High levels are necessary for this in Mining, Magic, and Smithing. Making Mithril and Adamant platebodies can make a profit from this method, for example: Mithril platebody profit: coins.


 * Spending on fast experience - Players can buy all ores mentioned above along with the appropriate amounts of coal, make the bars, make platebodies, then cast high alchemy them. This results in a major loss of money, but is fast smithing experience. It is even more costly and fast if a player buys the bars to start out with.


 * Many players offer free smithing experience to other players on the forums. They will usually trade 1000 iron and 2000 coal for 1000 steel bars as they do not have the time to do it themselves. Some people on the forums give prizes to players that help them in this way. However, this actually causes the players to lose money because the bars are worth more than the ores, therefore, this tactic is rendered obsolete, but can still be used for those who aren't planning on training Smithing and wish to be generous.


 * Another strategy would be to buy the 1,000 'Iron ores' and 2,000 'coal' and smelt 1,000 steel bars. This can then be sold for some profit and, on top, players receive Smithing experience.


 * A cheap but effective way to get both Smithing and Magic experience requires at least level 43 magic and 50 smithing. Buy/mine 1 mithril/adamantite/runite ore, 4/6/8 coal and 1 nature rune for each bar that you plan to make, and then bank them. Equip a fire staff and withdraw 6 mithril ore/9 adamantite ore/11 runite ore, then withdraw the remaining coal. Position one of the ores so that it lies underneath of where the superheat ore button would be. Cast the superheat spell to make the bars. Whenever you run out of coal/ores to superheat, always withdraw coal first before depositing your bars. Sell the bars to the Grand Exchange. This method usually has a small return profit for every thousand or so bars that you make, but this is still beneficial, as you are receiving many XP in many unique skills!

Training for members
For a Pay to Play training ,see Pay-to-play Smithing training.

Training other skills
Many players opt to train additional skills in conjunction with smithing training including skills such as crafting, fletching, magic, and mining.

Crafting
For non-members, there are very few ways that players will be able to incorporate Crafting in conjunction with Smithing. Smelting silver or gold ore and using the remaining bars to gain experience to Crafting are namely the only methods, and since it is more cost effective to sell the gold ores, it is not recommended that players should use it at all without goldsmithing gauntlets. For tips on what you should use your silver bars on, please refer to the Crafting skill page.

For members, since smelting gold ores can be done with goldsmithing gauntlets, its use is much more effective, and creation of Jewellery can be a great way to counterbalance the lost opportunity costs from Mining their ores, or the costs that a player may have paid in exchange for their ores. Making sapphire and emerald bracelets can yield good experience, at 40 for each sapphire bracelet, and 60 for each emerald bracelet, and further be used in High Level Alchemy to increase the amount of experience gain even further. Though depending on if players buy, or mine their own gems, it may be more cost effective to sell the bracelets as they are.

Additionally, with the introduction of the Rogue Jewellery trader, players can craft sapphire, emerald or ruby necklaces instead, and increase profit by as much as 150 coins over making bracelets. This method requires completion of Spirit of Summer and Summer's End. The prices may also vary, as the Rogue Jeweller will pay the Grand Exchange minimum price of the piece of jewellery being offered.

Fletching
Fletching is a skill that (only) members can use to make arrows, bolts, crossbows, or darts for Fletching experience. Note that there is a high level of market competition for all of these commodities, other than crossbows.

Arrows
Players can smith arrowtips and use them to make arrows. Due to high competition, it is more profitable to sell such arrows as iron or steel. However, they provide fewer experience points per bar, feather, and log.

Bolts
Members can also smith unfinished bolts which combined with feathers can be made into finished, usable bolts, which can have gem-tips added.

Crossbows
Players can smith crossbow limbs, which can be made into crossbows; however, due to the extra time involved making these, it is a slow method for training Fletching.

Darts
After completing The Tourist Trap quest, members can smith unfinished darts which combined with feathers can be made into finished darts.

Magic
Players can train Magic using the Superheat Item and High Level Alchemy spells.
 * Superheat item

Using the Superheat Item spell is a very effective way to simultaneously train Mining, Magic, and Smithing at the same time. To begin, bring a large amount of nature runes and a pickaxe in your inventory (as you will be wielding your fire staff). Mining iron ore and then super heating it now returns a profit! (For the moment at least.)  Next, mine enough of the ore that you only have enough space left in your inventory for the right amount of coal. For example, if you were to superheat mithril, you would mine 22 mithril ore, which leaves just enough room for 4 coal, then you can then proceed to superheat into a mithril bar. After superheating, you can now mine another 4 coal and repeat the process until all 22 mithril ores are smelted. This is an effective way to mine longer without the need for banking. The Superheat Item spell requires a Magic level of 43.

Superheating can also be done at a bank if the player wishes not to train the Mining skill. It is recommended that members wear goldsmithing gauntlets any time they are smelting gold ore for the additional Smithing experience gain.


 * High level alchemy



See also: Alchemy Guide

Many items made from smithing are more than worth casting high alchemy on them. This turns them into coins. Casting high alchemy requires a Magic level of 55.

Some items recommended for high alchemy include:


 * Steel platebody
 * Mithril sword
 * Mithril platebody
 * Adamant sword
 * Adamant platebody
 * Rune sword


 * Players are recommended not to use the weaker Low Level Alchemy spell, as this spell gives a much smaller amount of experience and coins compared to High Level Alchemy.

Additionally, some items in the crafting section above can be high alched for profit.

Mining

 * See the section on superheat item in the magic section above.

Experience per ore
This compares how much experience is earned for the number of ores used. Gold using the members-only goldsmithing gauntlets is first with 56.2 experience per ore; iron is second with 37.5 experience per ore (using either the blast furnace or a ring of forging. The Keldagrim blast furnace minigame requires only half the amount of coal for steel, mithril, adamant and rune smelting. Additionally smelting iron ore at the blast furnace gives a 100% smelting success rate without requiring a ring of forging.

For non-members the best experience per ore is gold with 22.5 experience followed by iron with approximately 18.8 experience and steel with 18.3 experience per ore.

Note: *Members can smith gold bars into two quest items at 30 xp per bar, however this in not an effective way to train as the items may fail and only one is allowed which requires the player to continually drop the items after smithing each item singly.

An additional factor which is often overlooked is the time taken to gain experience. In this regard both iron ore and gold ore excel.

Experience per bar
For those that plan on gaining experience by making a lot of money to then buy lots of ores or bars, this shows the most cost effective way either to smelt the ore and smith the bar, or just smith the bar

Other uses of Smithing

 * At levels 20, 40, 60 and 80 Smithing, players can make certain items in Stealing Creation.
 * At level 60 Smithing, players can combine a shield left half (a rare drop from many monsters) and a shield right half (obtained from the shop at the Legends' Guild) to get a Dragon sq shield.
 * At level 70 Smithing, players can use one of the braziers in the All Fired Up minigame.
 * At level 70 Smithing, with Godwars dungeon access and high enough combat skills, avansies are a good way to get Adamantite bars for Smithing without losing coins, while also gaining Ranged experience
 * At level 80 Smithing, players can combine the 3 godsword shards (obtained from the god wars dungeon) into the Godsword blade, and then add one of the four hilts to make a godsword.
 * At level 85 Smithing, players can combine any type of sigil with a blessed spirit shield if they also have level 90 Prayer.
 * At level 90 Smithing, players can combine a Draconic Visage with an anti-dragon shield to get a dragonfire shield and 2,000 Smithing experience.
 * At level 92 Smithing, players can combine a Ruined dragon armour lump with an Ruined dragon armour shard and a Ruined dragon armour slice to get a Dragon platebody, using a Blast fusion hammer.

Tips



 * Players are not recommended to sell what they make to general stores, as these stores give players low prices.
 * Players should always use a furnace that is close to a bank. Free players should use either the furnace in Al-Kharid or the furnace in Falador. Members should use Port Phasmatys' furnace if they have completed the Ghosts Ahoy quest. After completion of The Fremennik Isles quest, the furnace in Neitiznot is the fastest way to smelt ore. If players have completed any part of the Varrock Diary, they can use the Edgeville furnace if they are wearing Varrock armour, which is conveniently located next to the bank. Additionally, there is a chance of smelting two bars simultaneously while using this furnace with Varrock armour on, reducing the amount of time spent at the furnace.
 * For smelting, it is recommended that players mine as many ores as they want and bank them all, not mine 28 ores, smelt them, and then smith them, unless the furnace is on the way to the bank from the mine, such as in Al Kharid, or the player is using the superheat item spell on ores.
 * For smithing, it is recommended that players smelt all of their ores and then smith their bars. This is much faster than smelting 28 ores and then smithing 28 bars.
 * For anvils, members are highly recommended to use the anvils on the Void Knight Outpost, in Yanille, or in West Varrock.
 * The dwarven city of Keldagrim is recognized as the capital of mining and smithing. Because of its large number of smithing features, it is a popular destination for players to smith, particularly in world 58. Inside Keldagrim, there are five anvils, the Blast Furnace, a bank, armour shops, several mines, a pickaxe shop, and the Mine cart network.
 * A potentially profitable way to train smithing is making cannonballs, provided the player has done the Dwarf Cannon quest. It is recommended to have 0 coins to purchase 1,000 steel bars (0 each) to make the cannonballs. For every steel bar four cannonballs (0 each) are made and a potential gain of about 0 coins per bar and 25.5 smithing experience points can be realised.
 * A quick way to mine the ores and make steel bars is to wield a fire staff and carry 24 nature runes and pickaxe (rune or the Inferno Adze is suggested). Go to the Varrock mine and mine 24 iron. Head to the Barbarian Village and mine 2 coal (filling up your inventory) cast superheat and continue mining and casting superheat then selling the bars and buy more runes. If you keep the bars only sell 9 bars to buy the nature runes and gain 200 coins of change.

Temporary boosts

 * A Dwarven stout will raise Mining and Smithing by 1 level. It can be bought in Falador; it is a common drop from dwarves; and it can be bought in several places in members-only areas, as well as brewed using the Cooking skill. There is also a respawn under White Wolf Mountain.


 * A Mature dwarven stout will raise Mining and Smithing by 2 levels. Two are received as a reward for completing the Forgettable Tale of a Drunken Dwarf quest, and it can sometimes be brewed using the Cooking skill. Using "the stuff" increases the chance of brewing a mature ale.


 * An orange Spicy stew can temporarily raise Smithing by up to 6; however, it can also decrease it by up to 6.

Trivia

 * In the early days, Smithing was considered one of the best skills for making money. As such, Jagex kept anvils and furnaces far away from each other as an attempt to prevent people from levelling Smithing too quickly. However, this practice has often been considered obsolete ever since banks were able to hold items. Also, this can be done in Falador if you smelt it in the furnace and then take it to Doric's house to forge it into a weapon. To do this a player needs to have completed Doric's Quest.
 * In early 2001, Smithing had very different requirements. For example, players needed level 96 Smithing to make steel platebodies rather than level 48.
 * After the release of RuneScape 2 through around 2006, if you opened up the Smithing guide from your skill tab it would display a "Black" section where it appeared that you could make Black items, though it was never possible.
 * On 5 November 2007, the Smith-X option was released. This allowed more than 10 items to be forged on an anvil at a time.
 * By using the QuickChat feature, it is possible to say such nonsensical and outlandish things as "I am smithing: gold cannonballs" or "I am smithing: blurite bullseye lantern frames."
 * In one Q&A session, it was said that Dragon ore may be released. It is unknown if this will be able to have any use, considering Rune platebodies require 99 Smithing, the maximum level for Smithing, which leaves dragon items to only one level requirement: level 99 Smithing.
 * Smithing is one of only 4 skills where getting 99 means you can do more than buy the skillcape. (The other three being Construction, Runecrafting and Summoning.)



Update
Mod Mark has stated that there will be future updates in Smithing.

Note: The mining update Mod Mark was talking about was probably the Dragon pickaxe.


 * There is a glitch that if you click on a bar while smithing and it is used up that when you refill your bag the exact same bar will still be highlighted and you can highlight another bar making 2 highlighted bars.