Ideal Crafting Mechanism

One of the most interesting Crafting Mechanics was in the MMO "Star Wars Galaxies" (before all the changes). I think it may have been too convoluted however but some lessons can be learned to make for interestingly player crafted items.

Lets say you want to make a sword like a Gladius as a Blacksmith. If you are an accomplished blacksmith you would likely have better equipment and experience to make better versions even of simple items.

So you Make a Gladius which requires 4 Ingots of Iron or Steel, and you can get differing results based on the quality of the Ore and even the type of furnace etc used to make those ingots etc. So lets say you use 8 Iron Ore of +1 Quality to make 4 ingots of +2 Iron Ingots to make the sword so you end with a Sword that has a +8 Rating but if you had used Steel Made From Iron and Carbon you get a Steel Ingot that is rated +5 the sword would be a +20 Rating. And a sword should eventually break as time goes but Steel would last longer than an Iron sword.

With the dawn of tesla like tech in this game you could also have processes like Electrogalvanization and other such techs to improve weapons and equipment. Along with maybe someone enchanting said weapon or item with "Magic". Once said item eventually breaks or you no longer need it it could be sold on the cheap, and melted down for the majority of its base components.

I think also making the various Ores have a variable quality could make for some interesting gear. Perhaps some very different qualities of weapons, or gear and make it a lucrative enterprise. You could also make good money selling the better qualities of Ore / Ingots and other components so people could eventually get the best possible items.

A well equipped blacksmith would also be able to make weapons faster and of better quality than someone just starting the craft. Even of just the lower quality of weapons.

This is just a rough idea and I think could make for an amazing Crafting game.