Ultimate OSRS 1-99 Smithing Guide (May 2025 Edition): Fast, Profitable & Ironman Paths

Smithing remains one of Old School RuneScape’s most dynamic and lucrative skills as of May 2025.

Whether you’re chasing lightning-fast XP, bank-building profit, or charting an Ironman’s self-sufficient journey, this in-depth guide covers the latest meta methods, economy considerations, and best ways to reach 99 Smithing—no matter your goals or account type.

From must-do quests and critical gear, to the most efficient, profitable, and AFK-oriented training routes, this is the only Smithing guide you’ll need for 2025.

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Smithing Fundamentals: Basics & Tools

Before diving into the best training strategies, it’s essential to master the basics of Smithing—how to create bars and items, which tools maximize your output, and the vital quests that launch you far past the early grind.

Smithing Basics

• Smelting: Combine ores at a furnace to create metal bars.

Common bars—steel, mithril, adamantite, and runite—require both core ore and coal (e.g., steel: 1 iron ore + 1 coal at Blast Furnace).

• Forging: Use bars at an anvil (with a hammer or Imcando hammer) to smith weapons, armor, and more.

Higher-tier items (like platebodies) give more XP per bar and click, crucial for efficiency-minded players.

Key Tools & Items

• Goldsmith Gauntlets: Essential for training at the Blast Furnace.

Obtained via the Family Crest quest, they increase gold bar smithing XP from 22.5 to 56.2 each—crucial for speed training.

• Ice Gloves: Dropped by the Ice Queen, these instantly cool bars at the Blast Furnace or Giants' Foundry—speeding up collection and banking.
• Coal Bag: Acquired in Motherlode Mine (100 golden nuggets), the coal bag holds 27 coal, significantly reducing furnace trips and boosting Blast Furnace efficiency.
• Smiths’ Uniform: Each piece gives a cumulative chance to speed up anvil actions by one tick (fully stackable); full set drastically increases XP/hr during anvil training or Giants' Foundry.
• Imcando Hammer: A portable hammer for weapon slot, freeing an inventory slot for more bars/ores.
• Smithing Catalyst: Doubles XP for coal-based bars, but is mostly relevant for non-Blast Furnace training.

Must-Do Low-Level Smithing Quests

Questing is the secret weapon to skipping early Smithing levels:

• The Knight’s Sword (F2P/Members, 12,725 XP): Instantly jumps you from level 1 to 29 Smithing in under 10 minutes.
• Sleeping Giants (Members, 6,000 XP): Opens up the Giants’ Foundry minigame at level 15, which is a fantastic low-intensity training hub.
• Elemental Workshop I & II: Provide 12,500 XP combined, smoothly getting you to level 35–39.
• Other XP-Granting Quests (The Giant Dwarf, Heroes' Quest, Freeing Pirate Pete, etc.): Complete these for up to 36,982 XP—potentially reaching nearly 40 Smithing via quests alone.

Pro tip: _"If you need Smithing experience, don’t grind it out from scratch—find quests that reward you with experience lamps.

One of the best examples is the 'The Knight’s Sword' quest, which grants a whopping 12,725 Smithing experience, enough to bypass a lot of early grinding."_ (d3levelingguide.com)

Furnace & Anvil Use Case Highlights

• Blast Furnace: Located in Keldagrim, halves the coal required for any bar outside gold, dramatically improving both XP/hr and profit.

With goldsmith gauntlets, gold bars grant 400K XP/hr—the fastest in-game—and hybrid smelting methods (mixing mithril/adamant/rune) can offer 150–300K+ XP/hr and substantial profit (osrsmoneymaking.guide).

• Anvil Training: Best for those seeking an AFK alternative, especially at higher levels.

Smithing items like adamant platebodies at bankside anvils (Prifddinas or Varrock) yields up to 300K XP/hr.

Expert Insights

Mastery of questing, proper tool use (especially Goldsmith Gauntlets, Ice Gloves, and the Coal Bag), and optimal furnace/anvil setups are non-negotiable for anyone serious about fast, efficient, or self-sufficient Smithing training.
Key takeaway: Complete as many XP-rich quests as possible and acquire the key items before committing to any grind.

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Fastest Training Routes to 99 Smithing

Whether you’re aiming for pure speed, maximum profit, or balanced efficiency, 2025 offers powerful Smithing options.

Here’s how each main method stacks up:

1.

Blast Furnace Gold Bars – The Fastest XP Method

• Requires: 40 Smithing, Goldsmith Gauntlets, Ice Gloves, pay-to-play, partial completion of the Family Crest quest.
• XP Rates: 380,000–400,000 XP/hour (exceptionally high).
• Ease/Cost: High click intensity, demanding focus; costs ~27M–30M GP for 99 due to loss per gold bar.
• Best For: Players with high budgets who want 99 Smithing as quickly as possible.

2.

Platebody Smithing – Fast, Semi-AFK, No Goldsmith Gauntlets Needed

• Requires: Bars (ideally adamant or rune), hammer or Imcando hammer, anvils near banks (Varrock, Prifddinas).
• XP Rates: Up to 300,000 XP/hour with high-level bars.
• Ease/Cost: Moderate; can be clicky, but bank proximity helps.

Lower GP loss than gold bars after fluctuations.

• Best For: High-level players without gauntlets or those favoring semi-AFK, traditional skilling.

3.

Giants' Foundry – Mid-Speed, Engaging, Low Cost

• Requires: Level 15+ Smithing and completion of Sleeping Giants.
• XP Rates: Starts at 30–40K/hr, up to 160K/hr at higher levels with optimal bar combos.
• Ease/Cost: Low GP loss or small profit; moderately AFK once familiar with workflow; unlocks Smiths' Uniform for further efficiency.
• Best For: Ironmen, low-budget mains, those seeking a less repetitive alternative.

4.

Singing Crystal Armor Method – Ultra-Fast, Ultra-Expensive (Endgame)

• Requires: Completion of Song of the Elves, high cash stack.
• XP Rates: 600,000–700,000 XP/hr (theoretical max, not practical for most).
• Ease/Cost: Very expensive; used mainly for world records or tick manipulation enthusiasts.

Route Selection Tips

• If budget isn’t an issue, Blast Furnace gold bars are king for XP.
• If you value semi-AFK play and/or can't access goldsmith gauntlets early, smith the highest tier platebodies you can.
• Giants' Foundry and regular anvil smithing are slower but economical routes, strong for Ironmen and mid-budget mains.

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Low-Effort & AFK Smithing Methods

Prefer skilling while you binge Netflix, study, or run on mobile? These proven low-interaction methods allow steady and profitable Smithing progress with minimal clicks.

1.

Dart Tips: The Premier AFK+Profit Combo

• Requires: 20 Smithing and The Tourist Trap.
• XP Rates/Profit:
  • Bronze Tips: 16K XP/hr, up to 438K GP/hr profit.
  • Iron Tips: 32.5K XP/hr, ~419K GP/hr profit.
  • Mithril Tips: 65K XP/hr, ~273K GP/hr profit.
  • Adamant/Rune Tips: >80K XP/hr, but little-to-no profit (and sometimes loss).
• AFK Length: 81 seconds per inventory—true multitasking.
• Best For: Players aiming for bank growth and AFK progress—profitable up to mithril.

2.

Gold Bars (Regular Furnace): Balanced, Passive Progress

• Requires: Level 40, Goldsmith Gauntlets for best results.
• XP Rates: 60–63K XP/hr.
• AFK Length: 81 seconds per inventory.
• Best For: Lowest click-involvement among usable methods, ideal for low-focus or background skilling.

3.

Cannonballs (with Double Ammo Mold): Slow but Ultra-AFK Profit

• Requires: 35 Smithing, Dwarf Cannon, double ammo mold (from Giants' Foundry).
• XP Rates/Profit: 27.6K XP/hr and up to 550K GP/hr profit (double ammo mold).
• AFK Length: 75 seconds per inventory (double mold).
• Best For: Absolute minimal attention skilling; great side income for multi-loggers and background players.

Comparative Summary Table

Expert tip: Aim to unlock the Smiths’ Uniform and double ammo mold early if you want to stick with chill, AFK-friendly training methods.

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Maximizing Profit: Most Lucrative Smithing Methods in 2025

If making bank is your main goal, Smithing offers some powerful profit routes as of May 2025.

1.

Blast Furnace: The Profit Engine

Steel Bars

• XP: 90–94K/hr
• Profit: 500–800K/hr
  Best for mid-levels, very sustainable and consistent.

Mithril/Adamantite/Rune Bars

• Mithril: 105–108K XP/hr, up to 800K/hr
• Adamant: ~100–101K XP/hr, up to 1.4M/hr
• Rune: 100–107K XP/hr, up to 1.6M/hr (most lucrative)

Always use the coal bag and Ice Gloves for max efficiency.

General Blast Furnace Steps

Fill coal bag, withdraw ore, run to conveyor, deposit. 2.

Cycle between ore and coal runs as needed. 3.

Use Ice Gloves to retrieve bars instantly.

2.

Smithing Rune Items at 99

• Rune Plateskirts: ~984 GP/item (885K/hr with 900/hr rate)
• Rune Platelegs: ~834 GP/item
• Rune 2h Swords: ~725 GP/item Sell in W308 Anvil clan chat for max profit; avoid GE tax where possible.

3.

Giants’ Foundry

• XP: Up to 160K/hr
• Profit: 90–120K/hr (with optimal bar mixtures)
• Bonus: Unlocks Smiths’ Uniform, which increases Smithing efficiency across several training methods.

4.

Other Profitable/AFK Methods

• Dart Tips (Bronze/Mithril): Up to 200K/hr
• Cannonballs (Double Mold): ~280K/hr, nearly AFK (at the cost of long grind to 99)

Market Considerations & Tips

• Always consult up-to-date Smithing profit calculators (wiki/external) for current GE values, as profit margins shift with the economy.
• For rune item mass smithing, direct trades with high-alch buyers in populated banks (like W308 Anvil) can surpass GE profits.
• Platebody smithing is less profitable than Blast Furnace, but sometimes viable during market uplifts.

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Specialized Paths: Ironman and Free-to-Play Strategies

Smithing on Ironman or F2P accounts requires special planning and flexibility, but is more rewarding than ever in 2025.

Ironman Smithing Strategy

Early Levels (1–40+)

• Do All XP-Rich Quests: Especially The Knight’s Sword, Elemental Workshop I/II, and Sleeping Giants.
• Ores/Bars: Mine and superheat (for Magic XP too!) or buy from blast furnace store; use Motherlode Mine for coal bag.

Main Ironman Routes

• Giants’ Foundry (from 15 Smithing): Strong, sustainable method for low/mid/late game; all you need is steel/mithril/adamant bars.
• Anvil Smithing (Platebodies): At higher levels, use stored mid/high-tier bars for quick XP and bankable items.
• Smiths’ Uniform: Grind out from Giants’ Foundry early for 20% Smithing XP boost in relevant activities.

Ironman Ore Acquisition

• Motherlode Mine: Slow but reliable for coal and gold.
• Blast Mine: Better at higher Mining levels (75+) for rune ore production.
• Monsters & Kingdom: Passive sources for all bars/ores.

Free-to-Play (F2P) Smithing Route

Early Levels

• The Knight’s Sword: Mandatory quest, 1–29 Smithing instantly.
• Barite (Barronite) Smelting (2025 Addition): New alternative, useful from 15+ Smithing, fast for F2P.
• Iron/Steel Bars: Smelt/craft at Edgeville or Varrock anvil; focus on making the best item for your level to maximize XP/bar.

F2P Training Notes

• No XP-boosting gear or special items (Smiths’ Uniform, etc.).
• Most F2P smithers alternate coal/iron runs; coal bag not available.
• For ultimate grind: smith steel platebodies for GP and XP, or iron items for fastest leveling, selling to general store or Al-Kharid.

Specialized Tips

• Mining/smithing synergy is king for F2P and Ironman: always mine enough coal/iron as you need, and superheat for cross-training.
• Use world 308 (Varrock west) for high-volume Smithing or bar sales to other players.

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Conclusion

Smithing in OSRS as of May 2025 offers a rich array of paths to 99, each catering to different playing styles, budgets, and account types.

Whether you chased max XP with gold bar smelting, built a fortune through bar production and rune item smithing, or took on the unique challenges of Ironman or F2P, the updated strategies and tools in this guide will make your journey both efficient and rewarding.

No matter your approach:

• Prioritize questing early to skip the worst of the grind.
• Invest in essential Smithing upgrades (Goldsmith Gauntlets, Ice Gloves, Coal Bag, Smiths’ Uniform).
• Choose training routes—be it hyper-efficient, profitable, or ultra-AFK—that suit your in-game goals and real-life schedule.

Good luck on your grind—may your bars be plenty and your platebodies always profitable!