How to Tan Dragonhide in OSRS: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners

Old School RuneScape (OSRS) offers players a variety of ways to make money and level up skills, and tanning dragonhide is one of the most popular methods. Whether you’re looking to craft dragonhide armor or simply turn a profit, tanning dragonhide can be a rewarding activity. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about how to tan dragonhide in OSRS, including where to get hides, the tanning process, and tips to maximize your efficiency. Let’s dive into this money-making and skill-training adventure!

Dragonhide tanning is the process of converting raw dragonhides, dropped by dragons, into leather that can be used for crafting high-level ranged armor. This method is widely used by players to earn gold (GP) and train the Crafting skill. Dragonhides come in several types—green, blue, red, and black—each with varying profitability and requirements.

Why Tan Dragonhide?

Tanning dragonhide is a low-effort, high-reward activity that appeals to both free-to-play (F2P) and pay-to-play (P2P) players. Here’s why it’s worth your time:

• Profit Potential: The difference between the cost of raw hides and tanned leather can net you a tidy profit.
• Crafting XP: Turning leather into armor provides substantial Crafting experience.
• Accessibility: Basic tanning requires no skill levels, making it beginner-friendly.

Types of Dragonhide

OSRS features four main types of dragonhide, each dropped by specific dragons:

• Green Dragonhide: Dropped by green dragons, common in F2P and P2P.
• Blue Dragonhide: Dropped by blue dragons, slightly rarer.
• Red Dragonhide: Dropped by red dragons, a mid-tier option.
• Black Dragonhide: Dropped by black dragons, the most valuable.

How to Get Dragonhide in OSRS

Before you can tan dragonhide, you need to obtain the raw materials. Here’s how to gather dragonhides efficiently.

Killing Dragons

The most direct way to get dragonhides is by slaying dragons. Each type of dragon drops its respective hide with a 100% drop rate:

• Green Dragons: Found in the Wilderness or Chaos Tunnels (P2P).
• Blue Dragons: Located in Taverley Dungeon or Heroes’ Guild.
• Red Dragons: Found in Brimhaven Dungeon or the Myths’ Guild.
• Black Dragons: Located in Taverley Dungeon or Evil Chicken’s Lair.

Tip: Use a dragon hunter crossbow or lance for faster kills if you’re a P2P player.

Buying from the Grand Exchange

If combat isn’t your style, you can purchase dragonhides from the Grand Exchange (GE) in Varrock. Prices fluctuate, so check the current market rates before buying. This method is ideal for players focused solely on tanning and crafting.

The Tanning Process: Step-by-Step

Once you’ve gathered your dragonhides, it’s time to tan them into leather. Here’s how to do it.

Step 1: Gather Your Supplies

You’ll need:

• Dragonhides: As many as you plan to tan.
• Coins: 20 GP per hide (45 GP in Canifis).

Step 2: Find a Tanner

Tanners are NPCs who convert hides into leather for a fee. Here are the best locations:

Tanner	Location	Cost per Hide	Notes
Ellis	Al Kharid	20 GP	Closest to a bank, ideal for F2P and efficiency.
Sbott	Canifis	45 GP	Higher cost, but convenient for P2P players near a bank.
Tanner	Crafting Guild	20 GP	Requires 40 Crafting to enter.

Pro Tip: Ellis in Al Kharid is the go-to choice due to his proximity to the bank and low fee.

Step 3: Tan the Hides

Follow these steps:

1. Withdraw 27 dragonhides and enough coins (540 GP for Ellis) from the bank.
2. Head to the tanner and trade with them.
3. Select “Tan All” to process your inventory.
4. Return to the bank, deposit the leather, and repeat.

This method tans around 1,200–1,500 hides per hour manually.

Alternative: Tan Leather Lunar Spell

For P2P players with 78 Magic and access to the Lunar Spellbook (after Lunar Diplomacy and Hard Fremennik Diary), the Tan Leather spell is a game-changer. It tans up to 5 hides per cast at a cost of 354 GP (70.8 GP per hide), processing around 8,000 hides per hour.

Maximizing Profit and Efficiency

Tanning dragonhide can be profitable, but success depends on strategy. Here’s how to optimize your efforts.

Check Profit Margins

Before tanning, test the market:

• Buy one hide and one leather of the same type from the GE.
• Subtract the hide price and tanning cost from the leather price.
• If the profit is less than 200 GP, consider switching dragonhide types.

Example: If green dragonhide costs 1,300 GP, tanning is 20 GP, and leather sells for 1,500 GP, your profit is 180 GP per hide.

Use Portable Crafters (P2P)

For maximum efficiency, deploy a portable crafter near a bank chest (e.g., Castle Wars). Load a preset with 28 hides, right-click the crafter, and select “Tan Leather.” This method can tan up to 80,000 hides per hour with perfect timing.

Sell Smart

Sell your tanned leather on the GE during peak hours for the best prices. Avoid dumping large quantities at once to prevent crashing the market.

Crafting with Tanned Dragonhide

After tanning, you can craft the leather into armor for additional Crafting XP and potential profit.

Crafting Requirements

Here’s what you need to craft each type of dragonhide armor:

Item	Leather Type	Crafting Level	XP Gained
Green D’hide Body	Green	63	186
Blue D’hide Chaps	Blue	68	140
Red D’hide Vambraces	Red	73	78
Black D’hide Shield	Black	83	172

Should You Craft or Sell?

Compare the GE price of crafted items to raw leather. Crafting often yields more XP but less profit due to thread costs and market saturation. If profit is your goal, selling leather directly is usually better.

Tanning dragonhide in OSRS is a versatile method that caters to different playstyles—whether you’re a combat enthusiast gathering hides or a market-savvy player flipping leather. Start with Ellis in Al Kharid for simplicity, or scale up with the Tan Leather spell or portable crafters for efficiency. With the right approach, you’ll be raking in GP and Crafting XP in no time. Happy tanning!