Blast Furnace Strategy OSRS – Ultimate Guide to Efficient Smithing

Blast Furnace Strategy OSRS – Ultimate Guide to Efficient Smithing

The Blast Furnace in Old School RuneScape (OSRS) is a members-only minigame in Keldagrim that offers one of the most efficient ways to train Smithing and make profits. By using half the coal required for regular furnaces, it’s a game-changer for smelting high-tier ores. This guide dives into the best Blast Furnace strategies, requirements, and tips to maximize experience (XP) and gold per hour (GP/h). Whether you’re aiming for 99 Smithing or looking to cash in, we’ve got you covered with actionable advice.

The Blast Furnace, located in Keldagrim, is designed for bulk smelting of bars, making it ideal for players smelting iron, steel, mithril, adamantite, or runite ores. Its coal efficiency—requiring only half the usual amount—makes it cost-effective for high-tier bars. On designated Blast Furnace worlds (352, 355, 358, 386, 387), dwarves (Dumpy, Stumpy, Pumpy, Numpty, Thumpy) operate the furnace mechanics, allowing solo players to focus on depositing ores and collecting bars.

Why Use the Blast Furnace?

  • High XP Rates: Up to 420,000 XP/h with tick-perfect gold smelting.
  • Profit Potential: Smelting mithril, adamantite, or runite bars can yield significant GP/h.
  • Coal Efficiency: Uses 50% less coal than standard furnaces, reducing costs.
  • Scalability: Suitable for low and high Smithing levels with varying strategies.

Accessing the Blast Furnace

To use the Blast Furnace, start The Giant Dwarf quest to unlock Keldagrim. Travel options include:

  • Minecart from the Dwarven Mines (under Ice Mountain) or Grand Exchange.
  • Minigame Group Finder teleport (directly outside the Blast Furnace).
  • Walking from Seers’ Village or Rellekka after the initial visit.

Players with Smithing below 60 must pay 2,500 coins per 10 minutes (reduced to 1,250 with Ring of Charos (a) via specific dialogue: Chat 1-3-2-3). On Blast Furnace worlds, an additional 72,000 GP/h fee is required, deposited in the coffer near the bank chest.

Blast Furnace Requirements and Recommended Gear

Advanced Blast Furnace Gold Smithing Guide Max 340350k Smithing xph

While the Blast Furnace is accessible to most players, specific items and skills enhance efficiency. Below are the essentials and optional boosts for optimal performance.

Skill and Quest Requirements

Requirement Details
Quest Start The Giant Dwarf to access Keldagrim.
Smithing 60 (optional, avoids 2,500 GP/10 min fee).
Other Skills (Manual Operation) 30 Agility, 30 Crafting, 30 Firemaking, 30 Strength.

Recommended Items

  • Coal Bag: Holds 27 coal, doubling coal-carrying capacity (bought for 100 golden nuggets from Motherlode Mine).
  • Ice Gloves: Allows instant bar collection without cooling (obtained from Heroes’ Quest).
  • Goldsmith Gauntlets: Boosts gold smelting XP (from Family Crest quest).
  • Weight-Reducing Gear: Graceful outfit, Boots of Lightness, or Spottier Cape to save run energy.
  • Stamina Potions: Maintains run energy for continuous operation.
  • Ring of Charos (a): Halves entrance fee for sub-60 Smithing (from Creature of Fenkenstrain).

Inventory Setup

For players with 60+ Smithing, a typical inventory includes:

  • Coal bag (filled with 27 coal).
  • Ice gloves (equipped) or bucket of water.
  • Stamina potion (1-2 doses).
  • 25-27 ore (or 26 for hybrid methods).

For sub-60 Smithing, add coins for the fee (2,500 GP/10 min).

Blast Furnace Strategies for Maximum Efficiency

The Blast Furnace offers multiple strategies depending on your goals: XP-focused (gold bars), profit-focused (mithril, adamantite, runite), or hybrid (combining gold with other ores). Below are the most effective methods.

Gold Bar Strategy (XP-Focused)

Smelting gold bars at level 40 Smithing yields the highest XP rates (up to 420,000 XP/h with tick-perfect play). Here’s how to do it:

  1. Equip ice gloves and goldsmith gauntlets (switch to ice gloves before collecting bars).
  2. Fill the furnace with 27 gold ore per trip (no coal needed).
  3. Deposit ore on the conveyor belt.
  4. Run to the bar dispenser, collect bars with ice gloves, and bank.
  5. Repeat, using stamina potions to maintain run energy.

Tip: Use the Barbarian vial smash perk (from Alfred Grimhand’s Barcrawl) to sip stamina potions faster. Expect 350,000-400,000 XP/h with moderate efficiency.

Single Bar Strategy (Profit-Focused)

For profit, smelt mithril, adamantite, or runite bars. These require coal, so a coal bag is essential. Follow these steps:

  1. Preload the furnace with 27 coal (or up to 254 for extended sessions).
  2. Fill coal bag with 27 coal and inventory with 27 ore (e.g., mithril).
  3. Deposit ore and coal on the conveyor belt.
  4. Collect bars with ice gloves and bank.
  5. Repeat, ensuring coal is sufficient for the ore type (e.g., 2 coal per mithril bar).

Profit Estimates (as of May 2025):

Bar Type Level Required Approx. Profit (GP/h) XP/h
Mithril 50 500,000-700,000 80,000-100,000
Adamantite 70 800,000-1,000,000 90,000-110,000
Runite 85 1,200,000-1,500,000 100,000-120,000

Hybrid Bar Strategy (Balanced XP and Profit)

The hybrid method combines gold smelting with mithril, adamantite, or runite to balance XP and profit. It requires a coal bag and goldsmith gauntlets. Example pattern for mithril:

  1. Preload furnace with 26 coal.
  2. Inventory: 26 gold ore, coal bag (26 coal), goldsmith gauntlets.
  3. Deposit gold ore and coal, switch to ice gloves, collect bars.
  4. Next trip: 26 mithril ore, coal bag (26 coal), repeat.

XP and Profit: Approximately 200,000 XP/h and 300,000-500,000 GP/h, depending on the ore.

Tips for Optimizing Your Blast Furnace Runs

To get the most out of the Blast Furnace, consider these efficiency tips:

  • Use Blast Furnace Worlds: Dwarves handle mechanics, freeing you to focus on smelting.
  • Monitor Run Energy: Use stamina potions and weight-reducing gear to avoid walking.
  • Preload Coal: Deposit up to 254 coal to reduce trips for high-coal bars.
  • Avoid Overloading: Max 28 bars of each type can be stored; collect bars to free space.
  • World Hopping Trick: Deposit ore on a non-Blast Furnace world, pedal manually, then hop to a Blast Furnace world to collect bars without the 72,000 GP/h fee (costly in time, not recommended for most).

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Maximize your efficiency by steering clear of these pitfalls:

Mismanaging Inventory

Forgetting to fill the coal bag or bringing insufficient ore wastes trips. Always check your inventory before starting a run.

Ignoring Run Energy

Running out of energy slows you down significantly. Keep stamina potions handy and use weight-reducing gear.

Overheating the Furnace (Manual Operation)

If operating manually, monitor the temperature gauge to avoid damage (10-20 HP) from overheating. This is irrelevant on Blast Furnace worlds.

Skipping Ice Gloves

Without ice gloves, you’ll need a bucket of water to cool bars, wasting inventory space and time.

By following this Blast Furnace strategy guide, you can achieve top-tier Smithing XP rates or rake in millions in profit. Whether you’re smelting gold for XP or runite for gold, the Blast Furnace is a must-use tool in OSRS. Equip your coal bag, grab your ice gloves, and head to Keldagrim to dominate the furnace! For more tips, check the OSRS Wiki.