This article is a Work in Progress. It may contain out of date or incomplete information.
After Building An Outpost or purchasing a Building in Town, crafting can be started. Technology must be researched in order to build all crafting stations. Aside from in Weapon Smithing, the quality of crafted materials or speed of crafting is solely dependent on the crafter's level in the related skill.
Crafting through Labouring
The following crafting stations will improve the Labouring skill of the worker.
Fabric Loom
In order to make Fabrics, characters must use a Fabric Loom. Fabric Looms turn Cotton into fabric. After further researching, characters can build Fabric Looms which will use Hemp instead. Fabrics are needed for crafting on a Clothing Bench, Chain Armour Crafting Bench, and a Heavy Armour Smithy. They are also used to craft Medical Supplies and build Tents.
The related technologies for this crafting are Fabric Manufacture and Hemp-Based Fabric. Fabric Looms can be upgraded to be automatic.
Manufacturing Vices
Brewing alcoholic beverages in Kenshi can be a consistent way to make money. This may require smuggling in order to get the most money per item, as some items are illegal to the Major Factions and have large markups.
- Rum Still can be used to convert Cacti into Cactus Rum
- Grog Machine can be used to convert Wheatstraw into Grog
- Hemp Processor can be used to convert Hemp into Hashish
- Sake Still can be used to convert Riceweed into Sake
The related technologies for this crafting are Rum Brewing, Grog Distillation, Hashish Production, and Sake Distillation.
Armour Smithing
A great way to make Cats without having to use up rarer Research Artifacts is by crafting Armour. Armour quality and crafting speed are only influenced by the Armour Smith statistic. Characters can also gain experience in Armour Smithing while crafting Leather, Chainmail Sheets, and Armour Plating. Armour crafting is split into several different categories, and in order to craft everything the following benches and smithies must be built:
Clothing Bench
The best way to level up a character's Armour Smithing skill at first is through a Clothing Bench. Clothing Benches turn Fabrics into either Clothing or Light Armour.
The related technologies for this crafting are Clothing Manufacture, Hats and Headgear, and Simple Clothing Types.
Leather Tanning Bench
In order to make Leather, characters must use a Leather Tanning Bench. Tanning Benches turn Animal Skin into leather.
The related technology for this crafting is Leather Armour Crafting.
Leather Armour Crafting Bench
Leather can be made into Clothing, Light Armour, or Medium Armour. A Leather Armour Crafting Bench is a great choice for characters who want to turn Leather into armour. However, buying leather from stores can be costly and inconvenient as leather is not commonly in high stock.
The related technology for this crafting is Leather Armour Crafting. In order to make most leather armour, Blueprints are needed as well.
Chainmail Armour Crafting
In order to create Chainmail Sheets, characters must build a Chainmail Sheet Fabrication Bench. These benches turn Raw Iron into chainmail. Creating Chainmail Sheets alone can be a good source of money since Iron is easily available in many regions. Selling Chainmail Sheets can be a good way to level up Armour Smith before purchasing blueprints for chain armour. Chain armour can be created on a Chain Armour Crafting Bench.
The related technology for this crafting is Chain Armour Crafting. In order to make most chain armour, Blueprints are needed as well.
Armour Plating and Heavy Armour
In order to use a Heavy Armour Smithy, characters need Armour Plating. Heavy armour smithing is roughly the same as chain armour smithing, although there are more armour options. The Heavy Armour Smithy also makes lighter armour which requires Amour Plating, such as Heart Protectors.
The related technology for this crafting is Plate Armour Crafting. In order to make most heavy armour, Blueprints are needed as well.
Crossbow Smithing
you can make crossbows and bolts at home
Arrow Making Bench
Crafting Crossbow Bolts will either require Iron Plates or Steel Bars. Characters which are planning on using an Eagle's Cross as their main weapon may want to craft their own Bolts because Bolts Longs can be difficult to find in towns without Ranger Shops.
After researching Crossbow Bolts, characters can build an Arrow Making Bench and being making Bolts Toothpicks. All other types of Bolts must be learned through a Blueprint.
Crossbow Crafting Bench
Weapon Smithing
Weapon crafting speed is influenced by the Weapon Smith statistic. Unlike Armour Smithing, more researching is required to make better quality weapons.
Furnace
While furnaces do not affect the Weapon Smith level of characters, it is convenient to have one while beginning Weapon Smithing. Characters can use a Furnace to melt down low quality weapons and regain their Raw Iron. This allows players to continue smithing even if their iron gathering is less efficient. However, players must add each weapon to the furnace, making it require more attention than iron gathering, which can be added to a character's jobs.
Furnaces can be unlocked through researching Weapon Melting.
Weapon Smithing
Characters can smith their own weapons with a Weapon Smithing Bench. Weapons must be created from Iron Plates. Weapon Smithing Benches, or Weapon Smith in game, can be upgraded twice.
The related technologies for this crafting are Basic Weapon Smithing, Basic Weapon Grades, Advanced Weapon Smithing, and Advanced Weapon Grades. Some weapons can be unlocked through researching Basic Weapon Smithing and Heavy Weapons. In order to make the rest of the weapons, Blueprints are needed.
Crafting Medical Supplies
All different tiers of the First Aid Kit are made at a Medical Workbench. After research, splint kits can also be made there. Characters will earn Field Medic experience while using the Medical Workbench.
The related technologies for crafting First Aid Kits are: Basic First Aid Kits, Medicine, and Advanced Medicine. Characters can also research Sleeping Bags to craft a Sleeping Bag. After researching Basic First Aid Kits, characters can research Splints and Advanced Splints in order to make Splint Kits.
Robotics Crafting
Crafting Robotics Components, Skeleton Repair Kits, and their ingredients train the Science skill instead of the Robotics skill. Having the same character used for researching assigned to these workstations would be better than training a character from 1 Science.
Robotics Bench
The Robotics Bench makes use of a character's Science skill in order to create robotics materials from Electrical Components, Iron Plates, and Steel Bars. This workbench is where Skeleton Repair Kits can be crafted by the player.
This workbench can be built after researching Robotics.
Skeleton Limb Bench
The Skeleton Limb Bench makes use of a character's Robotics skill to craft Robot Limbs to replace any lost appendages using materials like Electrical Components, Iron Plates, and Steel Bars. It is unlocked with the Hiver Skeleton Legs research.