Learn how to get Forged Iron and what it can be used for
As you make your way through 7 Days to Die, it will quickly become apparent that making and reinforcing everything with scrap metal isn’t going to cut it. You need something stronger to withstand some real punishment and maybe dish it out too. What you’re looking for is Forged Iron.
This guide will teach you the best ways to find and craft Forged Iron in 7 Days to Die and explain how it can be used to your advantage.
How to get Forged Iron in 7 Days to Die
Finding Forged Iron in loot containers is extremely rare but not unheard of. But, if you’re looking to get more than a couple of bars for several hours’ worth of work, you’ll want to learn how to salvage or, preferably, forge your own.
1. Scavenging
It’s highly unlikely you’ll find a worthwhile number of ingots in loot containers if you see any at all. That being said, this material will occasionally spawn inside Working Stiff crates and chests inside foundry buildings. These containers typically only contain one or two ingots, but it’s something.
2. Salvaging
A bit more efficient than scavenging, you can acquire small quantities of this material by salvaging certain machines with a Wrench, Ratchet, or Impact Driver. Specifically, you are looking for cars, trash compactors, destroyed workbenches, and vending machines. Just ensure the vending machine isn’t running, or you might get zapped.
3. Forging
By far the most efficient method for acquiring Forged Iron, forging is required if you want to use this metal in any real capacity. Of course, you’ll need to craft yourself a Forge first, but once you’ve done this, you can make your own ingots by combining Iron and Clay.
Tips and tricks for forging your own Iron
Once you have built a forge, you’ll find you have access to new recipes and ways to make the crafting process more efficient. You’ll still need iron and clay for materials and probably some Coal to fuel your forge.
1. Forge Upgrades
You won’t need Crucible to make Forged Iron, but two more slots are available to improve your forge. Adding a set of Bellows will keep your forge hot and speed up the smelting process. Equipping your forge with an Anvil will give you a better working surface and increase the speed at which the forge produces new items.
2. Smelting Scrap
The forge can be loaded with more than just pure metal. If you don’t have Raw Iron handy, you can also melt down objects made of it. Springs, pipes, nails, and even old weapons, armor, and mods can be smelted in the forge to produce Forged Iron. Smelting these items rather than scrapping them produces much more iron.
3. Smelt Lots of Clay
Nearly everything you make at the forge will require clay to make the mold. Fortunately, most of the dirt in Navezgane is Clay Soil. Scoop up lots of this dirt early on to stock up on the clay your forge will need to make materials.
Tips and tricks for using Forged Iron
Forged Iron is an extremely useful and versatile resource. While not nearly as strong as Steel, it is used in many more recipes and is vital to mid-game progression. It has so many different uses that we couldn’t possibly cover them all here, so we’ll try and provide an overview.
1. Tools
Iron tools are much more durable than primitive stone ones. Once you can access a Workbench and a forge, you should immediately craft some iron tools. This equipment deals more damage to objects, harvests more materials, and lasts significantly longer than improvised tools. Ensure you’ve read the Iron Tools Schematic or have the proper perks.
2. Weapons
Iron weapons are a huge step up from swinging around a Wooden Club or relying on a crummy pipe gun. Mid-tier guns, crossbows, and iron melee weapons are all within your grasp once you’ve mastered their respective recipes and have enough metal.
3. Armor
If heavy armor is your preference, then Forged Iron opens the opportunity for much sturdier protection. Scrap Armor is fine, but why settle for scraps when you can forge your own Iron Armor and walk around looking like a post-apocalyptic knight? You’ll first need the armor’s schematic or a sufficient heavy armor perk level.
4. Construction
Tired of zombies ripping open those doors and windows you so carefully boarded up? Scrap plating won’t cut it at later levels, and it’s always better to have a sturdier barrier between you and the undead. Iron doors and window shutters can be crafted by the player at a Workbench. These doors can then be placed or used to upgrade existing wooden structures. Forged Iron can also be used to repair certain structures like chain-link fences.
5. Traps
If you are sick of constantly replacing your Spike Traps or want them to put down a few more zombies before they snap, try upgrading with Forged Iron or replacing them with Iron Spikes. Other simple traps may also require Forged Iron to be used in their creation and repair.
6. Vehicles
Low-tier vehicles like Bicycles and Minibikes use Forged Iron as their base metal. That means you’ll need a lot of this material if you want to construct your own vehicles, and trust us, you want a vehicle. Once again, you’ll need the correct schematic, or the proper level of the Grease Monkey perk to craft these components.
7. Misc.
There are still lots of uses for Forged Iron we haven’t covered. For example, ingots can be shaped into Lockpicks at a workbench or combined with Duct Tape to produce the Repair Kits you’ll need to keep your gear in good condition.
FAQs
No, but spike traps, doors, and window shutters can.
Not usually. However, they do swing faster and cost less stamina to use.
Forged Iron can be collected into stacks of up to 500 units.
Final thoughts on Forged Iron
Step out of the stone age! Throw away that old stone ax and craft yourself some real equipment with Forged Iron. Making your own refined metal is necessary to upgrade your gear, base, and vehicle, so learn how to forge Iron as soon as possible.
If you’re looking for more tips to help you get started in your new apocalyptic home, check out our 10 Tips for Getting Started or our Beginner’s Guide.
