Diablo 3 Crafting: How to Salvage

Here is a small guide on how to salvage in Diablo 3. Submit your own salvaging tips in the comments section.

Salvaging in Diablo 3
First you have to go to the blacksmith. You don't unlock him until a little ways through act one. You will find the blacksmith in the main town just to the right of the town square.

Once you unlock him, he will have multiple tabs. At the very bottom tab is the salvage tab that contains the salvage button.

Click that, and it will change your mouse cursor to a salvage icon. Then you can left click any items you want to salvage and you will get crafting materials from them, but take note the item will be destroyed.

Warning: There is no warning once you click an item, it is destroyed and you cannot get it back, so make sure you want to salvage the item before you start clicking.

Edit: You do get a warning if you try to salvage rare (yellow) or rarer items. (Thanks to Erik for submitting this correction.)

What you can salvage: In Diablo 3, you can only salvage items with magical properties. i.e. blues, rares, uniques, sets, etc. White and gray items cannot be salvaged.

Should I salvage or Sell an item? When considering salvaging--don't. Currently it is not economically beneficial to salvage an item for reasons that it is easiest to explain with math.

The value of subtle essence is about 10-20 on the AH

The value of an item to create subtle essence is around 200

If you sell the item you make 200 gold

If you salvage the item, you now have dust worth 10-20 gold

Therefore, it is better to sell the item and buy the dust because you will end with a net profit of 180-190 (200-[10 or 20]=180 or 190)

Subtle Essences Page