Salvaging. It doesn't make any sense. Lets fix that...

[SpanishMoss]

Most of the mechanics in The Long Dark make sense, whether that be from a gameplay stand point, or a realism one, they all make sense. One of these outlier mechanics is Salvaging. I mean come on, how do you break down a Prybar, with your bare hands, in 1 hour? It doesn't make any sense. I propose a solution to this, a rework on how you salvage things. 

The biggest change would be the ability to use tools to salvage certain items. For some items, like the prybar, a tool will be required for salvaging. I will go down the list one by one, for each item, and list the changes. 

Prybar - Can only be salvaged by a hacksaw (1hr).

Lantern - Can be done by hand, but take twice as long (2hr). To speed it up use simple tools (1.5hr) or quality tools (1hr).

Flashlight - Can be done by hand, but take twice as long (2hr). To speed it up use simple tools (1.5hr) or quality tools (1hr).

Can Opener  Can be done by hand (slow). To speed it up use simple tools (fast) or quality tools (faster). (wiki doesn't say how long it take to salvage the following items so the highest listed speed is the current salvage time.)

Hacksaw - Cannot be salvaged by hand, but can be salvaged by Simple Tools, or faster with quality tools.

Hatchet - Can be salvaged by hand (slow), heavy hammer (fast), or hatchet (faster), no scrap will be rewarded, only wood. If you use the hacksaw, you will receive scrap and wood, at the same speed as the heavy hammer. (and no you cannot use the hatchet to harvest itself, you have to have a second hatchet)

Heavy Hammer - Can be salvaged by hand (slow), heavy hammer (fast), or hatchet (faster), no scrap will be rewarded, only wood. If you use the hacksaw, you will receive scrap and wood, at the same speed as by hand (because a solid steel head takes a while to cut with a hacksaw).

Knife - Can be salvaged by hand for 2 tinder plugs (fast), or with a hacksaw to get a scrap metal and 2 tinder plugs (slow).

Improvised Hatchet - Can only be salvaged by a hacksaw.

Improvised Knife - Can only be salvaged by a hacksaw.

Hunting Rifle - Can be salvaged by Hatchet (faster) or Heavy Hammer (fast) for 1 fir firewood. If a hacksaw (slow) is used, 2 scrap can also be acquired. 

Quality Tools - Can be done by hand (slow). To speed it up use simple tools (fast) or quality tools (faster). 

Simple Tools - Can be done by hand (slow). To speed it up use simple tools (fast) or quality tools (faster). 

All Clothing and animal skin items - all can be salvaged with hand (slow) or with a knife (fast).

Snare - can be salvaged by hand (slow), Heavy Hammer (fast), Hacksaw (faster), or a Hatchet (fastest)

In short, most items can now be harvested with a tool to make it faster, and some items now require a tool to salvage.

Thanks!

-SpanishMoss

(please ignore spelling and grammar mistakes, I'm too lazy to go back through and fix them)

Edited June 17, 2021 by SpanishMoss
grammar

[Stinky socks]

I think salvaging stuff like drybar or heavy hammer is bogus to be honest. It should be left unsalvageable, like we have with whetstone or ruined bow.

[UpUpAway95]

Too much micromanaging.  I like it the way it is since it provides for a means of fixing tools in zones like HRV.  However, if HL thinks it necessary, then the above is easily reduced to requiring a workbench to salvage any tool for scrap metal.

I don't see why the prybar would be unsalvageable.  In reality, the whole thing could be re-forged.

[Stinky socks]

Well, I guess you are right. Whether it's called scrap metal or not, drybar is just a piece of metal. 

Agreed on other points.