Keep one Iron Rod for the nearby progression lever. Once you have a Smelter, players report that 3 Scrap Metal plus Coal produce 1 Iron Rod.
If you spent the early rods
- Recheck the lower route around the prison approach for loose rods.
- Prioritize repairing the lever over optional equipment.
- If your Smelter is already built, use Scrap Metal and Coal to make more.
Plan a batch
Use the scrap calculator below for the number of rods you need. It calculates scrap only: the cited player report does not establish a per-rod Coal amount.
Do not confuse rods with keys
A camp Smelter’s rod production is not the same recipe as casting keys in the large forge. Keep separate shopping lists.
If you cannot yet build a Smelter, follow the Pickaxe and Clay route. We have not verified a universal recovery route for every save that has spent all its early materials; do not delete your save on the assumption that a restart is required.
Sources & version notes
The 3:1 scrap ratio is a launch-week player report. Coal quantity is intentionally not guessed.
Banner: official Steam promotional screenshot, used as general illustration. It does not depict the exact solution.