Rusted Tools are blue quality resources in the Recyclable Mechanical category. This matters more than you'd think because it determines where these items spawn and what containers can hold them. If you've found some already, there's a decent chance you recycled them into scrap without realizing what they're actually for.
You need Rusted Tools to upgrade your Gunsmith to level II, and that requires 3 of them minimum. Right now, this Gunsmith upgrade is the only real use for Rusted Tools besides breaking them down for scrap metal.
Why Rusted Tools Matter for Progression
The Gunsmith upgrade unlocks better weapon modifications and enhancements. Without enough Rusted Tools, you're stuck at the basic Gunsmith level, which cuts off access to higher tier gear improvements. Getting these early should be a priority if you want to advance your loadout.
Item Type and Loot Categories
Arc Raiders uses a categorized loot system where different containers and locations drop specific material types. Rusted Tools fall under Mechanical, so you'll want to focus on Industrial and Mechanical points of interest across the maps.
This system lets you narrow down farming locations instead of randomly checking every container in the game. That said, loot is still randomized within these categories. Even in the best spots, you're not guaranteed to find Rusted Tools every time.
Best Farming Locations by Map
Dam Battlegrounds (Primary Farming Zone)
Dam Battlegrounds has the most reliable Rusted Tool farming spots. Several areas here offer good Mechanical loot with easy access to extraction points.
Scrapyard
This is your best bet on Dam Battlegrounds. The area has tons of containers around abandoned vehicles that frequently drop Mechanical loot. Players consistently report finding Rusted Tools here, making it the top farming spot on this map.
Primary Facility (Loading Bay Area)
The Loading Bay inside Primary Facility is extremely effective for Rusted Tool farming. You'll find numerous crates to search and breach here. Players regularly find Rusted Tools in almost all these crates, with typical runs yielding 3 to 4 tools. Some spawn on shelves instead of inside containers, so check everywhere.
You can reach the Loading Bay through corridors in the Primary Facility, though there's a faster route available. The lower floors also have additional spawns, but the Loading Bay has better concentration.
Water Treatment Control
Water Treatment Control has tons of crates you can pry open, and most hold Mechanical loot. The lower floors specifically give you solid Rusted Tool farming. This works well as part of a route that includes Scrapyard and Primary Facility since you can hit all three in one run with several extraction points nearby.
Water Tower
The Water Tower packs in lots of crates with a high percentage containing Mechanical materials. It's another solid option for Rusted Tool farming on Dam Battlegrounds.
Electrical Substation
Electrical Substation doesn't have as many loot crates compared to other Dam locations, but the ones here have a strong chance of dropping Mechanical loot. It's worth hitting as a secondary spot despite the lower container count.
Formicai Outpost
Formicai Outpost has one or two crates worth farming for Rusted Tools. It sits pretty close to Raider's Hatch, which makes it convenient for quick runs with easy extraction.
Raider Outpost East
Raider Outpost East offers similar farming to Formicai Outpost with one or two farmable crates. The downside is distance from extraction points, which ups the risk when you're trying to get out.
Spaceport (High Risk, High Reward Zone)
Spaceport has excellent Mechanical loot locations but way more danger than Dam Battlegrounds. ARC enemy presence is significantly higher here, making farming tougher but potentially more rewarding.
Vehicle Maintenance
This is the best Rusted Tool spot on Spaceport. The warehouses here have abundant loot with frequent Mechanical material spawns. Problem is, ARC enemies patrol heavily here, making it one of the riskier farming zones in the game.
Container Storage
Container Storage gives you good farming with slightly less danger than Vehicle Maintenance. The warehouses contain Mechanical loot, and this location sits right next to Vehicle Maintenance so you can farm both efficiently. There's also Shipping Warehouse to the north if you want to hit a third location.
Fuel Control
Fuel Control is safer than Vehicle Maintenance with fewer enemies around. Trade off is less loot overall, so it's a judgment call based on your risk tolerance.
Blue Gate (Additional Farming Options)
Blue Gate has several viable Rusted Tool farming locations, though details about this map are limited.
Adorned Wreckage
Adorned Wreckage has containers with Mechanical loot suitable for Rusted Tool farming. Specific details about container counts and spawn rates aren't available.
Warehouse Complex
Warehouse Complex offers Industrial and Mechanical loot for Rusted Tool farming. Exact container density isn't specified in available information.
Checkpoint
Checkpoint is another Blue Gate location where Rusted Tools can spawn. Further specifics about farming efficiency here aren't documented.
Buried Village (High Danger Alternative)
Outskirts
Outskirts in Buried Village is explicitly dangerous. But it has tons of Mechanical loot, and you'll probably find 3 to 4 Rusted Tools per visit. This is one of the higher yield locations, though the risk might not work for everyone.
Container Types and Search Patterns
Rusted Tools show up in several container types throughout Industrial and Mechanical zones:
- Red tool boxes
- Various crates and lootable containers
- Shelves and surfaces in Industrial areas
- Breachable containers
The container type matters less than the zone classification. Any container in an Industrial or Mechanical point of interest can potentially hold Rusted Tools.
Efficient Farming Routes
Dam Battlegrounds Beginner Route
If you're new to Rusted Tool farming, Dam Battlegrounds offers the safest and most efficient path. Start at Scrapyard and search all containers around vehicles. Move to Water Treatment Control and check the lower floors. Head to Primary Facility Loading Bay area. Extract using one of the nearby points.
This route gives you multiple chances to find the 3 Rusted Tools you need while staying relatively safe with accessible extraction options.
Dam Battlegrounds Alternative Route
You can mix up the primary route by adding Water Tower for extra crate farming, Electrical Substation for focused Mechanical loot, or Formicai Outpost for quick checks near extraction.
Spaceport Advanced Route
If you're comfortable with heavy enemy density, you can farm Vehicle Maintenance warehouses, Container Storage adjacent area, Shipping Warehouse to the north (optional), and Fuel Control if you want safer options. This route needs strong combat readiness because of the ARC enemy patrols.
Safety and Risk Management
Using the Safe Pocket
Put Rusted Tools in your Safe Pocket as soon as you find them. The Safe Pocket keeps items even if you die during extraction. This matters because Rusted Tools are relatively rare, and losing them to an ambush wastes all your farming time.
Safe Pockets aren't available with free loadouts. You need a paid loadout to access this feature.
Extraction Planning
Since Rusted Tools are important for progression, you should know extraction point locations before entering farming zones, pick routes with multiple nearby extraction options, think about extraction distance when choosing between high loot but remote locations versus moderate loot areas closer to extraction, and be ready for ambushes when carrying valuable items.
Map Selection for Beginners
New players or anyone looking for the safest farming should stick with Dam Battlegrounds. Spaceport has great loot locations, but the danger level is much higher and not worth it if you can't afford to lose farming time to deaths.
Loot Randomization and Expectations
All loot in Arc Raiders is randomized within category constraints. No location guarantees Rusted Tool spawns every visit. Container types determine possible loot categories, not specific items. You might need multiple runs to get your 3 Rusted Tools, though it's possible in high density areas like Primary Facility Loading Bay or Outskirts.
Don't expect to find everything you need in one run, though it can happen.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Recycling Rusted Tools Prematurely
The biggest mistake is recycling Rusted Tools before you realize they're needed for the Gunsmith upgrade. Since they're labeled as Recyclable Mechanical items, it's easy to auto recycle them for scrap metal without checking upgrade requirements first.
Farming Without Safe Pocket
Trying to farm Rusted Tools with a free loadout means you'll lose anything you find if you die. Given how much time it takes to find these relatively rare items, farming without Safe Pocket access is a waste.
Ignoring Zone Classifications
Searching random containers across the map without focusing on Industrial and Mechanical zones kills your farming efficiency. Understanding the loot category system is necessary for effective Rusted Tool farming.
After Acquiring Rusted Tools
Once you've collected 3 Rusted Tools, you can upgrade your Gunsmith to level II. After that upgrade, any additional Rusted Tools you find can be safely recycled for scrap metal since there's no other real use for them currently.
Skill Level Recommendations
Performance at Different Skill Levels
Beginner Friendly Locations: Dam Battlegrounds (Scrapyard, Primary Facility Loading Bay, Water Treatment Control), Formicai Outpost (quick and close to extraction)
Intermediate Locations: Dam Battlegrounds (Water Tower, Electrical Substation, Raider Outpost East), Spaceport Fuel Control
Advanced Locations: Spaceport (Vehicle Maintenance, Container Storage), Buried Village Outskirts
Quick Reference Summary
If you need 3 Rusted Tools for your Gunsmith upgrade, focus on Industrial and Mechanical zones. Dam Battlegrounds Primary Facility Loading Bay has the highest reported yield at 3 to 4 per run. Create a farming route covering Scrapyard, Water Treatment Control, and Primary Facility on Dam Battlegrounds. Always use Safe Pocket to protect what you find. Expect randomized spawns, so multiple runs might be necessary. After your upgrade is done, you can recycle extra Rusted Tools.
- Primary Facility Loading Bay - Highest yield
- Dam Battlegrounds Scrapyard - Consistent spawns
- Water Treatment Control - Safe and efficient
- Multiple extraction points nearby
- Buried Village without preparation
- Spaceport Vehicle Maintenance (beginners)
- Remote locations far from extraction
- Any location without Safe Pocket equipped
Primary Facility Loading Bay on Dam Battlegrounds is the single most reliable farming location based on available information, with consistent reports of multiple Rusted Tools per visit.