Crafting Discussion... Okay, and suggestions

So I figured I'd engage with the crafting mechanics on my current playthrough. When I got to UT2 and found the forge, I melted down a couple items and went over to the anvil to make some beast claws. After some running around getting the items I needed (I had already unloaded in UT3 - I had to make two trips, one to get a blunt weapon, which ended up being a mace, and another to get a dagger), I started work. Several "explosions" later, the anvil disintegrated!

I tried to make another, out of the lump that was left over and by melting down a second mace and a battle axe. However I can't seem to get enough iron to actually make the anvil.

So the crafting attempt is a bust, I suppose. But, I learned a few things, and I have some thoughts...

1) Anvils seem unnecessarily fragile. Are they taking damage from the "explosions"? If so I would suggest changing that. Having some durability on your anvil isn't an awful idea - you might need something better than copper if you're trying to hammer an adamantine sword into shape - but working iron on iron should not destroy the anvil in a time frame less than months or years.

2) When attempting to craft something, please tell me what all I need to make it right up front. How much iron, what tools, etc... Figuring out what I need to make a recipe by trial and error is frustrating.

3) Can I suggest that material be chosen by what ingots are selected, rather than by the name I use when I describe the item? Seems odd that it defaults to bronze weapons, and that I have to specify when starting that I want something else.

Anyways, that's my 2c... now, lets see if I can find some more iron to finish rebuilding this anvil...

EDIT: Nevermind. I tried to extract some poison from a dead spider and the game crashed.

And to think I thought there was no crafting mechanics in this game and that the forge was a prop. Might try it out on my next playthrough when I get a chance.

I haven't used the crafting system tbh. I think as a feature it is sufficiently hermetically sealed off from the rest of the code to ensure stability, but use it at your own risk.