The time comes when even the best blacksmith will come upon
an item that he can do nothing with, or may find he badly needs
a certain material in order to finish a vital repair. In times
like this, he can take almost any armour and melt it down, or
form it into a reworkable mass. This way he may not have to go
find raw material himself, he can just get by with what he has on
hand. If you want to make sure you don't cannibalize wrong item, place
the item in keep.