Mining is a skill that takes a long time and a lot of work to learn.
But once you learn how to mine Rune Ore, it’s one of the best ways to make money in the game.
Rune ore sells for about 11,000 per ore, so a full stock of 28 will get you more than 308,000.
And if you want to get the best experience rates quickly, you’ll need the best tool for the job.
Some monsters, like the Guardians in the Chambers of Xeric or the Rune Golems in the Wilderness resource area, can only be killed with a good pickaxe.
So let’s rank some of the best pickaxes in Old School RuneScape that will make your life much easier.
12. Infernal pickaxe (or)
The infernal pickaxe (or) is a Trailblazer tool ornament kit that has been added to a hellish pickaxe.
The kit doesn’t give any extra benefits and is only used to make the pickaxe look better.
11. Gilded pickaxe
The Gilded pickaxe is a cosmetic variant of the rune pickaxe that can be obtained as a rare reward from elite and master Treasure Trails.
10. Iron Pickaxe
Even though this isn’t a great tool, you’ll need to use it if you want to start mining.
The iron pickaxe is available at level 1 Mining and is much better than the bronze pickaxe, which is the other option.
This iron tool is easy to get, even for free-to-play players. It can spawn for free in a few places, like by the Rellekka Rock Crabs.
You can also get this from any shop that sells pickaxes in the game.
Members might also want to keep this pickaxe in their bank, since it is needed for a hint at the Digsite that is a medium level.
9. Steel Pickaxe
Steel is the next clear step up from Iron, and all you need to mine with it is a Mining level of 5.
I’d say the Steel Pickaxe is about 4% better than the Iron Pickaxe, so it’s definitely an improvement.
This can be bought at any pickaxe shop in Gielinor, just like the Iron Pickaxe.
You can also steal it from the H.A.M. guards in their hideout, which won’t take long at all.
Near the limestone mine, you also need the steel shovel for a simple clue. So I would suggest keeping this where you can easily get to it.
8. Black Pickaxe
The Black Pickaxe is one of the most common tools in the game, but it is also pretty special.
It needs Mining level 10 to use, and after the steel pickaxe, it is the next best tool.
But pickaxes can be used for more than just digging. For Blood Runecrafting and the Abyss, many players use the Black Pickaxe.
This is because it is the only pickaxe in the game that weighs only 0.01 kg, making it the smallest pickaxe.
When you carry this and the fluid set, you can run for a lot longer, which increases your max efficiency.
This pickaxe can only be gotten from easy and basic clue scrolls, which makes it quite rare, especially among Ironmen. You might also be able to get one if you have access to the Grand Exchange.
7. Rune Pickaxe
For a long time, both members and people who weren’t members used the Rune Pickaxe.
And for a long time, it was the best tool in the game.
Even though it lost its title, it is still the best tool you can use in Free-to-Play.
Because of this, it’s still used a lot in Old School.
As a non-member, you can only get the Rune Pickaxe from shops in the Dwarven mines or the Mining Guild.
This tool can be bought at a number of shops, and it can also be dropped by bosses like Scorpia, General Graardor, and The Gauntlet.
Or, you can get it easily by completing the quest “Between a Rock…“, which gives you the pickaxe as a prize.
6. Dragon Pickaxe
From now on, only Members can buy any of the pickaxes on this list.
The Dragon Pickaxe, which is the second best tool in the game, is the first thing we see when we go into the member area.
To use this really cool tool, you’ll need a mining level of 61. It’s 5.88% better than the Rune Pickaxe, which is very noticeable when you’re trying to get the same ore as other people.
This pickaxe also has a special skill called “Rock Knocker,” which you can use if you have 60 Attack and can wield the pickaxe.
This gives you a temporary +3 mining level, which you can use to mine ores you don’t have the level for yet.
So, if you wanted to mine an Adamant Ore but only had 67 mining, you could use the special to quickly raise your mining to 70 and try to mine it. Quite useful!
And finally, a master clue step at the soul altar needs this hammer.
5. Dragon Pickaxe (or)
Players who want to make their gear look more like them often look for ornament kits.
This decoration kit changes the look of the Dragon Pickaxe, and it needs a Zalcano Shard to work.
A Zalcano shard is a very rare drop from Zalcano, with a chance of 1 in 750. This item is perfect if you want to add your own touch to your gear.
Zalcano is also a mine boss, so if you decide to fight him, you should be able to get some really good experience and loot.
The improved pickaxe has exactly the same statistics as the Dragon Pickaxe.
4. Dragon Pickaxe (upgraded)
The only difference between this form of the Dragon Pickaxe and the last one on this list is that it looks different.
But it does look great.
Use a Dragon Pickaxe improvement kit on your Dragon pickaxe to get this very cool-looking upgrade.
The player can only get the update kit from Last Man Standing, and it costs 14 LMS points.
3. 3rd age Pickaxe
This is possibly the best-looking pickaxe on this list, and it’s also the most expensive.
The 3rd age pickaxe is only for the kind of explorer who likes the… finer things in life.
This is because you’ll have to pay 2 billion coins if you want to buy this beautiful weapon.
It’s also one of the most rare things in the game.
On the other hand, you’d have to be very lucky with a Master Clue Casket… 1/313k lucky, to be exact.
That’s a chance of 0.0000031%.
This pickaxe doesn’t drop very often, so there aren’t many of them in the game. Most of them are owned by the wealthiest players.
In terms of stats, it is the same as the Dragon Pickaxe.
2. Infernal Pickaxe
When you train Mining and Smithing at the same time, your grind will be a lot less, well, grindy.
The Infernal Pickaxe has a special effect that gives you a one-in-three chance that your ore will immediately catch fire and turn into a bar, giving you the same amount of Smithing experience as usual.
You don’t need coal or a stove!
To get this awesome pickaxe, you’ll need to combine a Smouldering Stone with a Dragon Pickaxe. This will take a very high Smithing level of 85, but the results are well worth it.
1. Crystal Pickaxe
And finally, the best tool in Old School RuneScape, which is also my favorite:
The Pickaxe of Crystal!
This pickaxe has the most difficult requirements of any pickaxe. You need Mining level 71 and to have finished the Song of the Elves master-level task.
Overall, this pickaxe is about 3% better than the Dragon Pickaxe, so if you don’t mind the cost, it’s a much better choice.
It will break down over time, but it can still dig 10,000 ore before it is completely broken.
It will have the same stats as a Dragon Pickaxe once it breaks down. So it’s not a total loss; Crystal Shards will just need to be used to charge it up again.
