Just some ideas I have about the crafting element in the game.
1. Crafting Recipes Distribution
I think that the recipe automatically available to a you should be very limited. Only some low-level fine gears (such as lv 1-5 or 1-10 gears) should be automatically available in shops, just to introduce and get the players into the world of crafting. The rest should be distributed through other means.
Higher tiers of fine items recipes may be bought from different towns as a little gold sink in the game or as common drops from regular creatures.
All rare-tier recipes should be unlockable through different towns' artisan quests. The artisan quests should also be expanded to include more than "make xxx items", make it more in-depth. Something like "my family has a secret recipe passed down from generations" or whatever and requires specific items to make them.
This could allow you to tie-in some of the resourcing skills, like introducing the linen cloth, the ethereal stuff or whatever.
Heroic tier recipes should come either in the form of an epic quest line (maybe linking it to some of the dungeon quests) or in the form of a rare drop from bosses in dungeons. So for something like the lv 30 special set, the boots can require something from guardhouse + the elemental flake, the helmet can be from something in boondock etc.
2. Salvage Items/Breaking Down items
I think that all items that are non-consumable should be salvageable by players to get at least some of the primary resources back. Say 25%+ x% with x being something that can be tied in with the leveling of the skills. (difference between actual item level and your skill level in that field maybe?). Also x can be negative.
Breaking down heroic items should yield some element flakes also.
Something similar to this could be the higher the level difference between your skill level and the level requirement the less resources you may need to make the same item. Call it a craftsman bonus or something. Say x% with a cap of 25% less resource needed. So if you are at cap, crafted tattered leather would only require 3 leather instead of 4.
3. Recipe Requirement
I've mentioned this before, but the resource requirement for recipe should be upped. All of the recipes should probably take at least 2 different type of resources from the resourcing skills, a la weaponsmithing. Really the only exception maybe the lv 1-5 stuff that can be used as an introduction to crafting.
Rare items should probably take 3 dif types + unusual resources. Heroic item should probably take at least 4 dif types and probably end game items should require all 7 different types.
4. Master Recipe
I think that all items should have a master recipe attached to it. Using the salvage feature, when you break down an item, not only do you get some resources, you also get a master recipe for that particular item.
Instead of being one of those innate recipe that is automatically listed like its currently so, these recipe will require a slot in your inventory and that you must have in your inventory in order to invent the item. They do not get consumed when inventing.
This mean that you have to have possession of the item before and must have broken it down to get the recipe. Each item then have its own resource requirement or whatever.