Salvage kit vs. Expert Salvage kit

I was wondering when I should use each kit? When should I use the much more expensive Expert Salvage kit on an item? Thanks.

Expert Salvage Kits are used to garner runes and rare crafting materials from items.

For example:

You find a rare Longbow. You identify the Longbow and find out it is a Shocking Longbow of Enchanting. Assuming you haven't unlocked the Shocking Bow String and Enchanting Bow Grip, it will tell you they are unlocked. If you use an Expert Salvage Kit on the Longbow, you have a chance to get a Shocking Bow String or Enchanting Bow Grip from it. If you use a normal Salvage Kit, you will always only get some wood planks.

If you use an Expert Kit on salvage items, you have a chance to get a rare crafting item. For example, Charr Hides can get you Fur Squares. Keep in mind that it is a very low chance (I had to salvage 12 Charr Hides for 1 Fur Square).

Expert Salvage Kits pay for themsleves. Once you can get them, don't go back to the normal ones. When they have one use left, sell them. Experts can sometimes get more than one item from an item, too. Bigger profit with it.

So use an Expert Salvage kit on everything? Once I have an ESK I should stop using the regular salvage kit?

Query on that - what are the unlocks doing for you
I understand skill unlocks, choices for PvP characters
Are these then also unlocking weapon choices/customizations for PvP?

Now I thought unlocks went across all your characters
ie unlocked on one char doesnt matter/need to be unlocked with another

but my elementalist unlocked a bow grip of marksmanship last night
and then so did my warrior - I've unlocked it twice?

finally say I expert salvage it and get the bowstring - this can be applied to any bow? go to the [Weapons] guy? Have I heard right - only one item can be applied or you can do two or more? For the latter I'll search too..

thanks,
CKaz

When you unlock an upgrade in a weapon by identifying it, you then need to Expert Salvage the item and cross your fingers to get the upgrade out. Just because it's identified doesn't guarantee you'll be able to salvage it.

Any weapon can have two upgrades. As an example I'll use a hammer - I'm a hammer user Hammers upgrades are Hafts and Grips. If you apply a Vampiric Haft, it changes the name of your hammer to an "Vampiric Hammer". Then if you apply a defense grip, it changes it's name to a "Vampiric Hammer of Defense". So you can always tell how many upgrades have been added to a weapon by looking at the name.

If you then decide to apply another haft/grip, it will change the name and remove the appropriate prefix/suffix. Same is true for all weapons. Hope that helps.

Edit: misspelled 'defense'