I hope this is the correct place to put this, if not, I'll move it, or if I can't can a mod please?
Anyway this is how my friend got his unusual by starting with a jag he got in a drop.


1. Get a drop. It can be any, just make sure it is a drop or else it's worth nothing. He started with a Jag.

2. Go on a website like tf2tp.com or tf2outpost.com , login using steam, and put it up for trade, ask for either a scrap or 2 random weapons.

3a (If you get a scrap.) Find a scrap banker. Sell them the scrap for 2 weapons (Any will do)

3b (If you get two random weapons) Put those up on either of the sites listed above. Sell them each for two random weapons or a scrap.

4. Repeat 2 - 3b until you get enough metal for a key or a good strange (Like a Strange Machina or Strange shotty). or you can keep getting metal.

5. Save metal. Then, go out and post on one of those websites I listed above (again) offering the metal for a hat of your choice. Use this for prices;
tf2spreadsheet.blogspot.com
when you get a hat, try sell it for a little bit more metal than it's worth, or a little more than what you paid for it.
Repeat step 5 as long as you want.

6. Buy Bill hats, Earbuds or Keys. Those are currency to buy an unusual, or anything really.



And for everyone who wants the links again;
http://tf2tp.com
http://tf2outpost.com
http://tf2spreadsheet.blogspot.com

IMPORTANT: The spreadsheet is for references ONLY. Do NOT use it as a normal price guide! I can not stress that enough!

So there you have it. Note, this can take time! If you follow this guide to the letter, you will begin to get some amazing items. Please post below on what could be improved upon, thank you

 

Lol ikr! I only want the nice ones, don't give a damn if it's craftable or not. I much prefer collecting Strange items, and thanks for the feedback

 

There's also idling accounts I suppose.

 

My guess is that you sell the weapons for a scrap each.
So, they give you 2 weapons for a scrap and you sell the weapons for 2 scrap.

I just stick to idling accounts.

 

Actually i'll fix that statement.

If you so desire you can ignore hats, i've never bothered with them or trading either.

 

if you want I can give a machina

 

I got a Sydney Sleeper I could give ya for free.
Do you mind if it's uncraftable?

 

I have a friend who gets real money from selling TF2 stuff.

 

I wouldn't really call it "complex" as it's generally like most markets.
There's the shit that's pretty worthless (weapons (excluding rare ones like the big Kill), then there's the semi valuable stuff (old hats), Currency (Keys, Refined Metal, Earbuds Bill's hat Real life money etc) the more valuable hats (newer ones) and then the unusuals (which can go for hundreds of dollars)

As for the whole Vanilla TF2 thing, I don't really see, what's so bad about having an economy. You can still play the game and ignore all the cosmetics, the traders etc because most of the time, you'll only see traders in trading servers, which you shouldn't even be on in the first place if you're just trying to play the game.

 

A much better method is using a backpack scanner such as the up-to-no-good scanner and hop servers scanning backpacks. Find people with valuable items and low play times and try to get them to trade it for a lower value, some people newer players are more than willing to trade their newly unboxed unusual for two craft hats (or even uncraftables for that matter) and maybe 3-5 weapons that they don't have of a class they like or even a (cheap) strange weapon. If you're gonna go with that approach I suggest using TF2LS or similar to check what items they don't have. If you do this, don't be afraid to stretch the truth a bit but don't go as far as to lie to them. The hardest part is getting them to enter a trade with you, most suitable targets just let the trade request time out.

Personally I don't do it but I know there are many who do, heck, even the first burning team captain ( I believe it was burning, might have been another high tier effect) was obtained in a similar fashion for about the value of 2 keys and the guy who got it resold it (for cash) shortly after for a huge profit.

Just as there are people who unintentionally undervalue their items, there are also some who unintentionally over value their items, such as people who are new and try to sell their recently bought dirty hat for a few keys.