Two things i would definitely like to see added to the game (and they don't both have to be there, one or the other would work brilliantly): 1) higher rate of drops from missions with items used in the blacksmith shop. 2) drops from missions used in blacksmith shop available for purchase using favor points (say, 10 or 20 items for 5 or 10 points). either of these options would make it MUCH simpler to get these sometimes hard-to-find items, especially for higher level players.
or another option... you have to get so many of them (for example 5 -10) and they aren't used up like some gift items.