What do I do with all this junk I'm looting?

I'm returning after a long hiatus for PoF, and it's been dropping a bunch of stuff into my bags that I don't have a very clear idea what to do with: salvage items and unidentified gear. Specifically, this boils down into two questions:

1. What tier salvage kit should be used on salvage items, is it worth burning higher level kit uses on them or do they pop out the same stuff with a cheap salvage kit? Or is it better to just sell them outright?

2. Is it more optimal to sell, salvage, identify then sell, or identify then salvage the unidentified gear? And as above, does the level of salvage kit change the outcome of salvaging the unidentified stuff?

I'm not an expert, but I can give you some insight.

1. I would recommend the cheaper salvage kits on salvage items. I'm not aware of any rare/high-level materials that come from most of them. Most salvage items are basic and will yield some simple materials that you can use/stash/sell. If you're hard up for gold, you could sell them, but you're likely better off salvaging and selling mats (recent price drops may have changed this)
2. There are a few possibilities here, and it depends on what you're trying to do. Let me make some bullet sub-points below:

• Masterwork and below Unidentified Items (UI) - if you want PoF specific materials, you need to salvage directly, and I'd recommend using a basic or lower-end kit (or copper-fed salvage-o-matic)
• Alternatively, you can identify your Masterwork and below UI and salvage all of the masterwork and below items with the basic kit. You'll get regular mats for the items when you salvage them. You might also get some rare or exotic items when you ID; you can sell these on TP or salvage with a higher end kit (I like Mystic kits for rare and Black Lion for exotic to maximize use and hopefully get some Ectos and Dark Matter)
• For Rare or Exotic UI, I would recommend identifying and then selling on TP or salvaging with a high end kit. I'm not sure if salvaging a higher quality UI will give you specialized, PoF specific materials or not. At this stage, I wouldn't risk that until there's more general knowledge around it.

Magic Find has an impact, so increase this if you want to have a better chance of getting rares and exotics. I typically ID everything, since I'm not chasing any PoF materials right now. I'm stocking up on regular mats for my next Ascended craft, and I want every chance I can get to find Exotic items (value, Skin unlocks... potential Precursor!).

With your goals in mind and RNG being a factor, there's some equally valid options for you. I hope you're enjoying PoF!

Those are easily comprehended answers, thank you!

I've found a slight, but noticeable increase in mat drops with higher tier kits. I normally use Fine kits for greens and below, with one exception, and master kits for rares. Black Lion kits if it is an exotic with a superior rune or superior sigil. Now, back to the exception: I use master kits when salvaging ALL medium armor, regardless of quality. I seem to drop more T6 leather with the master kits - even from blues - than any lower kit.

You can give me all that junk!