I don't however want a "careful what you wish for" ending that results in an horrible crafting system in TES 6.
As many screw ups that are in the crafting trees as is I'd rather have the crafting in than not it. So I don't get a careful what you wished for vibe. I get a thanks for putting it in but a few tweaks would make it even better vibe.
And most of the balance complaints(not all of them) are similar to the balance complaints of spell making which really is a don;t like it don;t use it appropriate situation IMO. Not that fixing the balance is wrong, but any time you have to work a system to get abusive I just don't care.
The spell making abuses were recursive stacking, short duration/effect for limited magicka costs. 2 quick easy fixes that neither steal peoples freedom and balance it, highest effect wins they don;t stack, and put in minimum costs for duration/effects so even if it is a 1 pit damage/1 second duration it still comes with a somewhat hefty cost.
Similar to the current crafting issues. Put a cap on the recursive stacking if it is seen as an issue, don't remove the skills. The main real "abuse" with smithing is tied into its horrible perk tree layout. It is hard to balance leveling the skill based on value of the item when without the perks you are stuck with iron, that would basically force you to perk it to level it which would be a bad design. But for ES 6 keep it in, but actually add cool effects the smithing perk tree and have materials unlock by the skill level so you can tie leveling it to item value. For example have heavy armor perk that increases the armor cap by 5% so you can absorb 90% instead of 85%, have a perk that reduces a speed penalty you put into heavy armor, have perks that add bleed effects to weapons, increase attack speed etc. None of this moronic you can now craft steel stuff, I mean what the hell did leveling get you anyways.