The first iteration of this quest DOES count for Loremaster of Kalimdor. Went up from 503 to 504. :)

Is it a higher drop rate on bosses ?

You have to do this q about 103 times to get from hated to Hostile >.<

With this new Feat of Strength added in 3.1 as a ""carrot"", this grind will feel even easier.<div class=""quote"">Insane in the Membrane - Raise your reputation with the areas listed below. (Title Reward: The Insane)
Honored with Bloodsail Buccaneers
Exalted with Booty Bay
Exalted with Everlook
Exalted with Gadgetzan
Exalted with Ratchet
Exalted with Darkmoon Faire
Exalted with Ravenholdt
Exalted with Shen'dralarCan't wait to get it on my warlock. :)

Additionally, the Rugged Leather from ""Knot Thimblejack's Cache"" is a good help on the way to Darkmoon Faire Exalted. Cache spawns after saving him.

With the advent of Patch 3.1, rep will now correctly be displayed in your window when you turn the quest in.

well today after the last patch (3.1.1a) i run the DM 10 times in 2 and a half hour and not a single one key droped, Anyone else noticed this or i had an incredible bad luck?

Remember, each time you free Knot, he leaves behind his https://vanillawowdb.com/?object=179501 tailoring and leatherworking cache. This cache makes it a simple matter to increase your rep per run.

Personally, as a warrior, after a few hours of DM runs i end up with a lot of Runecloth, which i give to an alt to turn into Bolts. So next time i run back to DM, i take a few stacks of Rune Thread and all the bolts of Runecloth I've made and (using the tannin and leather you get from Knot's cache, and the https://vanillawowdb.com/?object=179499 Ogre Tannin Basket on the upper floor) I'm able to do quite a few turn ins. This is of course, totally reliant on the Rugged Leather drops from the cache, but on the positive side it costs next to nothing to do, and reduces the total number of runs you'll need to do.

Long story short: don't forget the cache.

A few tips:

- Get entertainment or distraction while doing this grind. And I do not mean your GF stripping, we all know you're doing something wrong by sitting here.

- A mammoth / mailbox / 2nd account can be very handy here. Selling your grays and mailing your items can be quite much more efficient then running to a vendor or mailbox.

- Don't look to much to the reputation bar. Do not even think about showing your reputation on your UI. It will only make you feel worser

- Don't even count the number of runs you need to do. Just do them!

- Don't grind to much. If you're not really a grinder, limit your grinds a day to 10. This way you can safely devide 21k to exalted rep into 6-7 days. Rather then doing them all in a weekend.

- If you are a grinder, try grinding something else after a while. I can remember grinding 54 more Strat runs for my Baron mount ( 254 run ftw ) and then heading over to Dire Maul. I liked the change and the new eviroment I needed to grind in. I did a happy 25 runs.

- Do not play on a slow PC/laptop. Ugh, i'm forced to play on my slow laptop and to be honest if I didnt had such a will to have 47 exalted reputations, I would have quit by now. So sloooow.

This quest is missing in Cataclysm atm. He no longer has gossip about you finding the key, even though the key still drops.

You can still do this quest to https://vanillawowdb.com/?quest=7429 Free Knot, just remember to talk with him after you've looted a key.
Only after you've talked to him will you be able to take the quest (which is repeatable for Steemwheedle Cartel reputation).

In 3 easy steps:

• Loot a https://vanillawowdb.com/?item=18250 Gordok Shackle Key
• Talk to https://vanillawowdb.com/?npc=14338 Knot (""So, I found this shackle key..."", and ""I guess so!"")
• Accept the quest https://vanillawowdb.com/?quest=7429 Free Knot! and complete it to free him (and get delicious rep in the process).

Since this quest is no longer available, I was wondering what I can do now to get Steamwheedle rep past revered. The Southsea pirates still provide 2-3 spillover rep per mob but they dont give any Gadgetzan rep past 11999 honored at all. I had a look and I think the repeatable water quest has been removed too.
I know Insane in the Membrane is suposed to still be achievable, with Steamwheedle exalted as a requirement, so surely there must be a way?