diff --git a/.github/workflows/auto-response.yml b/.github/workflows/auto-response.yml
index ce197a0..0507bd3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/auto-response.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/auto-response.yml
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ jobs:
       (github.event.action == 'opened' || github.event.action == 'reopened' || github.event.action == 'labeled' || github.event.action == 'unlabeled')) ||
       (github.event_name == 'pull_request_target' &&
       (github.event.action == 'labeled' || github.event.action == 'unlabeled'))
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    runs-on: blacksmith-2vcpu-ubuntu-2404
     permissions:
       issues: write
     steps:
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ jobs:
 
   first-interaction:
     if: github.event.action == 'opened'
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    runs-on: blacksmith-2vcpu-ubuntu-2404
     permissions:
       issues: write
       pull-requests: write
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ jobs:
 
   labeled-routes:
     if: github.event.action == 'labeled'
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    runs-on: blacksmith-2vcpu-ubuntu-2404
     permissions:
       issues: write
       pull-requests: write
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 17a9b7a..f9a435c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ env:
 jobs:
     changes:
         name: Detect Change Scope
-        runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+        runs-on: blacksmith-2vcpu-ubuntu-2404
         outputs:
             docs_only: ${{ steps.scope.outputs.docs_only }}
             docs_changed: ${{ steps.scope.outputs.docs_changed }}
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ jobs:
         name: Docs-Only Fast Path
         needs: [changes]
         if: needs.changes.outputs.docs_only == 'true'
-        runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+        runs-on: blacksmith-2vcpu-ubuntu-2404
         steps:
             - name: Skip heavy jobs for docs-only change
               run: echo "Docs-only change detected. Rust lint/test/build skipped."
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ jobs:
         name: Non-Rust Fast Path
         needs: [changes]
         if: needs.changes.outputs.docs_only != 'true' && needs.changes.outputs.rust_changed != 'true'
-        runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+        runs-on: blacksmith-2vcpu-ubuntu-2404
         steps:
             - name: Skip Rust jobs for non-Rust change scope
               run: echo "No Rust-impacting files changed. Rust lint/test/build skipped."
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ jobs:
         name: CI Required Gate
         if: always()
         needs: [changes, lint, test, build, docs-only, non-rust, docs-quality]
-        runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+        runs-on: blacksmith-2vcpu-ubuntu-2404
         steps:
             - name: Enforce required status
               shell: bash
diff --git a/.github/workflows/docker.yml b/.github/workflows/docker.yml
index 271274b..bb88fa1 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/docker.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/docker.yml
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ jobs:
     pr-smoke:
         name: PR Docker Smoke
         if: github.event_name == 'pull_request'
-        runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+        runs-on: blacksmith-2vcpu-ubuntu-2404
         timeout-minutes: 25
         permissions:
             contents: read
@@ -34,8 +34,8 @@ jobs:
             - name: Checkout repository
               uses: actions/checkout@34e114876b0b11c390a56381ad16ebd13914f8d5 # v4
 
-            - name: Set up Docker Buildx
-              uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@8d2750c68a42422c14e847fe6c8ac0403b4cbd6f # v3
+            - name: Setup Blacksmith Builder
+              uses: useblacksmith/setup-docker-builder@v1
 
             - name: Extract metadata (tags, labels)
               id: meta
@@ -46,14 +46,13 @@ jobs:
                       type=ref,event=pr
 
             - name: Build smoke image
-              uses: docker/build-push-action@ca052bb54ab0790a636c9b5f226502c73d547a25 # v5
+              uses: useblacksmith/build-push-action@v2
               with:
                   context: .
                   push: false
                   load: true
                   tags: zeroclaw-pr-smoke:latest
                   labels: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.labels }}
-                  cache-from: type=gha
                   platforms: linux/amd64
 
             - name: Verify image
@@ -71,8 +70,8 @@ jobs:
             - name: Checkout repository
               uses: actions/checkout@34e114876b0b11c390a56381ad16ebd13914f8d5 # v4
 
-            - name: Set up Docker Buildx
-              uses: docker/setup-buildx-action@8d2750c68a42422c14e847fe6c8ac0403b4cbd6f # v3
+            - name: Setup Blacksmith Builder
+              uses: useblacksmith/setup-docker-builder@v1
 
             - name: Log in to Container Registry
               uses: docker/login-action@c94ce9fb468520275223c153574b00df6fe4bcc9 # v3
@@ -103,11 +102,9 @@ jobs:
                   echo "tags=${TAGS}" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
 
             - name: Build and push Docker image
-              uses: docker/build-push-action@ca052bb54ab0790a636c9b5f226502c73d547a25 # v5
+              uses: useblacksmith/build-push-action@v2
               with:
                   context: .
                   push: true
                   tags: ${{ steps.meta.outputs.tags }}
-                  cache-from: type=gha
-                  cache-to: type=gha,mode=max
                   platforms: ${{ startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/') && 'linux/amd64,linux/arm64' || 'linux/amd64' }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/labeler.yml b/.github/workflows/labeler.yml
index 08def46..8973c94 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/labeler.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/labeler.yml
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ permissions:
 
 jobs:
     label:
-        runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+        runs-on: blacksmith-2vcpu-ubuntu-2404
         timeout-minutes: 10
         steps:
             - name: Apply path labels
diff --git a/.github/workflows/pr-hygiene.yml b/.github/workflows/pr-hygiene.yml
index 7db9609..0f36ac5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pr-hygiene.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pr-hygiene.yml
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ concurrency:
 
 jobs:
   nudge-stale-prs:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    runs-on: blacksmith-2vcpu-ubuntu-2404
     permissions:
       contents: read
       pull-requests: write
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index aa0d32a..716b430 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ jobs:
       matrix:
         include:
           - os: ubuntu-latest
-            target: x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu
+            target: blacksmith-2vcpu-ubuntu-2404
             artifact: zeroclaw
           - os: macos-latest
             target: x86_64-apple-darwin
diff --git a/.github/workflows/stale.yml b/.github/workflows/stale.yml
index f532229..d54e64d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/stale.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/stale.yml
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ jobs:
     permissions:
       issues: write
       pull-requests: write
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    runs-on: blacksmith-2vcpu-ubuntu-2404
     steps:
       - name: Mark stale issues and pull requests
         uses: actions/stale@5bef64f19d7facfb25b37b414482c7164d639639 # v9