This is basically the idea:
Equipment would have to be studied before they can be equipped and used. They would be studied in the same window as curiosities & take INT to study. Most skills would not exist anymore (or maybe they all could be replaced)
Example #1
You make a bone saw, but in order to equip it to make boards, you need to place it into the study window and let it study for a period of time. once that is done you can equip it. You would no longer need to buy carpentry to see items you can make, you simply need the pre-requested discoveries, but you need to study a saw first to even get the board discovery.
Example #2:
You purchase a 12th bay axe from a village, you start studying it. After your finished you can equip the axe and now have the attacks: cleave and chop. you no longer buy melee combat skills, you simply study equipment.
I think this method is in line with what they were trying to do with discoveries. Instead of requiring experience, you are simply forgoing exp in order to use something new. For higher tier equipment, you can make the INT and study time much longer. so for example a law speaker hat would take a very long time and take a lot of INT. This would also give the hat a purpose.