A method of making a compensation shaft (1) out of a drop-forged shaft blank (11) is provided. The compensation shaft includes a shaft section (5) with a base body (16) and a rib (15) with a height H starting from the base body. The method includes separating the forging ridges (14) formed in the die (9, 10) by trimming the forged shaft blank into a shape close to the final contour of the base body at trimming points, with the distance S2 between these trimming points being substantially smaller than the distance S1 between the forging ridges prior to separation.