Fletching Guide

Skills guide · Updated September 2025

Fletching turns logs into ranged weapons - bows, crossbows, arrows, bolts, darts, and javelins. It is one of the cheapest 99s on the server: buy logs from the GE, knife them into bows, and either string them or alch them for a small profit.

The real bottleneck is materials, not time. Willow and maple logs are the standard bulk buys; magic logs pay the best XP but cost accordingly.

How fletching works

Carry a knife and some logs, use the knife on a log, and the make-x menu offers unstrung bows (shortbow, longbow) or arrow shafts. Attach a bowstring to an unstrung bow for the finished weapon, or attach feathers to arrow shafts plus arrowheads for arrows.

Crossbows follow the same pattern: stock + limbs + string, then bolts from metal bars plus bolt tips. The bolts, arrows, and darts your ranged skill consumes are all fletched from smithing output.

Training routes by level

1–25: Arrow shafts and shortbows from regular logs.
25–45: Oak and willow bows - willow is the first reliable bulk tier.
45–60: Maple bows - the classic mid-tier grind.
60–80: Yew bows; string them for the full XP cycle.
80+: Magic bows for top XP, or darts for the AFK alternative.

Bolts, arrows, darts, and javelins

Ammunition is where fletching becomes a money-maker: adamant and rune bolts sell to rangers; broad bolts come from the slayer shop and fletch into usable ammo; dragon bolts are the end-game target.

Attach feathers to arrow shafts and metal tips to make arrows - the same arrowheads and dart tips you mine or smith. Broad arrowheads and bolt tips come from slayer; dragon dart and javelin tips are boss drops.

Fletching cape perk

The fletching skillcape has no active perk - its value is the badge. What you get at 99 is the ability to sell bulk-made bows and arrows at scale on the GE, which is its own reward.

The production chain

Fletching is the ranged-support skill: logs become bows and crossbow stocks, feathers and tips become arrows and bolts. On a live economy the finished goods are the play - a yew longbow strung sells on the GE to the same players training ranged.

The high-volume money-maker is bolt and arrow production: a fletcher buying feathers and tips in bulk converts cheap materials into the consumables every ranger burns through daily.

Methods that work

Maple and yew longbows for steady XP at mid levels.
Broad bolts and arrows for the profitable end.
Stringing the unfinished bows doubles the XP per log.
Crossbow stocks are the niche route - less competition, slower.

Fletching on this economy

Because the GE tracks every bow, arrow, and bolt sold, fletching is one of the few skills where you can see your profit margin before you craft. Check the alch page for bows that high-alch above cost - stringing them is literally printing money.

The unstrung bows sell to other fletchers too - a fast-path player buys them pre-made and only pays for the stringing XP.