Willow shieldbow (u)

A willow longbow (u) (or an unstrung willow longbow) may be cut from willow logs with a knife at level 40 Fletching, granting 41.5 experience. It may also be strung at 40 fletching using a bowstring, granting an additional 41.5 experience and resulting in a strung willow longbow. However, to train, players may do better by waiting until level 55 fletching and using their bowstrings for maple longbows, due to the low value of willow longbows. Due to the low price and abundance of willow logs on the Grand Exchange, many players train Fletching by cutting willow logs into unstrung willow longbows and attempting to sell them on the Grand Exchange. This has resulted in an excess of unstrung willow longbows on the Grand Exchange.

The most profitable means of getting rid of these unstrung bows is selling them to a general store. This can be profitable since the logs cost about 12 gp on the Grand Exchange and sell for around 32gp at the store. An Explorer Ring could also be used to some effect - the 30 low level alchemy charges can be used to get a greater amount of GP than selling them to the store, although because the ring only has 30 charges per day its effects are minimal.

The process

 * 1) Before beginning, make sure to have the following items in the inventory: willow logs and a knife.
 * 2) Click on the knife making sure the knife is now in use mode. Now click on one of the Willow logs.
 * 3) Left click make under willow longbow and make sure all is selected towards the top.

Uses

 * This item can be invested in the Mobilising Armies activity. Each unit trades for 9 Investment Credits
 * Stringing this item makes almost 600 xp per inventory and is fairly cost effective.
 * As of 1 April 2010, Willow Longbows (u) can be sold to the general store in Varrock Square for the minimum Grand Exchange price, making fletching these bows a little bit more profitable.