Book: Master Bowyer's Secrets/Text

Only the true masters of the art are even remotely capable of performing the crafts included within these pages. It is only at this level that the bowyer will begin to craft bows worthy of magical enchantment. Many of the skills are closely held secrets, but here is a preview of what is possible.

Oak bow staves, while being nigh impossible to work with, are the key to some of the most desired bows in the land. Proper oak material is quite hard to find and failure can be quite costly, but the rewards are well worth the risk.

Once a proper oak shaft has been located, soak the wood in balsam and trim down the bark and knots until you have a nice, smooth bow staff blank to work with.

Apply all the methods you've learned up to now to create your bows from oak. Even the most discerning Rangers would gladly carry an oaken bow in their travels.

Because Oak is so strong, and thus hard to work with, certain additional things can be added to your typical bow making process that further improves the bow. Using a standard bow cam, you can greatly tighten the bow string while making the bow easier to draw and quickening the release.

Making such bows is still beyond most bowyer's capabilities, but with practice and time (and a bit of patience) you too can be a Master Bowyer.