How to Repair a Bow in Minecraft Without anvil
Running out of arrows is frustrating—but snapping your enchanted bow mid-battle is worse. In Minecraft, bows break after 384 uses, and while anvils are the go-to repair tool, they come with escalating XP costs and the dreaded “Too Expensive” message. The good news? You can repair a bow without an anvil. This guide reveals all legitimate methods to fix your bow without touching an anvil, including how to preserve enchantments, maximize durability, and avoid common mistakes.
Whether you’re in early survival or endgame, you’ll learn the smartest, most sustainable ways to keep your bow battle-ready. From passive XP repair to efficient grinding techniques, there’s a solution for every playstyle and game stage.
Mending Enchantment – Repair With XP Orbs
The only way to permanently repair a bow without losing enchantments or using an anvil repeatedly is with the Mending enchantment. Once applied, it repairs your bow automatically as you play—no crafting, no materials, just experience.
How Mending Repairs Your Bow
When you collect XP orbs from killing mobs, mining, or smelting, Mending uses that experience to restore your bow’s durability.
• The bow must be in your main hand or off-hand to receive repairs.
• 1 XP point = 2 durability points restored.
• Repairs happen instantly and automatically.
• Durability cannot exceed 384—any extra XP goes to your level bar.
This makes Mending ideal for high-use gear like bows, especially when paired with Power, Unbreaking, or Flame.
Get Mending Without Enchanting Table
You cannot get Mending from an enchanting table. Instead, find it through:
• Fishing – Treasure catches may include Mending books.
• Villager trading – Librarian villagers (Journeyman or Expert) sometimes sell it.
• Loot chests – Shipwrecks, temples, strongholds, and woodland mansions have a chance to drop it.
Once you have the book, use an anvil once to apply Mending to your bow. After that, no further anvil use is needed—making it a true anvil-free repair system.
💡 Pro Tip: Build a zombie or blaze farm to generate steady XP, speeding up Mending repairs.
Why Mending Beats Anvil Repairs
• ✅ Repairs happen passively during gameplay.
• ✅ Preserves all other enchantments like Power V or Unbreaking III.
• ✅ Avoids the “Too Expensive” limit entirely.
• ✅ No material cost—just XP from normal activities.
But there’s a catch: Mending and Infinity cannot coexist. You must choose between infinite arrows or self-repair.
❗ Warning: If you rely on Infinity, you will need spare bows or anvil repairs. For long-term play, Mending is the better investment.
Combine Bows in Crafting Grid
If your bow is not enchanted, combining two damaged bows in a crafting grid is a fast, early-game fix. This method does not require any special blocks—just your inventory.
Merge Two Bows Into One
- Open your 2×2 inventory crafting grid or 3×3 table.
- Place two damaged bows in any two slots.
- A single repaired bow appears in the output.
- Drag it into your inventory.
The new bow’s durability equals the sum of both input bows, up to 384.
• Example: 100 + 150 durability = 250 durability bow.
• No bonus is added.
This is perfect for cleaning up drops from skeleton farms or raids.
You Lose All Enchantments
Here is the big downside:
• ❌ All enchantments are erased—even if one bow has Power V or Flame.
• The resulting bow is completely unenchanted.
• No way to save or transfer enchantments.
❗ Critical Warning: Never combine an enchanted bow unless you want to lose its perks forever. Double-check before crafting.
Best Use Cases
• ✅ Repairing non-enchanted bows from mob drops.
• ✅ Consolidating multiple low-durability bows into one usable one.
• ✅ Early survival when you do not have access to anvils or enchantments.
While simple, this method is inefficient for valuable gear. For better results, use a grindstone.
Use a Grindstone to Repair and Recover XP
The grindstone is the best tool for repairing unenchanted bows while gaining a durability bonus and recovering some XP. It is more efficient than the crafting table and helps reset “Too Expensive” items.
Craft and Use a Grindstone
To make a grindstone:
• 2 sticks
• 2 wooden planks (any type)
• 1 stone slab
Crafting pattern:
• Top row: Stick, Stone Slab, Stick
• Middle: (empty), Plank, (empty)
• Bottom: (empty), Plank, (empty)
Once placed, right-click to open it. Put one damaged bow in the left slot and another (any condition) in the right. The output shows a repaired bow with 5% more durability than the sum.
Durability Boost and XP Return
• Output = (Bow A + Bow B) × 1.05, capped at 384.
• Example: 160 + 160 = 320 → ×1.05 = 336 durability.
• You also get 2–5 XP orbs based on removed enchantments.
This makes the grindstone the most material-efficient repair method for non-Mending bows.
Why Grindstone Over Crafting Table?
| Feature | Grindstone | Crafting Table |
|---|---|---|
| Durability Bonus | ✅ +5% | ❌ None |
| XP Return | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Enchantment Preservation | ❌ No | ❌ No |
Even if both methods remove enchantments, the grindstone gives you more durability and free XP—making it the superior choice.
💡 Pro Tip: Use a grindstone to disenchant a broken Infinity bow, repair it, then reapply Mending if you switch strategies.
Commands for Instant Repair (Creative Mode)
If you are in Creative mode or have cheats enabled, you can repair a bow instantly using commands.
Use /repair Command
Open chat and type:
/repair
This instantly restores the item in your hand to full durability. The command preserves all enchantments, making it perfect for testing builds or creative mode play.
Frequently Asked Questions About Repairing Bows Without Anvil
Can I repair a bow with string or sticks?
No. Unlike tools such as wooden pickaxes (repairable with wood planks), bows cannot be repaired with raw materials like string or sticks. Placing string plus a damaged bow in a crafting grid does nothing. There is no recipe in the crafting table, furnace, or any other interface that uses string, sticks, or other materials to repair a bow.
Does renaming a bow reset its repair cost?
No. In versions before 1.8, renaming an item reset the work penalty. Since Minecraft 1.8, renaming does not prevent cost escalation. Renaming still costs XP but does not reduce future repair costs. A renamed item may allow one final repair if previously too expensive, but this is not a reliable strategy.
Can I use Mending and Infinity together on the same bow?
No. Mending and Infinity are mutually exclusive—only one can be on a bow at a time. You must choose between infinite arrows or self-repair. Players using Infinity must rely on anvil repairs or carry spare bows.
What’s the best repair method for early game?
The crafting table method is best for early game when you do not have access to anvils or enchantments. Simply combine two damaged bows from skeleton drops to create a usable bow. This requires no special blocks and is available from the start of survival mode.
How do I get Mending if I cannot enchant it?
Mending cannot be obtained from an enchanting table. You must find it through fishing (treasure loot), villager trading (find a Librarian villager), or loot chests in structures like shipwrecks, temples, and strongholds. Once obtained, apply it with a one-time anvil use.
Can I repair an Infinity bow without losing the enchantment?
No. Infinity bows can only be repaired on an anvil (using another bow) or by combining them—which loses the enchantment anyway. There is no way to preserve Infinity while repairing. Consider using Mending instead for long-term sustainability, or accept the need for occasional anvil repairs.
Key Takeaways for Repairing Your Minecraft Bow
Mending is the only sustainable, anvil-free method that preserves enchantments and avoids repair cost escalation. Use it for your primary combat bow if you plan to use the bow frequently.
The crafting table and grindstone are fallbacks—use them only when enchantments are expendable. The grindstone is more efficient than the crafting table due to the 5% durability bonus and XP return, making it the better choice for repairing unenchanted bows.
String and sticks cannot repair bows—this is a myth with no basis in current Minecraft mechanics. Bows can only be repaired using another bow, Mending enchantment, or commands.
Monitor your bow’s durability in your hotbar (visible as a bar when durability is low) to prevent unexpected breakage during combat. Always keep backup Mending books—they are rare and critical for long-term gear maintenance.
By strategically combining Mending, grindstone efficiency, and smart enchantment choices, you can maintain powerful, durable bows indefinitely—without relying on anvil repairs or losing valuable enchantments.
