Thanks again for all the comments

JW Halverson, i may take you up on that one day, i would love to hunt with a bow and i agree our laws are daft..
medicinewheel, im not sure what you mean. My knocks are always rubbish as i never seem to get them right and i am never happy with them. The belly in that picture is facing up. The nocks are cut into the back a tiny ammount, but mostly in the belly. The string seems to stay on without a problem but lookin at other peoples bows they seem to get away without touching the back at all. I would love to see another self bow in the flesh but it doesnt seem to be popluar around where i live. The only other wood bows i have seen are ELB`s in shops and they all have either horn knocks and are all laminates.
chasing crow, proper beer! have 2 on me

Bavaria, its just a polyurathane (sp?) clear varnish. It seems to work well but a few damp nights in the woods will tell..