I read the article and its content seemed pretty good. The bow pictured at the end of article also seemed fairly attractive and the set wasn't all that much.I also don't agree that rawhide appreciably approves cast. I don't agree with the religious aspects and I'd be happy to discuss them but not here. I don't agree with everything that I've read in all of the 3 surviving trad mags and I'm sure people don't agree with everything that I have written. That's ok. That's what makes life interesting. 
Jawge
FWIW, the bow pictured in Longbow's article was mine, while it was being made late last fall. It is the same bow I submitted for Bow of the Month in January, and which stirred quite a lot of commentary. The finished bow had some diamond-shapped designs painted on the buffalo hide backing, which was done by Longbow after these pix were taken.
The bow being shot in the "camo" picture by David Green in the same article being discussed here, also is a buffalo-backed bow, of the same basic design and build, but maybe two inches shorter in length than mine. His is pretty stout -- about a 60- or 65-pound pull, I believe. Mine is a bit less, only because I'm not as strong as Dave, so Longbow tillered it down some.
I can only learn about primitive archery by reading and doing. Bow-making is a subject I'm not well-versed enough in, and therefore not really qualified, to discuss at any length. For me, the enjoyment of shooting the bow, especially out on a stump trail in Maine, or with David, is enough, and this bow does everything I want it to do.
In the most untechnical of terms, I can say the bow shwon being made in the article does shoot smooth, and has a lot more snap than you might think. It is quick, especially in the hands of someone like David, who is way more experienced and practiced than I am. The bow, itself, is light in weight, and perfectly balanced. Yes, it is a piece of art, but functional art, and I have no doubt that if I was a hunter, this bow would be deadly.
While I may not know much about bows, I do know something about guitars (40-plus years of playing them), and very often people focus too much on the minutia and numbers and technical stuff, rather than just enjoying the instrument. If it plays good, feels good, sounds good to the guitarist, that's all that should matter. I see it the same way with my buffalo-backed bow. There probably are a number of valid reasons for it goes against the grain of tried and true bow-making -- but, heck, it works for me, and that's all that matters, at least to me.
But a civil discussion is always welcome, as was th4e case about my bow in January, and as this discussion seems to be now. I do know that I see some pretty nice looking work being cranked out every month by many of the bowmakers who visit here. I would qualify many of these as functional art, as well.
Paul
