For over 85-years Damon Howatt has continued to pioneer the hand-crafted methods that make each longbow unique. Unlike other recurve bows that are made using inferior methods, each Damon Howatt Stick bow Longbow begins with high quality materials and impeccable craftsmanship. Each bow is a labor of love and each piece could tell a story. Each bow starts with raw wood, laminated together to form riser blocks which are then fused using specialized formulations of glue in a high compression bow press with ceramic heating inlays to increase longevity. After this each bow is pressed, the hand-shaping process begins. Templates that date back 60+ years on many of our models are then used to trace out the final outline. Custom equipment is then used to form the bow into a masterpiece that looks good on the wall, range, or in the wild. 3-4 coats of high quality clear coat are applied with multiple sanding processes between each coat to get the nicest finish seen on nearly any traditional longbow produced to this day! The hand-crafted nature of our bows might take longer, but you know you have a unique piece of functional art when you see the process each bow goes through. This is just one of the many aspects that makes Damon Howatt your premier traditional longbow choice, just see for yourself and watch the video below, the same process applies to all longbows!