Can a mass produced bow be traditional?

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I'm not a traditional shooter myself but it is definately something I am interested in. However, sometimes I see these "traditional" bows made by compound bow companies. These bows don't look very traditional and I'm sure they don't shoot like a bow made using older techniques.
The question is how traditional does a bow have to be before it is given the same respect as a old fashioned bow?
Personally, I dont see myself going traditional unless I'm shooting something thats made by hand, made of natural materials, and looks...old :P

[manyletters]

Look at the newer ILF systems...metal risers with plungers , etc...it is still traditional just different. Traditional archery is on the upswing...you see a lot of the major manufacturers putting out trad bows. There is a wide variance in performance with trad bows, though, but it all depends what you are looking for!! I can honestly tell you that once you get a nice trad bow in your hand and shoot it for an afternoon, you might be hooked!!:D

[HarryH]

Well in older times, weren't bows "mass produced" for armies? Sure they didn't have the same production capabilities as nowadays, but I would still call it mass production.

Everybody has a different definition for traditional though. When I think about it, I imagine wooden longbows or similar.

[Outsider]

Today when archers are talking about traditional archery, they are referring to a style of shooting which has been around for hundreds of years. No aids of any kind. A stick and a string approach to archery.

In reality today’s traditional bows are not as tradition as some may think. Whether they are handmade or manufactured in mass, they are simply modern day replicas. There have been many improvements to the traditional bow over the past 50 years to allow a replica bow to last longer or perform more efficiently. Things such as fiberglass, carbon, fast flight string etc. A true traditional bow, like the ones that are being copied, should be made out of the same or similar materials of the period the bow was originally made.

No different than the materials being used to make a traditional arrow. Aluminum, carbon, plastic nocks, glued on feathers… etc, are improvements. Arrows of yesteryear were handmade, hand fletched and self nocked.

[bearwaltzer]

Traditional, is the equipment that one is using; recurve, longbow, etc.
Generally when one is using original materials, to make their equipment, it is called primitive archery. Given this, primitive is still traditional because the bows are usually longbows or flatbows.:beer:

[petew]

It is all in the eyes of the person looking.
I have Selfbows from Hickory, Maple , Osage etc, and even a replica of a holemagard, all very traditional, or even primitave. I also shoot ILF bows with CNC machined risers, carbon foam limbs , etc, and some beautiful modern wood. glass/carbon bows. They are all traditional.
Traditional simply refers to a style of bow, not how or who makes it.

Pete

[marsniper27]

Personally i like a wood bow.

But i consider basically any bow without wheels a trad bow.

[DDDave]

I have outshot my 1300 dollar ACS CX with my 97 dollar 1961 Bear Kodiak Special. One would be hesitant to call the Kodiak Special anything other than traditional. One might quibble that with its carbon limbs and machined riser that the ACS CX is not traditional because its superiour modern materials and design will give better results.

HMMM?

DDDave