Im not sure if what gets posted here is really a true representaion of of all bowmakers in the world,, its just a very small part of what is being made in the world, anything done to excess can damage or break a bow,, heat,, reflex,,overdrawing, bad tiller,,bad wood,, most the time I get the feelig over stressing a design, to reach a predetermined draw, blows alot of bows,, or a combination of several factors,, and most the time inexperience.. lately, keeping bows in very low humidity,, cause its winter,, lots of guys are working with marginal wood to start, because thats all they have, etc etc etc,, you can heat wood to your advantage, ,and when it is done to excess, then it would be pilot error, not the use of heat,, but thats just my thinking on it,,since I love to make bows,,and heat them when needed, maybe it is a superstition,, then I would be superstitious,, I blow sage smoke on my bows too,,and do other secret things that I dont speak of,,