One of the projects I'm working on is compiling information on the evolution of the wood bow/organic composites to the modern composite, the most common being a fiberglass backed and faced, laminated bow.
Composites of organic or natural materials have been around a long time and remained popular through the 1940s until the plastics/fiberglass became dominant.
So far I've compiled information from ads and articles from American Bowman-Review and Archery from 1941-1952 and recorded it in an Excel Spreadsheet. Just beginning.
I use a variety of methods to collect and record information, one being Excel. Sample page of the draft shown here. When finished I'll print the material off and bind a hard copy as well as retaining an electronic copy.