Post by: rb61 on March 29, 2016, 12:23:00 AM
I would like to ask a few forum members to post pictures of their verified 1962 and 1963 Polars.
Thanks,
Ray
Post by: warpedarrow on March 29, 2016, 06:47:00 AM
(http:// [url=http://s1245.photobucket.com/user/bradlehmann/media/IMG_4696_zpsrq3ahyts.jpg.html] [img]http://i1245.photobucket.com/albums/gg583/bradlehmann/IMG_4696_zpsrq3ahyts.jpg)[/url] [/IMG]
(http:// [url=http://s1245.photobucket.com/user/bradlehmann/media/IMG_4695_zpsfli4qdvg.jpg.html] [img]http://i1245.photobucket.com/albums/gg583/bradlehmann/IMG_4695_zpsfli4qdvg.jpg)[/url] [/IMG]
This is all that I have at the moment. Hope that it helps you, Ray.
Post by: mangonboat on March 29, 2016, 10:14:00 PM
(http://i.imgur.com/pdQtoQU.jpg)
Post by: rb61 on April 01, 2016, 01:28:00 AM
Left is a 61 Polar and right is a 64 BearCat
Thanks
(http:// [url=http://s1111.photobucket.com/user/61windsor/media/3%20bows_zpsy6npy0ii.jpg.html] [img]http://i1111.photobucket.com/albums/h477/61windsor/3%20bows_zpsy6npy0ii.jpg)[/url] [/IMG]
(http:// [url=http://s1111.photobucket.com/user/61windsor/media/3bow3_zpsgbtq5ru3.jpg.html] [img]http://i1111.photobucket.com/albums/h477/61windsor/3bow3_zpsgbtq5ru3.jpg)[/url] [/IMG]
(http:// [url=http://s1111.photobucket.com/user/61windsor/media/3%20bow2_zpspgm1lvbe.jpg.html] [img]http://i1111.photobucket.com/albums/h477/61windsor/3%20bow2_zpspgm1lvbe.jpg)[/url] [/IMG]
Post by: warpedarrow on April 01, 2016, 07:21:00 PM
Post by: rb61 on April 01, 2016, 09:50:00 PM
The Bearcat next to Polar is supposed to be the same kind of wood-Zebra. I stopped in at Rockler to look at wood samples and found a wide variety of grain like my Polar to grain like the Bearcat.
I don't know if there was any logic as to which piece of wood was selected for each bow or the bower simply grabbed the next one on the pile. I would guess that the higher end bows required more time in selection of wood.
Post by: warpedarrow on April 02, 2016, 08:24:00 AM
I am sure that you are correct on the wood selection and I am willing to bet that the supervisors were instructed to pull any really nice wood out of the lower end model runs. Somebody was asleep when that unique piece of wood made it into a Polar riser. Or, maybe they just had a lot left over from the '61 Kodiak Specials and needed to use it up.
Polars, at least in my opinion, were not that much lower in grade than the KS for the 62 model year.
Post by: Blackhawk on April 02, 2016, 03:13:00 PM
I believe that year's KS was 63" and 66", but what lengths were the '62 Polar?
Here's a '62 KS in brazillian rosewood with that cool robin egg-colored glass.
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d108/lwscott/62KS-1.jpg) (http://s34.photobucket.com/user/lwscott/media/62KS-1.jpg.html)
Post by: mangonboat on April 02, 2016, 04:59:00 PM
Post by: D.Sheppard on April 02, 2016, 09:14:00 PM
Post by: warpedarrow on April 02, 2016, 09:18:00 PM
Post by: D.Sheppard on April 02, 2016, 09:19:00 PM
http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p115/shepu812/Zebrawood%20Bows/mini-bowpics015-1.jpg
Post by: D.Sheppard on April 02, 2016, 09:22:00 PM
http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p115/shepu812/Zebrawood%20Bows/mini-bowpics006-1.jpg
Post by: D.Sheppard on April 02, 2016, 09:24:00 PM
Post by: D.Sheppard on April 02, 2016, 09:26:00 PM
http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p115/shepu812/Zebrawood%20Bows/mini-bowpics013-2.jpg
Post by: rb61 on April 03, 2016, 06:48:00 PM
You are correct. Here is a diagram that may help some members
(http:// [url=http://s1111.photobucket.com/user/61windsor/media/imgres_zpsiyk3j9fh.jpg.html] [img]http://i1111.photobucket.com/albums/h477/61windsor/imgres_zpsiyk3j9fh.jpg)[/url] [/IMG]
Post by: mangonboat on April 13, 2016, 02:47:00 PM
Post by: rb61 on April 15, 2016, 10:38:00 PM
Thanks.
Post by: Wade Phillips on April 19, 2016, 08:53:00 AM
Yes, the angle at which lumber is cut from a log will make a dramatic difference in the appearance of the wood grain.
However, the zebrawood slab on the coin side of your 62 Polar looks to my aging eyes as though the grain is a little spalted.
As a lifelong amateur woodworker, have cut numerous slabs from logs for use as lumber. Over the years have noticed spalted areas on several logs, especially maple and hackberry cut in this area.
Obviously, have never cut any zebrawood here in Nebraska and know nothing about the probability of spalted zebrawood, but have seen some images on the internet...
Such as the interesting grain in this unique Spalted Zebrawood 7 String Guitar ...
(http://i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo301/WadePhillips/spalted%20zebrawood%207%20String%20Guitar.jpg) (http://s386.photobucket.com/user/WadePhillips/media/spalted%20zebrawood%207%20String%20Guitar.jpg.html)
(http://i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo301/WadePhillips/spalted%20zebrawood.jpg) (http://s386.photobucket.com/user/WadePhillips/media/spalted%20zebrawood.jpg.html)
Post by: rb61 on April 21, 2016, 10:29:00 PM
Post by: Wade Phillips on April 25, 2016, 07:02:00 AM
However, as an old broken down bowhunter and long time Bear collector, it seems with Bear's vintage I-beam riser (three vertically laminated slabs), isn't the center slab the most nearly completely intact (not to mention the slab with the most glue surface area), and logically wouldn't it be desirable for the center slab to be the strongest of the three pieces of wood?
Wouldn't the two outside slabs likely be the least intact (weakest), and could be made of more decorative pieces of wood rather than the strongest pieces of wood?
That interesting slab of wood does have a hole drilled for the Bear coin, outside dramatically rounded contour for the grip, and just one of the long sides glued for strength.
Sorry to answer your question with more questions. Hopefully if logical questions are asked, some answers become apparent.
Post by: riser on June 30, 2016, 09:51:00 PM
Scroll down a bit. Nice picture/catalogue description of both a 1961 and 1962 Bear Polar recurve. 1961 had bubinga a riser. 1962 had a zebrawood riser. Both had a smaller size riser. They had larger risers in 1963-as earlier thread picture showed.