59 kodiak tip color

[Abear]

I posed this question earlier to Rich and he wasnt sure ,59 kodiaks,is there a relationship between the tip colors and the month of manufacture?I have a few that have a 3 layer tip with aBD serial # and the rest have a 5 or 7 layer i cant tell which, and they are BB or BC and I have seen a few go through with the 3 layer that always were BD or later,I was under the impression that BA BB BC BD etc indicated the batch designation or month or week but they were numbered in that order and first letter indicated lenght ,I have one that says BG but its a 7 layer tip and front that seemd to indicate early manufacture but the serial #indictes otherwise ,just curious because I thought all were 3 layer tips after the 3rd month D designstion  or if you have seen a variance in the tips even in later 59 s, also what does the letter below the poundage indicate it says L ? also I noticed the string grooves are not cut  into the wood lam like all the others i have, except the 56" er Is That unusual? I am sure there are a lot of 59 out there and I am courious as to what  is out there.

[d. ward]

As for the tip colors,I don't think that would have to much to do with the month.Bear Archery was a huge manufacturing company and I've found they pretty much used what they had in stock at that time,like the paper tip overlays or in some cases in 1955 and 1956 they could not get the paper and used maple tip overlays on a good number of bows.If you would note the tip overlays on a 1958 Kodiak Special.Which is a combo of the same colors used on some but not all early 1959 of which some early 1959 have no coins and no riser overlays at all.Those being the earliest ??? The letter under or in some cases above the ser.# weight and length.That was the bow scale operater inspecters.He or she was working the scale and marking the draw weight that day.Under the leather grip is the same letter with some other info.But if you really really want to know which 1959 was offerd first,here's a clue that may help you in your search.The early 1959 Kodiaks with or without coin have black lettering not gold.They switched to gold in 1959 because you could not read the black on the dark rosewood very well,so they switched to gold....Pretty cool huh ?  bowdoc

[d. ward]

Whooooooops I forgot one more clue.The very first 1959 Kodiaks have black lettering two color tip overlay(red and white) that did not last long for two reasons.One they broke off real fast right where the string rides at full draw and they just did not look fancy enough for Fred.bd

[Abear]

HMM Interesting . love the history and the 59 Kodiak thanks BD.....Chris

[d. ward]

I'll keep an eye open for a set today and post a pic later..bd

[d. ward]

lower right.....bowdoc

[Abear]

WOW heh bowdoc what you charge me for a good set of origional tips like to get rid of a set of glass replacment ones, also the grove question? most were cut into the wood lams this one was not ..except for a 56" i have all of them are into the wood

[Blackhawk]

Don,

I bet you could sell those things easily...50th Anniversary keychains-1959-2009.  

When can I get mine?  

[sticknstring+]

great info guys and Great pic doc!

[Novaln1975]

Looks like candy  
-Simon

[TonyW]

I thought these were Don's fingernail clippings. After decades of inhaling Grayling fiberglass and epoxy dust, he could probably grow these suckers.

[d. ward]

Rich is right.They are old Grayling nail clippings.If someone was working at Bear for over 20 years they woke up one morning and bam sprouted red paper nails..bowdoc