Old Polar Bow - question on choosing string

[kpadawe]

Hello, I am new to the forum. I just bought an old Bear Polar bow. I want to get a string for it and try it. I was thinking it was a 1952 vintage as it is blonde on blonde, unidirectional, running bear logo but it measures 66" tip to tip.

What string would be recommended?  Should I set up a tiller and work it to that string or just string it and go for it?

Appreciate any input you may have, will attach pictures. looks to be 5 laminations on the limbs. no delamination noticed. there is a foxing of the finish on each limb, about a third the way down. tried to catch it in the photos.

 https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=7AD5BCABF20E7B42!4095&authkey=!AI8VjIEdKwR91Zg&ithint=folder%2c


Thanks, Kevin

[damascusdave]

Kevin the first thing we always look for with bows of that vintage is the aluminum lamination...those bows have a reputation of being unshootable which I would guess you already know...I was born in 1951 and that pretty much means I will never own a shootable Bear from my birth year...as soon as you say set up a tiller I know you are new to the Forums but certainly not new to the archery world...I would say that bow, from the pictures, is in great condition so very shootable with a dacron string, and who knows, maybe even with modern fibres (many of us shoot those with everything)...if it was me I would just measure that bow nock to nock along the back of the bow and get a string 3 inches shorter than that measurement...when I say get a string I mean have my personal stringmaker and friend construct me one, likely with the bow in hand which is a whole different ball game than buying one from a stringmaker...fortunately we have a number of great stringmakers who are sponsors here...I would start by contacting Chad at recurves.com (Champion Strings) or Allan at lefties-r-us...I have a feeling they are only building with the latest and greatest but they can surely recommend someone who can help you...your reference to tillering tells me you are likely a self bow kind of guy and I would treat that bow exactly as you do a new selfbow, drawing it gradually and listening and watching for any issues...I doubt you will find any but better safe than sorry...and welcome to the world of old Bears...take a look at some of my threads to see how addictive they can be and I am pretty much a lightweight compared to the real deal collectors

DDave

[kpadawe]

DDave,

Thank you, and I will look.  Frankly, I have been looking for a bow for many years. I tried compound bows and have little interest in crossbows at this time.

I have looked for any aluminum laminations and there are none that I see.

When I was 9, dad got my brother and I bows for Christmas. they were fiberglass and about a 20 pound draw weight. He took us out in to a snowy dark night and said, "never, ever let me catch you doing this" and he shot straight up into the air, took a couple of steps towards my brother and the arrow came back down and stuck between his footprints.  that was an effective visual.

So, giving on a new bow as the cost is more than I am comfortable to pay for a hobby, I decided to build my own.

Still need to find time but my neighbor 3 doors down had a 'man's yard sale and offered this for 30 bucks, I looked it over and did not haggle.  I figured that a worse case scenario would be to use it as a pattern  but I always wanted a Bear bow.

Kevin

[Horney Toad]

I'd buy a nice Flemish string for it. Should be quite a thumper at 57#! Good luck.

[kpadawe]

hope so, still looking around the OKC area for someone who makes Flemish strings.  Looked at some videos of the details involved and that really makes the online prices look reasonable as all get out.