Coinless 60 Deluxe

[warpedarrow]

Dave suggested that I start a thread on this bow. It is a mismarked as 62" coinless Kodiak Deluxe that actually measures 60".  I haven't seen anything different about it other than a coin was never installed.  It came to me in a purchase from Len Ichiyasu in October of 2012. Len says that the bow was refinished by the late Al Harford Sr.  Below is an excerpt of an email that Len sent me during the transaction:

  "Al Harford was a good friend of mine. He was one of my hunting buddies. We hunted Wild Boar and Deer for around 10 years. I bought this bow from him in July of 2004. Not only did it look awesome, but at that time I didn't have a coinless Kodiak De Luxe. I have 15 other bows that Al Sr. refinished. I now have a coinless Kodiak De Luxe that is original condition in my collection. And as you know we can't keep them all. I hope you will be as happy as I was to be the owner of a coinless Kodiak De Luxe. There is not many of these around. These are the only two I have ever seen.  Thanks again for your super fast payment. Have a great weekend!"

Needless to say, I am quite happy with the bow even though I have never shot it.  I have plenty of other bows to shoot and just don't shoot the oddballs.  The serial number does not fit into the "normal" scheme of numbering done in 1960.  Since this is actually a 60" bow, I believe it should be HA as the prefix.  But, it has been refinished and mistakes can and do happen.  We will never know unless perhaps Al left some notes behind that would give a better clue as to whether or not it was just a boo boo or if the bow really came from the factory as AO.
 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

[warpedarrow]

Excuse my memory.  Should be IA14AA in keeping with normal numbering for 60"

[Bjorn]

Al's refinishing work was second to none. The transfers work beautifully, and his method of reproducing the specs-no one could touch. Al was an ingenious oldster and past President of our archery club.

[warpedarrow]

Bjorn

Do you also know Len?  I know that he is also in California.

[damascusdave]

Here I was leading a nice sleepy existence up here in the wilds of Canada, I ask a simple question, and now I am going to be staying up late trying to figure out what is going on with the numbering system on these bows as well...or I could just say they gave them to a drunken sailor for numbering and leave it at that I guess

DDave

[warpedarrow]

Dave, it has been that way for nearly fifty five years so no need for you to try to figure it out tonight.  I glad that some of the other guys chimed in with their numbers so that you didn't think that I was pulling your leg or something.
I really don't pay that much attention, or at least haven't paid attention to serial numbers.
Coins will get me into the ballpark on a bow's year but then I have to confirm with form and glass color to get to that 90% certainty that I think I might know what I'm talking about. Eh?

[Wade Phillips]

warpedarrow

Very nice eye-catching Kodiak Deluxe.

The sad truth of some refinished bows, is that any very honest and capable craftsman who is doing the refinishing, may be working with a bow that has an obscured serial number, no serial number at all, or one that was lettered over incorrectly after becoming faint.

Without photographs before and after refinishing, there is no evidence of the original serial number.

[warpedarrow]

I received an email from Al Jr. last Friday or Saturday.  He says that he has the notes and before and after photos.  I need to give him a call but have been waiting on talking with Len first.  I would like to know what serial number prefix is on Len's coinless Deluxe.