Anyone notice this before?

[johnnyrazorhead]

I just picked up a nice '57 Kodiak recently.It's 60",50# to replace another one I have.That one is 60",54#.I noticed when I compared the two that the KODIAK silkscreen was on the back of the limb on one of the bows and the belly on the other.Which side is most common? Anyone else ever see this?Seems like most all of the other year Kodiaks I've seen all had the silkscreen on the same side for that year.Just curious.
 

[Danny Rowan]

I have seen it on the takedowns but not the others, course have not seen that many,LOL.

Danny

[TRAP]

My 57 Kodiak silkscreen is on the belly.

Trap

[Wade Phillips]

John - I have 8 1957 Kodiaks, all have the silk screens on the belly.

I'm certain that 57 you have with the silk screens on the back is a factory reject that will break if you string it. Send it to me and I will give you $5 for it. Those back silk screen bows have been known to blow up, even when unstrung, so send it to me right away for your own safety. LOL

[BobT]

I have two '58 Kodiaks a 64" with red silk screens on the back and a 60" with off white silk screens on the belly. The 64" is the "scalloped " sight window while the 60" has the rounded sight window.

[TRAP]

$10

[TRAP]

sounds like a White Glass 57 Bob.

Trap

[Wade Phillips]

Bob - From the brown glass Kodiaks to the white glass the silk screen color changed from cream to burgundy. Some of the white glass bows wound up with the cream colored silk screens, before the change, but most I have seen are burgundy.

As Trap says, $5 each. That is always Glenn St. Charles' standard price that he offers if you are foolish enough to tell him you have a specific item.

[TRAP]

Wade, I was actually bidding against you on John's 54 pounder when I said $10

And yes, I know we cant be auctioning things around here.  

Bob, Do you have pictures of your white glass Kodiaks?  

Trap

[d. ward]

Johonnyboy good eye and yes Bear changed from the belly to the back in 1957...and yes the colors could be off by sevral shades one may be real yellow color looking and the other may be a yellowish-white color....good eye bowdoc

[Wade Phillips]

Doc -

All of my 55 Kodiaks have the decals on the back.

All of my 56, 57, 58, Kodiaks have both silk screens on the belly...

All of my 59 & 60 Kodiaks have the Kodiak on the back and Bear Logo on the belly...

I'm certain some are different as there were always goof ups at the factory.

I know you have a lot more bows go through you place than I have had. Do you record the location of the silk screen and decals too?

[BobT]

Sounds like I may have a couple different years!

Trap, I'll get some pictures ASAP for all I know I have 2 white glass '57 bows! The white glass was my primary identifier.

Wade, Thanks for the offer, I'll mull it over while I find out exactly what I have. It could be a factory reject too, I should probably just toss it in the kindling box before somebody gets hurt!

[PAPALAPIN]

Factrory screw up = high collectors value.

Kinda like the double stamping on some coins.

Johnny, I know you don't know nuttin' 'bout no bows.  Don't let 'em fool ya...I will  give you $15.00 for it.

[johnnyrazorhead]

Wade- Now I'm afraid to even go near the thing after what you've said.I'll give you $5.00 to get the "accident waiting to happen" outta here.Thanks!

 Trap-For $10.00 I'll supply the safety glasses you'll be needing to transport this thing.

 Jack-$15.00.Wow! That is what makes this such a special community,everyone looking out for each other.For $20.00 maybe someone would be so kind as to remove all these old Grumley bows that are just waiting to explode as well.I can hear them creaking and groaning at night.I have nightmares of splinters of osage flying everywhere.

[d. ward]

yes Wade in most cases I try and snap a pic or 2 of the bow for reference more so now that I'am a lot younger.
1955 bear and pat decals on the back and Kodiak on the belly side upper limb ? 1956 almost always belly side.However in 1957 some stared showing up with uppers on the back.
But I would also like to mention with all the replacment parts being made for older model bows there could be cases where those bows have been tamperd with too.
I will adment I've put Kodiak decals on Kodiak magnums Kodiak decals on the wrong side wrong color decals for that year 2 Grizzly's I had I put white Kodiak decals on them.
At the request of my customer or I was the sole owner of the bow when I did them.
Wade a friend of ours,well let me refraze that someone you and I both know who lives in Idaho(they ai'nt no friggen friends of mine anymore) has a 1954 K-2 and a rather nice one I might add.That bow was returned to the Bear factory at sometime during its life after 1956.I think around 1959 to be refinished.The K-2 has Bear factory silk screens on it indacating it was reworked at some point.Bear Archery did not refinish many bows because of the cost.It was far cheaper for them to send you a new bow rather then to refinish yours.Believe me if you've ever completely reworked a bow from tip to tip it takes to much time to be cost affective.But like the K-2 there are some factory reworks that could answer the relocation of some silk screens...bd

[BobT]

Here are the pictures gentlemen, sorry for the poor quality but I'm photographically challenged. The left bow is the 64" and the right is the 60".

What do the experts say?

   
   
   

   

     

 Johnny, I'm sorry if I hijacked your thread, both those '57s are lookers!

[alaskabowhunter]

I have '57   Kodiaks with silkscreens on both back and belly.

[d. ward]

Oh yeah I noted the different colors also.bowdoc