Help please, reshaping my Bear Montana.

[toby]

I picked up a 2008 Montana and really like it so far. I want to change the shape of the grip and maybe the tips.

I've searched this forum and got some helpful information.

My main question concerns the back of the bow in the grip area. It is squarish and I'd like to round it off some. But, the black glass runs from nock to nock continuously through the grip.

Can I sand that area, including the glass, just the edges, without fear of doing damage or causing delamination.

Thanks
Toby

[Petrichor]

Hmm I wouldn't touch glass but I don't know much.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Sure. work lightly with a light rasp from the back to the belly. You don't want any glass splinters popping. Be judicial and its just fine. Leave the depth of the grip itself as is. That's your strength.

[jsweka]

Yes, you can round the edges of the back of the grip to get rid of that square feeling.  Don't get two carried away and completely remove all of the glass.

Here's an example of how I round the edges of the back of the grip on a bow I built (prior to finishing and putting a leather wrap on).  The width of this bow is 1 1/4" at the fade outs, so you can see the glass in the back of the grip area is probably only about 3/8" wide.

That part of the riser is not flexing, so you won't have any issues of the glass wanting to delaminate.

 

 

[Possum Head]

Toby, funny you should mention those two characteristics you would like to change as I've always wondered why no one at Bear could see how much it would improve the Montana's appeal. I see no reason it would hurt to round the handle off a bit. Big Jim and Kirk often comment on these kind of threads and Lord knows Jim's seen enough Montanas. If I'm not mistaken Bear has reduced the tips in the last few years. Best wishes and let us know the outcome.

[PaulDeadringer29]

Imo, do the tips first...you'll get a better feel for the tools and how the material comes off. Go for it.

[PaulDeadringer29]

Imo, do the tips first...you'll get a better feel for the tools and how the material comes off. Go for it.

I have a stalker that I did the same thing to. It had a squared off edge on the back of the riser that just did not feel right to me. That riser is awesome now! I did not have any glass in the area I sanded, but it should not be an issue as long as you don't take it all out.

Bisch

[Orion]

Of course, you can do it.  Bear didn't/doesn't do it because it takes extra time, which translates into money, to do it. Some of the early Bear Montanas aren't much more than glued up blanks.  They need a lot of work.

Refined shapes and edges are one of the things that distinguishes a production bow from a custom bow.

[4dogs]

http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=forum;f=2      Check this out from a few years ago. Well, that didnt work so well but if you go to that page, about 3/4 of the way down there is a thread called  "Modding a Bear Montana"  Rob posted it  a few years ago.

[M60gunner]

I used the thread that 4dogs mentions. I have a 1998 model. I cheated, used sanding equipment at school. I rounded my grip somewhat but it was the tips I wanted to really rework.
I do caution you if you use motor driven equipment to work with on the tips. You can take off to much in the blink of an eye. Be careful. The material those grips are made from is not fun to work with using hand tools. Even the courses of rasp file had trouble. Files also leave to many rough spots that are hard to sand out.
I reworked an early 2000 Bear SK grip with my drill motor and a sanding wheel. That worked well for me as it was easier to control than large sanding machines.
I used Tru-Oil to finish. Sanded it in using wet/dry sandpaper in fine grits, 220-1000.

[ChuckC]

Or, you can glue on some overlays to add some roundness.  Those can later  be (carefully) removed if you don't like it.

ChuckC