Which aluminum Bear?

[Blackhawk]

My hunting buddy stopped at a machine shop for business and noticed an old bow on the wall with a "for sale" sign attached.  The owner of the bow was not sure of the bow's pedigree, but believed it was an old Bear of some kind from the early 50's.  

The only markings were the serial # and the bow's weight.  My buddy noticed the lamination of aluminum on the belly side and the weave-like texture of the fiberglass on the back.  

He paid the man the asking price of $100 and when he called me, I advised against stringing and shooting it.  

I stopped by and snapped a few pictures and we both believe it is an early Bear from the early 50's, but can someone provide more details.  

What year?  Grizzly or Kodiak? Value?  Safe to shoot? or anything else you can add.

 

 

 

 

 

[d. ward]

It's a 1949-1951 Grizzly...I believe the Kodiak was a double shelf that year...Listing in the catalog says...when ordering the Grizzly,specify weight and draw,right or left hand.The Kodiak listing says arrow rest is a part of the handle...and does not say specify right or left hand for the Kodiak(double shelf)...So I'am saying his is a 1949-1951 Grizzly....hope this helps bowdoc

[Blackhawk]

Thanks Don.  BTW, you got decals to slap on her?

Any more info someone can add...such as value, rarity, etc?

These should not be shot, RIGHT/

[PAPALAPIN]

You were right to tell him not to shoot it.  I would not even string it,

After WWII, the US had a whole lot of scrapped b-17's.  Bear Archery made a deal with the US to buy some of the scrap aluminum to use in bow limbs,  They made some decent bows with them but had truble getting the glue to bond the aluminum to the wood and fiberglass.  Many did not survive.

The limb design is called a static recurve. The built up belly at the tips also act as a brush deflector.

Your friend found a real collector's item, but not one to be shot.  The origina; owner had it in the right spot...hanging on the wall.

What is it worth?  That depends on a few factors,  maininly the condition being the it is sound, tips in good shape, and no deliminations.  Also the condition of the finish.  However, it is only worth what someone will pay for it.

Judging by the pictures, especially the leather grip... if it is all original... I would say $500.00 +.

Now I will sit back and let the guys that actually collect these put in there two cents worth.  To be honest, I don't have one...I have never even seen one in person.  My opinion is bases striictly on what I have seen n line and on e8ay.

Also. seems to me that it was Glenn St. Charles that helped Fred Bear make the aluminum deal with the US.  Someone will correct me here if I am wrong.

[Blackhawk]

Great info Jack...and thanks.    

I told him when I took pics I would give him $150 since I figured the value around $200.  He will be elated to hear he finally bought a bow worth more than he paid.  

[johnnyrazorhead]

I believe you offered your friend a pretty fair price and I agree it is worth somewhere closer to the $200.00 range.The aluminum laminated Grizzlys are relatively common.It should have another decal on the belly of the upper limb stating that it is in fact a Grizzly model.Not having all three decals hurts the value a bit,at least in my humble opinion.Hope this helps.

[Horney Toad]

I got a aluminum lam kodiak once, strung it up, and shot it about 100 times with no problem. My buddy told me not to shoot it anymore.

I talked to a guy who has a 66# aluminum lam kodiak that still hunts with it every year.

Still, it is not advised to shoot them.

[ckruse]

I agree with Johnnyrazorhead. I've seldom seen even a real slick one bring more than a couple of hundred. They fall into that collectible/but not shootable niche that makes them less desireable to most. Cool looking bows all the same! CKruse

[d. ward]

yeah 200-400 bucks maybe on a really good day,but things are low and slow right now...as mentioned.The B-17 aluminum was suppied by Glenn StCharles via boeing supplus in Kent Washington...that year bow almost caused Bear Archery to go broke as they lost 1,000's of $$$ on those as returns....the glue did not stick well to the aluminum as Jack mentioned...but 7075T aluminum B-17 skins,will become what is called work hardend...not all of them came unglued....some actually took a set and would lose draw weight as the bow became more and more in the set possition..once it took a set(looks like they are stung when they ai'nt),it would not be long after that she would come unglued because the aluminum was on the compression side and aluminum does not like to compress ie stiffer then the corewood and fiberglass or crossweave toxhorn if you will....Some of those aluminum laminated models are still in action....but using one to hunt with is a bit foolhearty...knowing the bow had at least a 50-60 + % failure rate...you got that slammer once in a life time monster mulie buck at 12 yards...broadside no less......next thing you know...bam your wearing your bow home...I've owned and shot several of the different models Polar Grizzly and Kodiak...but to use one for hunting....ai'nt gonna happen for the bd,I know better...nice bucks and bulls are few and far between for traditional archer and that just makes life's to short to hunt with an aluminum lam......bowdoc

[PAPALAPIN]

Told ya there were folks here that were more up on the Aluminum Lams than me.

As far as the value goes, I wil ldefer to JohnnyRazorhead and others, but if it  is in really good shape, there may be a collector will ing to step it up to get it.  If someone "IS" willing t o pay $500.00, then that is what it is worth.  If not, then it is worth less.

[Blackhawk]

Good info here from you guys and some sound advice to go along with it.    

OK, it's a Grizzly from 1949-51, worth $200 (unless my buddy finds another "PAPALAPIN" who would pay more), and the bow should just hang on the wall.  Got it!    

Does anyone know how to narrow down the year of manufacture?   :confused:  

Don, you continue to amaze me with that worthwhile archery trivia.     You need to take a break from your doctor practice, move to some remote south sea island for a year or two, and write all this down in book form.  The path to your door would certainly become well-worn.  

[hotfootTG]

Len; Shoot me an email with your address and I'll send you a set of decals for it. [email protected].

Al (Als Decals)

[Blackhawk]

Al,

you've got mail.

Lon

[hotfootTG]

Lon;
You've got decals.
Al

[Horney Toad]

Al, you happen to have the bear decal for the 1950 kodiak?

[d. ward]

Al your back home ahh ??? or not ? How was the vacation? I will be in need of your services after I return from elk hunting....Hope everythings going well......bowdoc

[hotfootTG]

Horny Toad. Yes. Send me an email to discuss at [email protected]

'Doc - not home yet but will be next week.

Al (Als Decals)

[BOTT]

Howdy, Bott here,
I'm the owner of the aluminum laminate Bear that Blackhawk posted.  Thanks Papalapin for the info you supplied.  I was unaware that Bear used surplus WWll aluminum for their bows, not that I'm any kind of historian by any means.  Maybe you or others can answer this for me, I'm of the understanding that Bear used surplus Great War fibre glass in the early post war bows. The cross-check fibre-glass featured in the '49-51 bows.  My earliest memories of fibre glass is of  insulation used when I lived in a housing unit in the Hungry Horse, Montana damn construction of 1948.  It was of the short "fluffy" construction.
 
Bowdoc, you are an amazing source of Bear bow info. I agree with Blackhawk. When you finally move on that great billowy cloud where Saxton, Arthur, Howard and Fred hold court, the archery of your brain needs to be pickled and installed in the Pope & Young Museum,or something.

I've got some info from an old bachelor's day
buddy whose father was a high mucky muk with Firestone. According to "Coug", Firestone got into sports gear about the time period that we are discussing.  In fact, Firestone may have been an earlier major distributor of Bear archery equipment.  Coug bought a aluminum laminate bow in 1951 that he states as a Grizz. He identifies my bow as such and of the same time period.  At the time, Coug was living in the Los Angeles metro.

HotfootTG, thanks for supplying the decals.  Much appreciated.  Bowdoc, you  beautifully refurbished my '62 Kodiak that Blackhawk featured last year on Tradgang, and if I ever get my '58 Howard Hill to your shop, I'll bring the '51(?) bow along for your appraisal and input.

Oh, Blackhawk, the price just went up.  Actually at 68, I'm still just a mere slip of a boy, and maybe I'll just hang onto it for a few more years.  Now for that '56 double shelved Kodiak!

[aromakr]

Papalapin:
I have recurve and a longbow with the aluminum lam, for $500 each there yours.
Bob

[str8sh2ter]

There are a couple aluminum lam.Bears on #bay right now.