Author Topic: Fred Bear bow hunter's knife kit? (Read 8346 times)

Wade Phillips · « **Reply #60 on:** August 24, 2009, 08:42:00 PM »

The mail man delivered these two nice bows today, but the biggest surprise he left was Doc's "SPECIAL DELUXE MAGNUM" file handle from 2008.

Doc simply said "that's for your birthday enjoy." Can't thank you enough Doc.

This file handle is just too cool... I'll carry it in my Fred Bear Bowhunter's kit.

Novaln1975 · « **Reply #61 on:** August 24, 2009, 09:06:00 PM »

I saw and held that file at the Québec Bear Quest III.
Cool file and a great collector item for sure.

Simon

Wade Phillips · « **Reply #62 on:** August 24, 2009, 10:04:00 PM »

Simon - Yes, great collector item.

Doc even signed the side of the handle "BowDoc 2008"...

alaskabowhunter · « **Reply #63 on:** August 24, 2009, 10:08:00 PM »

sweet file, nice work Don. Wade, tell me about your new left handed bow there!

d. ward · « **Reply #64 on:** August 25, 2009, 08:06:00 AM »

Wade glad you enjoied it hey that one actually has blood on it from the Que'bec bear hunt.I used it to sharpen my broadhead before arrowing my bear this spring so its seen some action.bd

jcar315 · « **Reply #65 on:** August 25, 2009, 08:19:00 AM »

Wade, great looking file and with built-in MOJO! Happy Birthday!!!

BD, another super cool looking file. NICE!!!!!

Wade Phillips · « **Reply #66 on:** August 25, 2009, 11:41:00 AM »

alaskabowhunter - Not sure what you want to know about LH 1959 Kodiak Buginga SW... Great wood, Roy did a super job of refinishing.

Now that Doc has invented the Chameleon Kodiak color design, I may re-camo the just the limbs on it..

Doc - I could tell the handle had been used just a little but it's still almost like new. It is great looking and the name "Super Deluxe Magnum" is just too cool. Since I don't have a Crystalight Magnum, this file handle has to be the next best thing!!!

John - Thanks for the birthday wish. My birthday was actually 3 months ago, but don't mention that to Doc.

Wade Phillips · « **Reply #67 on:** August 28, 2009, 11:19:00 PM »

Jim, Is this enough detail of the original components out of the sheath? If not let me know what you want to see.

Wade Phillips · « **Reply #68 on:** August 29, 2009, 11:13:00 PM »

There are some variations in the Western knife blade stamping and the handle material of the Bear sets I've owned.

This set is one of the 1957 Style sets. The Western knife is stamped 648 and it has a real bone handle. Some later knives had fake bone handles, and some were stamped 648A. A Western knife collector may be able to tell you about that transition and all the variations that may exist.

The file is stamped Nicholson, Made in USA on one side and Mill Bastard on the other. It is a standard 6" Nicholson file with a .100" thick tang that is still available today. I bought 6 of them last week for less then $4 each. Going back a few years ago I bought some replacement Nicholson files that were thicker and would not fit in the file handles and were tight in the sheath. Thank God they went back to the .100" thick tangs so us crazy old farts still using these file handles and sheaths don't have to give them up because we can't find a file of the proper thickness !!!

The Stone just says Norton.

I've found all the plastic file handles to be "stuck" on the files. I have removed many with some mild persuasion or simply given up before damaging the plastic.

This knife is 8-1/8" long with 4-3/8" long blade that is .632" wide and .100" thick.

The knife and file are all off the shelf products, rather than special order for Bear.

I don't really know if the stone was off the shelf, but have owned several small Norton stones similar to this one that were in a little plastic Norton sheath. This indicates the stone was an off the shelf product too, but the precise size may not have been, I've never researched that.

Hope this is of some help.

L. E. Carroll · « **Reply #69 on:** March 21, 2012, 02:05:00 AM »

Here's a picture of one I picked up at the 2011 Traditional Bowhunters of Washington "Rendezvous" this past summer.. It's defiantly been in the woods a time or two but everything is original and correct... I had only seen one other and it was under glass in Ted Fry's shop in Hood River OR.

I'm feeling pretty lucky to have found this, as I have been on the lookout for one for years.

Gene

d. ward · « **Reply #70 on:** March 21, 2012, 11:36:00 AM »

hey Gene you gonna bring it to the Moses Hole shoot next month ? I'll bring my original over and we can check em out ? maybe get Tom to bring his also bd

Tox Collector · « **Reply #71 on:** March 21, 2012, 08:47:00 PM »

After viewing this neat thread for several days, I figured I better retrieve my Bowhunters Knife Kit from the garage and treat it with a whole lot more respect; especially, johnnyrazorhead noted that he loved the knife sets as much as any Bear collectible. It's now in a better place. I also have two of the individual files/cases and on the back of each of the cases is ink stamped 3125. While the files have the word Bear embedded in the handle on both sides, neither of the cases is stamped Bear. Both handles are white.

With respect to the Norton stones, I note that some of them are tan/dirty yellow colored [like mine] while others are orange. Which version is encountered most often and are there other color variations?

L. E. Carroll · « **Reply #72 on:** March 22, 2012, 04:06:00 AM »

BD

Sure, I'll bring mine over... I get a kick out of Lon Scott as he had a chance at it and laid it back down on Steve Meyers table.. I saw it and immediately made a deal with Steve

... I think Lon regrets laying it down

Gene

d. ward · « **Reply #73 on:** March 22, 2012, 09:13:00 AM »

the orange stone is a replacment and yes the original stones are dirty yellowishie looking.The yellowish stone is a bit thicker also...pics soon bd

Tox Collector · « **Reply #74 on:** March 22, 2012, 11:10:00 AM »

BowDoc - thanks - good to know!

Shane Reed · « **Reply #75 on:** March 21, 2013, 11:05:00 AM »

I just received another Bear knife and file set. The one I just just received I believe is made up of cordovan leather, and you can see where the bear stamp once was very lightly on the top. Time has made this stamp in the leather almost non exhistant. At least I know it's a real set. On the back of the new one is also a smaller pocket than on my other one. My other set has lighter leather, and a metal lining where the knife goes, and the new one doesn't. I am wondering which of these two sets is older. The new set does appear older, but I'm not an expert. Ohh and the one I just received has a nicholson file with osage handle. It would be my guess that the new one is older and maybe even one of the first to come out. The knife is well worn with a bit fatter handle, but still a Western 648. Any info would be appreciated. Shane

papabear08 · « **Reply #76 on:** March 21, 2013, 01:55:00 PM »

I know of at least eight different variations of these sets but I think the osage file is incorrect. Is it stamped Bear in any way?? Anyone else have ideas on this ??
Shane I have them written down somewhere if you would want them.

Shane Reed · « **Reply #77 on:** March 21, 2013, 06:45:00 PM »

That would be great ty

vintage-bears · « **Reply #78 on:** March 21, 2013, 08:14:00 PM »

Osage was never used on any file in the Bear kit..
No wood ever was.
The knife pouch never had a metal liner either that I've seen.
Sounds like a repro kit?

Shane Reed · « **Reply #79 on:** March 22, 2013, 12:52:00 AM »

No not a repro. It has the Bear stamp. If you google image bear knife and file set it comes up with a few that have osage. I am not an expert on these. the one i think is newer has the metal i believe is aluminum in the sheath where knife goes. To bad some items don't have a lot of do umentation on them.

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Author Topic: Fred Bear bow hunter's knife kit? (Read 8346 times)

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