Author Topic: 59' Kodiak questions (Read 5710 times)

johnnyrazorhead · « **Reply #40 on:** January 21, 2009, 09:45:00 AM »

Trap,
I'm still not 100% sure if I'll do both.I need to do some more thinking on this one before I put the drill bit to her.I didn't think this would be such a hard decision but this is a maple sight window we're talking about.Argghhhh.Pics when it's done no matter what I do.
I just bought some nice,vintage Bear woodies with Bear razorheads from Rich so the arrow part of the equation is done.

d. ward · « **Reply #41 on:** January 21, 2009, 10:06:00 AM »

I've never seen any 4 diget serial numbers on 1959's...some collecters have mentioned...lets just say BA001 to BA??? were 60" built in maybe Jan.of 59.BB001 to BB??? feb of 59...bla bla bla.The only record of production I've ever heard of anyone seeing was StCharles told me he saw the records for 1958 and Bear Archery produced around 12,500 total bows.If 30% were Kodiaks that would fit very near with Wade's figures or somewhere in there + or -.They increased production by at least 10% every year or there abouts...I was thinking we pool all our funds and just start buying em all.bd

TRAP · « **Reply #42 on:** January 21, 2009, 11:11:00 AM »

I'm doing all I can at the moment Doc with the limited resources available.

Trap

Wade Phillips · « **Reply #43 on:** January 21, 2009, 11:26:00 AM »

BowDoc – I have never seen any 4 digit serial numbers either, that is for 1959 Kodiaks.

They are usually 5 digits consisting of two letters and 3 numbers; but sometimes these 5 digits are followed by another letter. That trailing letter has always been a mystery to me. Got any ideas on that one???

With all the 1959 Kodiaks you get for refinish, I'm certain that you have seen far more serial numbers than I have.

Have you recorded any 60" 1959 Kodiaks with higher letters than "F" as the second letter? The highest I have is BF825.

I have some BGxxx and BHxxx, BJxxx, but these are all 1960 Kodiaks. Boy, some later 1960 serial numbers are hieroglyphics to me… Anyone have them figured out?

I don’t take any individual serial number too seriously, as anyone could have made a mistake on a series of hand written letters and numbers.

Abear · « **Reply #44 on:** January 21, 2009, 12:05:00 PM »

wade I have a 59 that rich redid it was BG-

Stickbow98 · « **Reply #45 on:** January 21, 2009, 12:45:00 PM »

Wade,

I have a pic of a 60" '59 Kodiak serial # BG058. I don't remember the owner's name

but did keep a few pics of the bow in my files.

>>--Ron--<>

Wade Phillips · « **Reply #46 on:** January 21, 2009, 12:51:00 PM »

Ron - Nice photograph... Like the wood below the grip. What color are the overlays?

What is the wood in the sight window?

Stickbow98 · « **Reply #47 on:** January 21, 2009, 01:01:00 PM »

Wade- No pic of overlays. Nice pic of sight window however, looks like Rosewood.

Quiver side

>>--Ron--<>

d. ward · « **Reply #48 on:** January 21, 2009, 01:28:00 PM »

Good looking bow Ron.
On the single letter like Ron's bow has the F. They were sometimes above or below the other info.One on gbay now is at the end of the serial number rather then below.All the info ie serial number length and draw weight are writen under the leather grips on the riser wood.The F appears under there as well with a different number which may have been a work order number some are like 13507-20483 whatever.
If you check other year kodiaks mostly before 1959 a good number of bows have the letter A-P-F or L's were on lots of 59's.Also a couple other letters I will have to look up.I was told once by Bill Stewart for whatever thats worth.The single letter was the inspecter or scaleman at that time and it was his inital.Kind of makes since maybe maybe not..
I screwed up too,I meant 4 numbers rather then letters and numbers.Maybe something like BA5000,I've never seen any 4 numbered 1959's.
That darn 1960 will be a whole other chapter in our book.bd

Wade Phillips · « **Reply #49 on:** January 21, 2009, 01:32:00 PM »

Ron - Thanks for the additional photographs. The finish gets so discolored sometimes that purple heart gets dark and looks almost like rosewood. Hard to say from photographs as the real colors can look so different in a digital image.

Can not see any riser overlays at all but it is a bad angle. Years ago I had a very nice 100% all factory original LH 1959 Kodiak that did not have any riser overlays... always a conversation piece among collectors... guess you could call it the "Ugly Ducking" of 59 Kodiaks... Being the true numbskull I am, I traded it off when I made the very "wise" decision to get rid of my LH bows.

d. ward · « **Reply #50 on:** January 21, 2009, 01:41:00 PM »

Wade I had a crack at buying that one off Steve about 1-2 years ago maybe somewhere in there.I just did not have the dough at the time and have not seen hide nore hair of the no riser overlay 1959.Which just to stir the pot a little I swear that bow was a brown and orange fiberglass rosewood risered 1958 more then a 1959 form ??? Did you ever have chance to lay it beside a 1958 before you traded ???? bd

Wade Phillips · « **Reply #51 on:** January 21, 2009, 01:44:00 PM »

Abear - Thanks for mentioning the BG- 1959 Kodiak that Rich redid for you.

Not wanting to be nosy, but just wondering what the numbers are of your refinished BG-

Guess we would like to get a better idea of when the 1959 Kodiak serial numbers ended...

Stickbow98 · « **Reply #52 on:** January 21, 2009, 02:06:00 PM »

Wade,

I found one more of this bow w/just a "hint" of the riser overlay showing...

-best I can do.

>>--Ron--<>

Wade Phillips · « **Reply #53 on:** January 21, 2009, 02:16:00 PM »

BowDoc - Now you are making me feel really sick. Suggesting the "Ugly Ducking" might have had a rosewood sight window. I think I got rid of that bow right before I bought my first digit camera which was in 1998, over 10 years ago now, boy time flies. I don't believe that I even have a photograph of the "no riser overlay" 1959 Kodiak. I'm feeling even sicker now... Even worse its just more 59 Kodiak Folk Lore with no photographs...

I did have the "Ugly Ducking" displayed on a rack with several other 1959 and 1960 Kodiaks and surely would have noticed if the riser shape was different. If I find out that sight window was rosewood, I may kill myself. At least that would spare any possibility of a murder charge against John's wife...

ckruse · « **Reply #54 on:** January 21, 2009, 03:06:00 PM »

I remember the original thread that bow was pictured in. I started the thread right after I got my first 59. I tried pulling it up in a search and found it, but it won't open- it seems to have been deleted by the moderators or something. I recall this being a bow that the owner's uncle or grandpa gave them. He put it on after I showed pics in the thread of my first 59 (which I still own). CKruse

d. ward · « **Reply #55 on:** January 21, 2009, 04:09:00 PM »

Wow Rich about 80% of the guy's I ever visited with or interviewed have long since left the building.Most of them were prior to 1966.The later bowyers like Owen and several others are still around.
Robert is still alive and was there during the move from Grayling.Robert is Glenn's brother in law and Robert told me that when they moved to Gainsville.They hauled dump trucks of stuff to the land fill.Bows and bow forms..
One other former bowyer whom swiped all the stuff from Bear Archery when esclade purchased the company??? That was the stuff Frack Scott was so despertly trying to find before his passing.That jerkwad is still kicking.But not many from the 50's and 60's.Most were old guy's back then...bd

Grant Young · « **Reply #56 on:** January 21, 2009, 04:23:00 PM »

Guys I think Marv Groener (spelling)is still alive and he might know something about this. He's the guy that actually built the later 60s risers (including the takedown like Wade had up recently) for Fred even though Owen was the Master Bowyer at the time. He left Bear when they were bought by Kidde and maybe before but he was Fred's "handle" man for a while. Couple of other old timers left who still live in Grayling. Grant

ANYWINGCURVE · « **Reply #57 on:** January 22, 2009, 07:27:00 AM »

yeah.you guy's are eyeball'n the kodiak my uncle gave me bout 4 year's ago!! he bought it when he got discharged from the U.S. MARINES in oct.1959.all that you see in the pics he got for $59.50=a package deal from a long ago closed archery shop near PGH.PA.that site window has driven me nuts.i know for sure it's not maple or purpleheart.i thought maybe bubinga or rosewood.whatever,it really set's it off.i will try&post better pics.

Shaun · « **Reply #58 on:** January 22, 2009, 08:54:00 AM »

Are the 60" bows more desirable ($) than the others lengths? What did Papa shoot for length?

Sounds like the center lam of the riser makes a big difference mostly because of the numbers made. Lots of purple heart, some maple, very few other woods, is that correct?

d. ward · « **Reply #59 on:** January 22, 2009, 09:43:00 AM »

It is sometimes vary diffecult to I.D those ibeams because of the oxidation of the wood and finish.In some cases with purple heart you may have to remove a few milameter of wood to get the purple color to come back.
Yes Shuan the 60" is the more desirable with most collecters and shooter.Fred shot a 60".Again those ibeams could be several different woods.bd

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Author Topic: 59' Kodiak questions (Read 5710 times)

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