Author Topic: KS (Read 773 times)

mullet · « **on:** July 29, 2009, 09:31:00 PM »

I just had a friend call me that got a Kodiak Special in a trade. He is not gonna keep it and I don't know squat about KS'. It might end up being mine, maybe, can you help me out with some history. The only information i have is it is 68"long,60#, gray glass on the back and brown glass on the belly. The serial number is R x622 and has a real long sight window. The bow has been restored and all the decals and pen work were removed. This sounds like a 56,57,58 to me, am I close?

seboomook · « **Reply #1 on:** July 29, 2009, 09:54:00 PM »

Man, thats tough without limb decals or screen.
I'm thinking '55 or "56
Check the thin lams around the riser.
Two thin darker lams with a maple center is '55
Solid dark lam is "56
veterans may know better.

mullet · « **Reply #2 on:** July 29, 2009, 10:14:00 PM »

I'm supposed to se pictures tomorrow. He did say the riser looked like Maple with darker lams in the center.

seboomook · « **Reply #3 on:** July 29, 2009, 10:22:00 PM »

limb glass color changed to tan in '57 on the KS.
Thats a long bow with a heavy weight!
Are you going to Ocala in August?

mullet · « **Reply #4 on:** July 29, 2009, 10:23:00 PM »

Well, I just read that the Kodiak Special was introduced in 1957 with a large sight window for hunting or target shooting. It was made up to 70"long. He said it looked like a long bow with flipped tips. Does this sound right?

mullet · « **Reply #5 on:** July 29, 2009, 10:26:00 PM »

Ocala?, no, I'm going on a hog hunt at the Alexacarrie Plantation with some guy's from Primitive Archer Mag that weekend. I'm going to hunt with a mint 57 Kodiak,#7 arrows and Bear broadheads and video it and maybe an article.

seboomook · « **Reply #6 on:** July 29, 2009, 10:46:00 PM »

Just checked the catalog, it's got to be '55-'56
in the 68 inch length.
The '57 was only offered in 66" and 70" lengths.

seboomook · « **Reply #7 on:** July 29, 2009, 10:51:00 PM »

Got to see that video and article! Keep us posted.

Novaln1975 · « **Reply #8 on:** July 29, 2009, 11:18:00 PM »

I have a 1956 KS and seems your friend has one to. It’s 64", 50# and has brown glass on the belly and gray on the the other side. Maple riser on the right side and the sight window is of a darker wood. Leather grip, no coin. Great shooter. If you want new decals, Alan Harford has the right ones for this bow. Do a search on TG and you’ll find him. Also, with the search tool you can find a few KS on here.

Simon

Wade Phillips · « **Reply #9 on:** July 30, 2009, 01:16:00 AM »

Guys - The first photograph of the first page of this link should answer most of your questions about the Kodiak Special. If not, let me know and we will get them answered.

http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=14;t=002059#000000

seboomook, Yes, you are correct the catalog states that the '57 KS was only offered in 62, 64", 66" and 70" lengths... However, as you notice in the Kodiak Special thread, it was also made in 68" in 1957.

This is one of those instances that the actual artifacts that have been found disprove the information in the catalog. Hey, stuff happens.

Wade Phillips · « **Reply #10 on:** July 30, 2009, 09:06:00 AM »

The bottom 6 bows in this photograph are 1957 Kodiak Specials all lengths are shown, 62", 64", 66", 68" and 70". Yes, second from top in the group of the bottom six bows is the 68" not mentioned in the 1957 Catalog.

There are two 62" 1957 KS shown as the bottom two bows, the very bottom one has a different riser configuration than the other five.

The top 5 bows are 1958 Kodiak Specials.

The 68" 1957 was not advertised in the 1957 Bear Catalog, so like others, for many years I accepted the catalog as fact. Then Bjorn plucked one off of the big auction site and later was kind enough to send it to me in exchange for some paper with dead Presidents on it. A couple more 68" 1957 KS have shown up since the one Bjorn found.

Wade Phillips · « **Reply #11 on:** July 30, 2009, 09:20:00 AM »

mullet - The 1955 and 1956 KS were made the same. As collectors we separate the two years by using the water transfer decal vs the silk screen.

With the decal or silk screen missing, my only thought was to try to use the RX622 serial number to place it in either year. Unfortunately the 55 & 56 KS that I have all start with either and X or a Y.

Maybe another member has a RX serial number KS with the decals or silk screens,

I'm generally not much for using decals and silk screen or serial numbers as a primary method to identify any bow. However, Bear's 1955 & 1956 bows are the exception to a lot of rules.

The 55 or 56 KS in 68" in 60# is uncommon. I once had 1955 KS that was 68" and 65#. It was a club. One decal was missing, so exchanged it for a lighter 68" with all decals intact.

All Collectors are crazy !!!!!!!!!

seboomook · « **Reply #12 on:** July 30, 2009, 11:20:00 AM »

Wade
Do you find the difference in the thin laminations around the riser I mentioned earlier?
The '55 seems to have two thin dark lams separated by maple, while the '56 has a single dark lamination. I find this on my kodiaks as well.
If we have to discount most other clues, would this be a reliable way to differentiate between them?

Wade Phillips · « **Reply #13 on:** July 30, 2009, 12:05:00 PM »

seboomook - Without checking, and just off the top of my head, I believe the number of thin laminations in the I-Beam varies from 5 to 8 on the 55 & 56 KS that I have examined. I have not determined a specific number for each year, I remember thinking several years ago that there was no pattern to the number of laminations and the year. I should probably revisit that.

You want to count the laminations looking above the leather grip on the belly side. I use a 10x glass. The lamination thickness varies a little, I have never precisely measured the different thickness.

The way the thin laminations in the I-Beam are feathered out in the sight window also varies greatly and usually gives a totally different impression as to the number of laminations in the riser when compared to the actual number counted when looking above the grip on the belly side.

Hope I have not confused you with my rambling explanation.

seboomook · « **Reply #14 on:** July 30, 2009, 02:26:00 PM »

Tried to get a good pic of the accent laminations
with the '55 on the left. A magnifying glass is now on the shopping list. I'm sure Mullet is sure we're crazy!!

Wade Phillips · « **Reply #15 on:** July 30, 2009, 02:35:00 PM »

seboomook - Yes, you are looking in the correct place now. You may want to check your camera for a macro setting to get a good close up photograph.

Menards sells an inexpensive lighted desk magnifying unit with a lens about 4.5" in diameter. Bought one several years ago for less than $20. Have it mounted to the desk next to the computer. It is one of the few often used tools that is not frequently misplaced.

seboomook · « **Reply #16 on:** July 30, 2009, 02:43:00 PM »

Yes, bad pic. I need to find directions online somewhere. My son used it in college for some great closeups. Battery was very low too. Too dark and stormy outside for natural light.
Thanks for the help Wade.

mullet · « **Reply #17 on:** July 30, 2009, 09:39:00 PM »

Well he just emailed me the pictures, from what ya'll describe it is a 55 or 56.I don't know how to post them but I could forward them. Now I just have to see what he wants for it, Thanks for all the help.

seboomook · « **Reply #18 on:** July 30, 2009, 11:08:00 PM »

Mullet sent his pics, reminds me how green the limbs turn from UV through the years. This ones all spiffed up. Note the riser accent strip.

mullet · « **Reply #19 on:** July 31, 2009, 09:49:00 PM »

Well, it looks like it's mine. We worked out a deal today. It ought to fit in nicely with my 55#, '58 Kodiak. Now I have to get me some decals, I can handle the pen work.

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Author Topic: KS (Read 773 times)

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