56" 1960 KODIAK BUTCHER AA PREFIX

[Bjorn]

Were there 2 versions of the Kodiak DeLuxe? I see one in the catalog with a regular looking riser. My bow has a silk that says "Kodiak DeLuxe" but does not look like the bow in the catalog.

 

I just took the pic with my phone and it is kinda' fuzzy.

[vintage-bears]

Yes, they made 2 bows Bjorn.

One was the Kodiak special deluxe and the Kodiak Deluxe.

As custom as any bow we see today as you know.

Here's my Deluxe...........Philip


 

[Bjorn]

The # of yours is outstanding!

[Wade Phillips]

Originally posted by Bjorn:
Were there 2 versions of the Kodiak DeLuxe?  

Bjorn - The Supposed Kodiak Deluxe shown in the 1960 Catalog is actually a Clear Glass 1960 Kodiak.

There really is no 1960 Kodiak Deluxe shown in the 1960 Catalog, only the Kodiak Special Deluxe, the Clear Glass Kodiak, and the Kodiak.

The usual Deluxe suspects lined up by length...

56", HA001, first 56" Deluxe made
60", IA723, yes, I am still looking for IA001
64", LA001, first 64" Deluxe made
100# Wedge Sight Window Deluxe, the only one I have ever heard about.

       

[AALLFAB]

Ok WOW I just looked at the 1960 cat and in the crystalight add on the right I am noticing for the first time a 1960 kodiak looking shape riser with clear glass and no crescent in the riser. Is this the bow you are talking about and do you have one to show. Jim

[Wade Phillips]

Jim - Glad you looked in the 1960 Catalog and now realize that in that Catalog, no Kodiak Deluxe is shown as we know them.

Yes, I have a clear glass Kodiak like the one that is shown in the 1960 Catalog as the Kodiak Deluxe. I was very fortunate to pick it up a few years ago after looking for one for many years.

The one I have is not the one shown in the 1960 Catalog as it has a different grain in the wood under the clear glass.

So we know that at least two were made. In the future, I wouldn't be surprised to see more surface and wind up in the hands of collectors.

[AALLFAB]

cool hope to see it here soon.

[Bjorn]

Maybe I don't understand about the top collectible bow..........
I have the bow on the left and never seen the one on the right. Is the one one the right the sought after one?
 

[Wade Phillips]

Bjorn -

Yes you are correct. The bow on the right is not a Kodiak Deluxe as we collectors know them to be.

It is a standard 1960 Kodiak with a Zebrawood Lamination under the Clear Glass.

I usually refer to it as the Clear Glass 1960 Kodiak or 1960 Kodiak with Clear Glass because it is built on the 1960 Kodiak Form and has the standard 1960 Kodiak Brazilian Rosewood I-Beam Riser.

The reason I mentioned it would have to be the top collectible 1960 Kodiak is that only one is known to be in the hands of collectors and it is documented in the 1960 Catalog.

I believe we covered this subject 2 or 3 years ago in an earlier thread.

[Horney Toad]

Here's the wedge sight window on my 97# Kodiak.

   

[Windsurfer]

Seems like the more I learn the less I know about the Kodiaks.  What exactly is a Butcher Block?  If the BB are shown in Wade's post at the beginning of this thread, I believe I have both, a 56 inch and 60 Butcher Block 1960 Kodiak bow.  The 1960 Kodiak Deluxe I have also has a slight bevel on the shelf - would that also be a Butcher block?  What years did Bear make Kodiak bows with the Butcher Block and Wedge Sight Windows?  Sorry for all the questions, just trying to learn as much as I can from those of you who know.  Thanks, Dave

[johnnyrazorhead]

Dave- I personally don't recall seeing a butcherblock sight wndow on any other year Kodiak besides 1960.Not saying there isn't one out there,I just haven't seen one that I recall.
 And yes,Bear did make 1960 kodiaks without the butcherblock sight window.I believe you will find there are more 1960 Kodiaks "without" butcherblock sight windows than with.

[Windsurfer]

JR, How rare are the Wedge Sight Window Kodiaks?  Were they too only made in 1960?  I have never seen one till looking at this thread.  Dave

[johnnyrazorhead]

Dave- The wedge sight window bows are relatively rare as well.I have seen a few in various collections and have owned a few myself.Most I have seen are found on the heavier weight bows.The lightest wedge window I have owned was on a '61 Kodiak that was 70#.I have also seen a '62 Kodiak with a wedge sight window and 70#.The heaviest wedge sight window bow I have ever seen is a left-handed 1959 Kodiak that I currently own.It is marked 123#.Not sure if this is the actual weight as I have not yet tried to string it and pull it back to 28" to check it.Also the '61 and '62 Kodiaks were both 60" bows,most all of the other wedge sight window bows I have seen were 64".Here is a couple of pictures of the '59 Kodiak along with my other '59's from another thread.It's the bow on top that looks like a 2X4.
 

 

 Here is another photo I found of three different wedge sight window Kodiaks.The '59 shown in the previous pics,a 1960 Kodiak,64",90# with no coin,and a 100# Kodiak DeLuxe currently in the Wade Phillips collection.

 

[AALLFAB]

Wow guys sweet stuff. Still waiting on the photo of clear glass 1960 Kodiak. Jim

[Steve95]

I have a 67 Hunter kodiak made with a pieced risor. I also have a Tigercat that is made from pieces. Do these count?Was this done for strength, like pylewood, or were they just making all the bows they could make with the wood on hand.

[damascusdave]

Gonna bring this one back for a couple of reasons...I have a consecutive serial number pair of 1960 Kodiaks with butcher block i beam...it is a lamination within a lamination...the butcher block is made with strips of Brazilian rosewood about a quarter inch wide glued together...that piece is then laminated between two other pieces of Brazilian rosewood to form the riser...the material you see in the sight window actually extends fade to fade...one guess about the reason for the butcher block is that it was a way to utilise pieces that would simply have been scrap...the other reason for bringing it back is the great pictures of 1960 Kodiak

DDave

[Shane Reed]

Love seeing these! Have a few 59's on the way. One may be a basket case, but in hopes it is better than the pics I saw, and that they were just deceiving. Kept the price down very very low. If the laminate is still good, I got a steal!    

[trubltrubl]

I have a 1958 56" lefty Kodiak I bought off another nice tradganger....it zips an arrow...#50 at 26" on the shelf ... a sow belly...I am pretty sure its a rare bow

[Wade Phillips]

trubltrubl -

You are correct, the 1958 Sow Belly Kodiak is a pretty rare bow, I have three 56" 1958 Sow Belly Kodiaks, one LH and two RH, each with a different riser configuration, and one that is factory camo. Have owned one more 56" Sow Belly and seen less than a dozen others over the years.

However, in my limited experience as a collector, the white glass 1957 Kodiak (predecessor of the Sow Belly)has clearly proven to be a much rarer bow.