A Fred Bear Bowhunters kit I need some expertise on this one

[L. E. Carroll]

I picked this up last summer at a shoot and have looked at others that have a "Running Bear" logo stamper (or engraved ?) in the leather belt loop portion of the sheath .. Mine does not. Is` this a "Bad Thing" ?        :rolleyes:      

Everything is correct and appears to be an origional set as the brass handguard is stamped 648 and the blade is engraved or stamped:
 "Western Boulder Colo. USA'
the file is orange-ish in color with "BEAR" written in raised block letters, the stone is a Norton, also somewhat orange-ish/tan in color.. the lower sheath portion is of darker leather than the back portion which also forms the belt loop and yes, now that it been explained, it does have the aluminum protective layer, but inside the sheath and not on the back where i thought it was suppose to be. It does have the small stitched on pocket on the back side of the sheath

One other thing I'd like to mention is it appears to have the name Marshall S. Lutz stamped verticley and "neatly" in ink on the back [ but this is faded ..I'll do my best to show it in one of the pictures ] both behind the knife section and again behind behind where the file section is between both out sides and centered between the stitching running down that separates the two sections of the sheath between the file and knife..

Can anyone tell me where this would fit in, as to the production runs of these "fine old sets" or even guess as to what value I could put on it?

Does anyone have any info they care to share about Mr. Lutz?  Was this perhaps a signature of the leather-maker?              

Here are 3 pictures to look at and I'm sorry due to the flash I could not get a good picture showing the #648 on the finger guard.

[L. E. Carroll]

[L. E. Carroll]

[L. E. Carroll]

[Hobow]

Hey Gene, you've been holding out on me!  The lack of stitching at the belt loop area indicates a later model but I can't give an accurate date range.  

You should bring it with you Monday night so that I can drool over it during the shoot, well maybe after the shoot, I don't need any more distractions like last week...    

Brad

[L. E. Carroll]

Brad

I got hurt pretty bad Thursday afternoon when about 800 # of steel fell over on me while cutting some scarp steel with a torch...  Trashed my right arm.. Only thing that saved me was it finally came to rest on a trailer tongue allowing me about 18" of room in stead of burying me in the ground.. Probably won't be shooting league for awhile, as at this point I can't pull a sling shot let alone a bow.   :rolleyes:  

You would think after 30+ years of working with very heavy steel, I would have known better.  But I was in a hurry as I knew I was running out of oxygen in my last tank.    

I will in in Portland all week at he PBS Banquet... I hope to see you there !    

Besides, with all of the "Fine Classic" bows you have    I just took it for granite you probably had one of these too.      

Gene

[Hobow]

I'm so sorry to hear that Gene, I hope that you recover quickly from this setback.  Please don't rush it and get well for the Rock Shoot.

I will keep an eye out for you at the PBS banquet and no, I do not have one of those in the collection, yet...    

Get well soon!

Brad

[raghorn]

The stone is a Norton not Northern and the knife is from Boulder not Bolder. Just nit piking.
The little pouch on the back of the sheath was for the deer tag or bow string or a P-38 can opener.
It first appeared in the 1957 catalog. I looked at random years up to 1970 and the same photo from 1957  was used all through those years for the knife set.

[L. E. Carroll]

Thanks' Ron,

I went back up and edited my screw-ups.  

I had heard it mentioned about the protective metal piece in a pocket on the back of the sheath, which I was told is incorrect and yes I found the formed aluminum protective covering inside of the actual knife sheath.          Since mine does not have the various color patterns like I have seen in pictures of other kits, along with having the Running Bear logo was left off.      :confused:     I was wondering if anyone was familiar with the specimen I have ?
 
Possibly, it was an early model or perhaps they started cutting corners later on in production, omitting both the Running Bear or simply missed stamping it ?? I'm really just trying to find out what I have?

My knife looks close to new as appears to have hardly if ever seen that stone however, there is some patina due too age. The Noton stone appears not to be "worn" but may be dis-colored somewhat due to age.  The file appears to have touched up some broad heads in the past and is not the sharpest, and there is a the slightest bit of rust in the cutting grooves...

The sheath has definitely seen some use, as the securement strap has dried and started to crack slightly.  This is a concern and I'm thinking of having it replaced professionally?  The mouth of the stone 'pocket' shows some wear and slight cracking.  Not really sure about having that replaced as most of the sheath would have to be taken apart and re-sewn to accomplish that.

 However, since I'll never use it in the woods, preferring my Campbell Damascus drop point and the arm guard knife Tippit made me... perhaps I should just leave the Bear set as it is?

Thanks' Gene

[raghorn]

I guess what I was getting at is that you can't tell by the catalog photos if the set had any changes over the years. A person can refinish a bow and not lose value, but I would not change a thing on this knife set. These have gone for  a good chunk of change. Just tease Hobow with it some more.

[Hobow]

Hey, don't encourage him Raghorn!  

Gene came to the shoot tonight bruised and battered and kept score although I do think he wanted to rub it in little bit...  

Despite the wear that Gene mentioned, it is a nice set with normal, matching wear and patina on all of the kit's accessories.

I'd be proud to own it.  

Nice score Gene!

[d. ward]

real nice I've never seen one with that much leather removed for the back pocket ? bd

[Wade Phillips]

Doc -

Here is one with the short pocket that is still new in the box...

 

[wadde]

The early sets 1950's had the running bear logo and I am guessing yours is a later set mid 60's to 1970. All are very desireable to Bear collectors. It seems the white handle file is a little rarer than the brown handle. I have had several sets and still have a couple but have not come across the white handle file yet. Always looking though. Wing Archery made a similar set also that I am always on the look out for. Keeps the hunt motivated. Nice find and you will find it hard to part with.

[d. ward]

Thanks Wade I knew they were around I'd just not seen one as yet and now I've seen two in the same number of days.I love the hell out of this place ? ask and you shall recieve.Would it be possible for eather of you to show me a real good pic of the seemed edge along the back pocket ? not the rounded edge for the blade but the square edge for the file ? and is it two pieces of leather sewn together ?
Hey Steve I saw the wing archery bowhunter kit on auction a few weeks back and it blew the doors off a bear archery bowhunter as per say at that same time.Bear kit 260 and some change.Wing Archery bowhunter kit ? 380 and some change.Again thanks for the pics Gene-O and Wadester I vote two of you in for who's the man this week boy's  bd

[ksbowman]

Does anyone have a picture of the Wing kit? Never seen one that I know of.

[Jonathan Wilfred Michelin]

I love the kit im goign to replicate it but in my own style, also there are two tools i cant figure out what they are in the original kit, could you help me figure it out?

 http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii175/bowdocsarchery/bhk1001.jpg

in this image there is a plastic item with Bear on it, and a metal tool, above the honing stone, could you guys help me identify it?

[Bjorn]

If you are talking about the tools next to the file the lower one is a BH sharpener and the upper one is for cleaning out the slot in a Bear BH so you can insert a new Bleeder Blade.

[Jonathan Wilfred Michelin]

ok, so thats the metal tool with the hole, and the one to the left of it, do you know that one?

[shick]

Jonathan, as Bjorn stated, the one on the right is to clear/clean the slot; the plastic one to the left with BEAR on it is the Broadhead sharpener.  Hope this helps.
Shick