58 white glass kodiak

[Xavier]

Just received this in the mail today. I'm stoked! a sweet 58 (right?) kodiak with white glass front and back. And would this be considered a 'sow belly'?
there is some slight discoloration where a quiver was attached. light acetone did not remove it. hmm.
it's 49# - 60". EG816.

Were these only made in 58? or also 57? I found very few pictures of white glass kodiaks, are they relatively rare?
cheers.
pics:
 
 
 
 
 

[Jack Shanks]

Xavier,

Yes, that is a '58 sow belly. There were a few 57s made with white glass I understand or at least made on the '57 form. I don't think the white glass was all that popular with hunters so you don't see as many '58s as the'57s or other year Kodiaks is the reason why.

[copicasso]

The 58 Kodiaks are sweet shooting bows.  I have been looking for a 58 in the specs that you have.

[NancyVTAS]

I think the white glass is great and blends in with our aspen trees perfectly. Dick

[johnnyrazorhead]

Xavier- Here's a couple of pics of a white glass '57 Kodiak I recently picked up.I had the camera out for pics so I took a couple to show you the difference.
 
 

[Bjorn]

Here's one I refinished a few years ago before I learned to leave them alone
 
White glass '57 52#@28

[Xavier]

Thanks for the info. Lucked out with the Find and the condition! Makes sense about the white glass not being popular, however didn't Fred hunt in the snow? Then white would make sense heh.
My collection is coming along nicely. I started about 2.5 years ago and have since sold most of the first 8 bows I bought - various makes - replacing them with bears. Trying to get a nice one of each model. Kodiaks, yeah I have 2 now - and vow to take a break from scouring the Internet, yeah right? I am afflicted with the disease. I'll try to get pics of my collection of 9 or so bows. And my do it yourself cheap bow rack.

[oldbohntr]

Hey, to me, the 58 kodiak performs as well as any 59 or 60 does.  They were very very good bows.  I still have Bud Gray's like-new 65 pounder.  Unfortunately(for me), he shot his 1958 Little Delta ram with a dark limbed Kodiak....probably his '57.  I gave the best shooting Kodiak I ever had(a 1958, 56#, 60" one)to a friend years ago.

[69RECURVE]

When you consider that from this year on the mass of the Kodiaks changed dramatically and forever. But is this not a sweet shooting bow or what?

Mass what mass?

[oldbohntr]

Yes, it is.  Back when I collected in Michigan I was told by several folks that Fred felt there was a place for white glass on some hunting bows...maybe he was thinking about polar bears, or who knows what.  Didn't make sense to me: how many bowhunters went after polar bears in the 50s? But, Fred did make some not-so-good decisions(the Playboy ads, for one, did not play well with Henrietta!  I'll bet ol' Fred paid for that one many times over!!!)  But, I'll go out on a limb and say if the '58 Kodiak had been made with rosewood and brown, black, or grey glass, we'd all be saying it was the best Bear ever!

If I had a choice between a '59 and a '58, I'd take a '58 every time!

[alaskabowhunter]

Whenever I see the the string groves cut into the core wood like that, I hesitate. I have seen too many delaminated limbs over the years right there. Late in '59 the string groves on the Kodiaks started to be cut much shallower, only groves in the glass and the problem was solved. Thus making the bow much more of a "long term shooter" in my opinion.

[69RECURVE]

I agree with the deep string gooves of the '58 but when I compare it to the '59 I see that the '58 has more mass in the tip. Could be just my imagination but it sure looks that way.

But you can see that I am partial to the '58.

I totally agree with Tom had this little '58 ever come in Rosewood lookout. Best Bear ever made would be highly debateable.