Fred Bear & Fred Kibbe meeting place

[bowhunterfrompast]

Excellent display of the Kibbe artifacts.

[Larry m]

Interesting the different horn and metal stringnocks. It would be nice to see some of their bows up close. Great info Rick.........

[stagetek]

Love the old pic's and the story's that go with them. Thanks.

[Rick Enos]

I will post a pic. of some Kibbe bows later.

[Rick Enos]

closeup on Kibbe 4 blade

 

[Rick Enos]

Yes, Larry I think so to...The aluminum horn knocks came from a place in California...The box is in the photo I think...It has the address but its hard to make out...

[Rick Enos]

Hope they turn out

 

[Rick Enos]

This is an osage stave I hauled back from up north.On top of my wifes car..She will never let me forget that day...It came out of the Kibbe factory in the late 30s & was a way of payment for the Kibbe employees.I built 3 osage bows out of the stave & named one The Burley Bayliff--dedicated to the Kibbe employee that gave it to me.He passed 8-9 years ago & was a very special friend to me...When I showed him the Burley Bayliff bow he smiled from ear to ear.I'll never forget that day...

[Rick Enos]

left Picture is me draw shaving the osage & the middle picture is the Kibbe stave on top of wifes car.right picture is 3 of the osage bows I made from the stave.The light colored bow was a Hickory bow....I never used power tools on my self bows Like a dummy   I did it all by hand.

[bowhunterfrompast]

Great looking selfbows.

Thanks for posting a clearer picture of the 4 blade.

[Rick Enos]

My camera is horrible & it don't help that I'm not a photographer..Rick, I know you're into history.If there is anything about Kibbe you want to see or look at let me know.I've been digging out things I forgot I had.When I started collecting Kibbe archery equipment about 35 years ago I went back & found who ever I could that worked for Kibbe.Interviewed them & got what ever equipment I could find.Most all are gone know..At least that I know of.Let me know, Rick...

[Larry m]

That is a nice selection of old self bows Rick. Are they all from Kibbe? This is quiet a collection you have that keeps coming out.....

The tiller looks good on the bows you made and most bowyers I know use a draw knife and hand ax to work them down. The fact you know where it came from and how you came to have it makes it all the better... Great story!!

[Rick Enos]

Thanks Larry,I think without counting theres 38-40 of them..I have a lot of kibbe archery items.There has never been much interest in his equipment..I don't think a lot of people know about him.Wolverine was the second largest archery manufacturing business in the USA at one time.Lou Stemmler from New York was the largest at that time.As long as you guys are interested I will keep posting..

[Hobow]

Thank you for a great thread Rick!  I really like to learn about the lesser known manufacturers and their wares.  I'm amazed that his archery business was so big and yet so little is heard about him.  

I've done a little research since your post began and Fred's commitment to promoting archery is impressive.

You piqued my interest in Mr. Kibbe and I will definitely keep reading as long as you keep posting.  

Brad

[bowhunterfrompast]

Originally posted by Rick Enos:
My camera is horrible & it don't help that I'm not a photographer..Rick, I know you're into history.If there is anything about Kibbe you want to see or look at let me know.I've been digging out things I forgot I had.When I started collecting Kibbe archery equipment about 35 years ago I went back & found who ever I could that worked for Kibbe.Interviewed them & got what ever equipment I could find.Most all are gone know..At least that I know of.Let me know, Rick...

Interested in seeing anything you or anyone else has to post on the old equipment, so keep it coming    

I wish I had of been interested in archery history a long time ago. I grew up not far from York Archery, 10 maybe 15 miles, and went to meetings above the old store in Independence, MO. But the factory, and store have been closed for many years now.

[59Alaskan]

It's very neat that you have saved this history.  Thank you for sharing.  It's always good to learn about the history of archery.

Your self bows look very nice.

[Rick Enos]

This is a periodical--(The American Archer)that Kibbe sent out from 1928--1934

 

[Rick Enos]

Russ Hoogerhide shot for Wolverine from about 1930 --1932 or maybe longer.He won the 1930 national archery championship--three important sectional titles--six state championship titles and many open meets..all with wolverine archery equipment....Here is a picture of Russ with wolverine archery equipment....

 

[Rick Enos]

Here are a couple of boxes of target arrows from Wolverine archery..Left--- high end target arrows beefwood splices with aluminum knocks..Right are self knocked mid grade target arrows....
 

[Rick Enos]