UPDATE!! What is under a '61 grizzly factory camo?

[Tyler C. Moore]

Got this bow shipped to me from a friend who bought is thinking I might want it. I paid him the reasonable amount he paid for it, and it arrived today.

The factory camo was in bad shape and the right window was really beat up. I figured what the heck and cleaned up the sight window, but am unsure what my next step should be!

Will stain make the maple look better?

Should I strip more? There are holes to be filled as well!

It looks like a solid maple bow, with clean glass on the front, and a hazy white/clear/aqua glass on the back.

 


 

 

 

[Blackhawk]

Interesting question.  Since they were all camo that year, I cannot remember hearing about someone stripping them.  Go for it and let's see.

This model sure doesn't come up very often for sale, but like all the Bear bows of that year they were great shooters.  It's too bad it was was such a bad year for limb stress problems.

[Tyler C. Moore]

Does anyone have a thought?

The bow coming my way has several holes and deep scratches.

Therefor...

I am planning on trying to strip the factory finish off this bow when I get it and refinishing it. Any thoughts on how to remove the camo in a clean and proper manner or any advice is appreciated .

[Robert Marvin]

suppossedly they used up loose ends and odd glass colors-could be literally anything in the all camo years

[4runr]

I have one that was partially stripped when I got it. I finished sanding it down and put clear on it. I plan on repainting her some day.

Just plain Maple riser, with caramel colored glass. Just a moderate amount of stress.

[Tyler C. Moore]

Thanks Kenny. Good to hear from someone who did it. I was hoping it might be a surprise, but figured plain maple was probably the outcome. I still might give it a shot.. The bow is in rough shape

[Bjorn]

I did 2 of them; found strange non matching color glass under one, and clear glass with maple veneers under the other-I like the clear glass the best! The risers are very nice Maple.
Another one that I know of has chocolate colored glass belly and back.
Fred wanted to surprise us 50 years later!    

[Tyler C. Moore]

TTT for an update! Bow is here and I spend some time evaluating and cleaning it up.

Need advice on where to go from here?

Pics added above

[59Alaskan]

I would take it all the way down.  If I didn't like what I saw I would call bear archery and see if they would camo it with the factory camo they are using now.  Doesn't hurt to ask....

[Blackhawk]

I would take all the way down, and then try Minwax Spar urethane (either rub on or spray).  It would most like cause the grain to really pop out.

Yes, having Bear camo again is good idea as well as having someone do a camo dip.  

If structurally sound, that should be an awesome shooter.  I admit I have never shot a '61 Griz, but bows of that era from Fred were great.

[59Alaskan]

1961 Grizzly's are wonderful shooters.  I hunted one for a couple of seasons.  I worried about further nicking the factory camo, but it was a great bow for sure.

[Tyler C. Moore]

So I sanded just the tips and it looks like there is light green glass on the belly. Similar to '63 glass. Does that make any sense ? I'm thinking I am going to go for it, at least a little bit at a time. It might turn out ugly as sin, but I guess that can always be fixed!

[Tyler C. Moore]

Yup, ugly as sin. Should have left the belty camo. The limb backs are creme/brown glass, and the belly is light green. Tips are nice, and the riser is solid maple.

I am thinking of stripping the whole thing, having skins put on the limbs, and re-paint or dip the limp bellys. Both sides of the limbs have some significant stress cracks, so they will need to be glued and then hidden.

Pics

 


 

 

[59Alaskan]

I think it's pretty cool.  Definitely unique!  Skins would be nice though

[Blackhawk]

The '62 Kodiak Special had that color glass ("sea foam" they called it I think).  Where else have I seen that color glass?    

  Yes, bow is    :cool:

[damascusdave]

The 61 Kodiak also used that colour glass...the 61 KS used a lighter tone as well although mine has faded so much it looks like off white...I keep saying I am going to refinish both my 61 and 63 Kodiak Specials and then I realize that will do nothing to improve their shooting quality...when I want pretty bows I buy them that way

DDave

[Blackhawk]

Here are the 2 colors of green I am referring to.  The first pic is the '62 Kodiak Special followed by a pic of my '61 Kodiak.  Of course, aging and fading can certainly change color shades.

   

 

[59Alaskan]

Sea foam was used on 1963 Grizzlys and I have a very nice 1965 Polar with it.  Apparently also used on some 1961 Grizzlys too LOL

[Mojostick]

I'm fortunate to own a/the EXP 1962 Kodiak Special that has an incredible Brazilian bocote riser and the 1961 Kodiak Special lighter green/olive limb glass. I've never seen another like it. It's the pride of my collection. If someone else has one that's similar, I'd love to know about it. I have several other 1962 KS's and personally think they are the best bows to ever come out of Graying. There's many other fantastic bows to come out of Grayling, obviously, but my personal favorite grip is the 1962 KS.

As far as the 1961 Grizzly, doesn't seem like all of them are very stressed under the paint? That's what I've seen. Given how bad most '61 Kodiak's and '61 KS's stress cracked, I assumed that the similar glass in the '61 Grizzly's also cracked badly and Bear made the decision of "screw it", let's paint the Grizzly. If you notice, lots of '61 KS's have the star stamp. Bear probably didn't want Grizzly's coming back so they painted them to cover the bad stress glass of that year. That's my gut feeling on the matter.

[Tyler C. Moore]

The limbs on this bow are highly stressed. I have it completely stripped and sanded. Filled in the stress cracks with glue, and sanded again.

Now I am not sure what to do. I might just repaint the whole thing... The fiberglass loos terrible from the stress cracks