STAMPS:
On stamps, I never found any actual documentation direct from Bear Archery either, whether it be stamps or serial number files. I vaguely recalled some conversations with others about them but cannot recall who.
Just for kicks I posted what I could find here…There was one more site that I forgot to copy the URL for and cannot find now but someone posted: “There are probably as many explanations for the stamps are there are bows”
Here are some quotes and their origin:
1) “Contrary to recent information I've heard, and according to the people who actually wrote the serial numbers at the Grayling plant, many of these defective bows were metal stamped on the riser. A "2" stamp indicated a factory second or blemish and a "22" stamp indicated a more serious defect.” - Matt Dickerson
http://www.stickbow.com/features/collecting/bearkodiaks/ 2) “I have talked to a couple of the most respected and published Bear experts and they say there is no 100% documented proven or corroborated backed up story as to what the 22 stamp and the star stamp and the X stamp mean. It is commonly accepted that the 22 and star stamp means factory refinished and the X stamp means overstock discounted clearance with no warranty sale.” - Posted by AALLFAB (Jim)
http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=print_topic;f=14;t=004303 3) “as I recall the 22 stamp means the bow was sent back to the factory for repair and so stamped when returned” - Posted by damascusdave
http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=print_topic;f=14;t=006716 4) “The Bear salesman carried a stamping too in his kit. The stars are typically discounted bows and year end clearance. The '2's you see on some bows are cosmetic blemishes or defects; I have bows with as many as three '2's. But the blemish or defect is not easy to determine, as it is cosmetic.” -Bjorn
http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=14;t=006943 BOW TYPE:
I will never know who may have started designating bow “Types” but it was likely a collector or maybe a Bear Archery (or other company) factory employee. I always believed that “Type” intended to “separate multiple configurations of a bow model within or among years.” …I think that is your definition right there. Who designated the TypeI and Type II Bear TD risers? A collector?
1) Some collectors place significance on the year of the manufacture of the take-down relative to the value of the bow. Actually, more than year, the collector should be referring to Type. The first models made in 1969/1970, up through serial number 2000, are referred to as Type I’s. Models made in 1971 and later are correctly referred to as Type II’s, due to a change in the riser style.
http://www.stickbow.com/stickbow/collector/beararchery/ 2) The only ones they had problems with were the "Type 1" Kodiak Magnums. If you scroll back up and look at the catalog picture Jett provided you can see the the back side "dogleg" is higher than the belly side ending lamination. There basically was not enough "meat" to the riser left to handle the stress in this configuration and they "blew up".
Bear then modified the design and went to the "Type II". This Type II is shown in the photo provided by CZenner, and is the third from the left in the picture. You can see the laminations are now even at the doglegs (from belly to back). This provided more strength. While they had less issues with this design, I guess they still had some issues and decided to alter go to the final design, the "Type III" which is shown to the right in the same photo. Here you can see how little dogleg there is in the final design. - Jim Raine
http://piratesofarchery.net/bb/viewtopic.php?p=132188 3) ‘69 Kodiak Hunter (3 types), ‘69 Kodiak Magnum (3 types), ‘63 Dogleg Kodiak Magnum (3 types), ’64 Kodiak Magnum (Type I) described in “Grayling Bows by Bear” (hardcopy spreadsheet handed to me by Al Reader) - by Tom Lester,
4) “Magnesium risers. I didn't see any mention of type I and type II. Early and reinforced risers. Page 329 yellow and green are T-II's see the additional angled rib at the latch?” - Dan Worden (Mag. riser Type I and Type IIs, personal communication).
5) Personal discussions with Al Reader (only in my very limited brain).
Topic: New Bear Archery Book (Read 6133 times)
