Trad Gang
Main Boards => Trad History/Collecting => Topic started by: johnnyrazorhead on December 24, 2008, 12:26:00 PM
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Still trying to master this photobucket thing.I couldn't find a previous post about some cool old bows that I wanted to post some pics on.Trap said he would help but I think I've got this figured out somewhat.So here's a few mor photos of some cool stuff I have in my "bowroom".Lets see what you've got.First is a picture of some heavyweight Bear Kodiaks I have.One is a left-hand 1959 Kodiak at a whopping 123#.Next is a 1960 Kodiak,90# with no coin.And last is a 1960 Kodiak Deluxe at 100#.All three bows have the wedge sight window.Hope the pics work.
http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr118/johnnyrazorhead/oddballheavyweightsspecs.jpg
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Well,it almost worked.Lets try this one.Here's one of the risers of the three bows mentioned.
(http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr118/johnnyrazorhead/oddballheavyweightsall.jpg)
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Alright,here's the first photo again.
(http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr118/johnnyrazorhead/oddballheavyweightsspecs.jpg)
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Those are cool John.Have you ever shot any of them..bowdoc
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This next bow is really cool.It's a 1963 Type I Dogleg Kodiak Magnum.These are rare enough due to the fact that Bear recalled most of them because of design flaws.This one came out of R&D at Bear Archery in Grayling and I believe was one of Fred's earliest attempts at the take-down bow(besides the 1940's latch found on some longbows from that era)I have seen photos from 1967 of Fred hunting with one of his early proto-type,three-piece latch system take-down bows that we are all familiar with.Those weren't shown in the Bear catalog until 1970.This Magnum utilizes a two-peg system with a single bolt used to keep the two sections of the bow together.It works very well but an allen wrench is still required to assemble and disassemble the bow and I believe,and have been told by people that worked for Fred,that he wanted a true take-down bow,no tools required,not a take-apart bow such as this.The bow has a sticker on it simply marked "EXP" and was aquired with other bows similarly marked.Fred was always experimenting. (http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr118/johnnyrazorhead/oddballheavyweightsspecs.jpg)
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Oops.Wrong picture."Bear" with me on this photobucket stuff.
(http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr118/johnnyrazorhead/oddball63together.jpg)
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Here it is apart.Pretty cool.Inside where the two sections butt together is written Groves,Patent Pending.
(http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr118/johnnyrazorhead/oddball63apart.jpg)
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Oh yeah the groves take down system..bowdoc
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This next one is obviously not a Bear bow but my preference for all things Bear is evident in the beautiful antler limb bolts I had custom made for my Firefly longbow made by my good friend Jim Jones.
(http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr118/johnnyrazorhead/oddballBearlimbbolts.jpg)
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WOW!, those are some great bows John, very unique. You really have some true collectibles, real eye candy too! I hope you and your family have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Years!! Chuck
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Great bows John, truly all one-of-a-kinds.
Thanks for sharing.
Do you know any history of the manly men that special ordered and shot those heavyweights originally?
Trap
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:thumbsup:
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Here's another one of my favorite bows.It's a minty 1955 Kodiak that wasgiven to a good friend of Fred Bear's and personally signed and dated to him in 1955.His name was Basil Hughes and he was a Conservation Officer here in Michigan I believe and hunted with Fred at Grousehaven.Also shown is one of Basil Hughes hunting arrows.
(http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr118/johnnyrazorhead/oddballbasilhughesBA.jpg)
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This next bow is a real oddball!It was made a Michigan bowyer named Jim Hodek.He passed away back in the 1970's but I was told he was a fantastic woodworker.I don't think this bow would be a very smooth shooter but he was definitely showing off his craftsmanship.Just look at that riser.The limbs are backed with glass.This bow was made back in the 1950's.
(http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr118/johnnyrazorhead/oddballJimHodekriserII.jpg)
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Here's a picture of one of the limb tips.WOW!!
(http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr118/johnnyrazorhead/oddballJimHodeklimbtip.jpg)
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Here's another one of my favorite bows.It's a minty 1955 Kodiak that wasgiven to a good friend of Fred Bear's and personally signed and dated to him in 1955.His name was Basil Hughes and he was a Conservation Officer here in Michigan I believe and hunted with Fred at Grousehaven.Also shown is one of Basil Hughes hunting arrows.
(http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr118/johnnyrazorhead/oddballbasilhughesBA.jpg)
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Sorry for the double post.I was reading some of the comments and was going to reply and somehow re-posted a picture.Sorry!.Trap,I don't know any history on those heavy-weight Kodiaks and the animals that special ordered them.Wish I knew more,it would be interesting.Imagine ordering a 123# bow.Lets see what you all got stashed away.No fun if you can't share it.
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Thank You John and Bill, and here are a few of mine
(http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa277/DUCK_TRAP/KD014.jpg)
(http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa277/DUCK_TRAP/60Kodiak011.jpg)
(http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa277/DUCK_TRAP/57015.jpg)
(http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa277/DUCK_TRAP/08huntinggear005.jpg)
(http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa277/DUCK_TRAP/goldletterring034.jpg)
It's not fun if you cant share them.
Trap
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Beautiful!! Now that's what I'm talkin' about.Keep 'em comin'.
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Thanks for sharing John.
I had no idea that some of those existed.
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Good looken stuff there boy's real good looken stuff....bowdoc
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Very Nice bows 123# and a lefty. Cheers Marlon
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Hey Bowdoc.Sorry I missed your earlier question about me ever shooting those heavy weight bows.The answer is a resounding NO.I want to keep what's left of my nads right where they are.
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Trap, I am just ga-ga over the rosewood in your '62... that is some swirly grain.... :thumbsup:
Merry Christmas
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interesting little archery trivia.Wally Johnson one of the greatest big game hunter to ever live and Fred..bd (http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii175/bowdocsarchery/wally002.jpg)
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page 2 just thought you guy's would enjoy these.bd (http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii175/bowdocsarchery/fW002.jpg)
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Great pics Doc. looks like Wally borrowed Fred's shoes in that first photo ;)
Trap
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Talk about a bunch of unicorns, nice bows.
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Massive cape.That boy had balls of steel.Wally backing him up.I love that book.bowdoc
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Nice bows John!! When you think about the number of lefties-8.3% according to Google; combine that with how many can string and pull back 123#-how many people are we left with? That bow is truly one of a kind!
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Im sure there are some people that can shoot that 123# bow.
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Good lord, those are sweet!
60lb wears me out pretty quickly, cant imagine doubling that poundage.
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Bjorn.With those odds,it seems that it would be easy to find out who that 123# Kodiak was made for.Be interesting to know.
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I bet he or she was a big SOB
Trap
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Bear made several hundred of those in the 100# plus range in the late 1950's.Bill Neagley was big time into the 100 plus pounders and shot a 1958 Kodiak Special that was over 100#(maybe 123#).Many early hunters who trex to Africa shot super heavy weights.There's not lots and lots of them but there's quite a few around.One other thought also is not all of those old boy's packing a 125# was pulling it to 28" eather.Please not many hunting shafts from those days were 24"-26" go figuge 125# at 24" draw avrage 4.46 pounds of pull per inch of draw less 4" would be 17.84 so the old boy was still rippping her back to around 107.16...bd
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I saw on Tradional Bowhunter Magazine on the Tribute to Fred Bear series one of his workers said they made one 120# for a handicapped archer who used a prothesis and had an 11" draw. I can't compute his draw weight though.
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ONLY 107# I can draw that :D :knothead:
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I can draw 107# with a paper and pencil
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I drew a 100 pound Jennings T Star 20 years ago :banghead: Still Hurts
Trap
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Don:
I saw Neagley's bow when I was at the PBS convention in San Antonio four years ago. Its on display at the Longhorn in the down town. The weight written on it was 102#.
Several years ago at the Mich espo some one had a early static tip Kodiak marked 115# it was brand new still in the box with all the papers, I've kicked my self several times for not buying it.
Bob
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Yes Bob I saw pics of Neagley's bow several years ago.I was pretty certin it was around 100 + pounds.He also had another Bear bow from around 1965 or so 125# I believe...that was a man bow.bd
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I actually called and talked to Bill Negley shortly after I got the 123# Kodiak to see if it might have been his or made for him but he told me he never shot bows quite that heavy.So I now know it is NOT Bill Negley's bow.Seeing that it's a lefty,could it be Fred's or maybe even Glenn St. Charles bow?I doubt it but interesting to imagine that it might be.Maybe it went with Fred and Glenn on the Little Delta hunt in 1959.Hey,I can dream can't I? LOL
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Finding recurves over 100# are very rare. Now in these days finding a boyer to build one is very rare. Its a lost art. Marlon
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Alright.I really enjoyed this thread and I still need practice at downloading pictures so I thought I would try again.Here's one I've posted before but it's such a cool bow.You really need to see it in person to appreciate how beautiful it really is.The dark,V-shaped laminations running up both sides of the limbs is gorgeous.I believe it's a 1958 Kodiak Special,marked EXP on a pice of tape like the Type I 1963 Kodiak Magnum two-piece bow is marked.Came from Research & Developement Dept. in Grayling.Wish they made more,it's a real eye-catcher.
(http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr118/johnnyrazorhead/EXPKodiakSpecial3.jpg)
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Another picture,same bow.
(http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr118/johnnyrazorhead/EXPKodiakSpecial2.jpg)
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And one more.This is fun.I'll go find some more interesting stuff to photograph and post.Can you tell I'm bored?
(http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr118/johnnyrazorhead/EXPKodiakSpecial1.jpg)
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Trap,I always liked the picture you have with your posts showing the maple sight window '59 Kodiaks so I thought I would post this one up.Acouple of maple sight windows and a couple od really nice 1959 Kodiaks.Some of the most beautiful Bear bows ever made in my opinion.
(http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr118/johnnyrazorhead/Fifty-nineKodiaks.jpg)
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Here's another oddball I almost forgot I had.A 1970's Futurewood Grizzly with red glass.I call it the Christmas bow.No specs other than 33 1/2 written where the strike plate would go.Also no raised medallion which is what I believe would have gone on this bow.I can see why ol' Fred only made one of these bows.UGLY!!!At least I think it is.
(http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr118/johnnyrazorhead/ChristmasGrizzlyI.jpg)
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Here's one of the medallion side.
(http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr118/johnnyrazorhead/ChristmasGrizzlyII.jpg)
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Ye John, except you have real maple sight windows. My maple sight window is a Holcomb repro. A fine bow in it's own right but not the real deal.
Those 59s are gorgeous. Who wouldnt love those.
Trap
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Wow! It's hard to tell yours are repro's.They look fantastic.I heard the Holcomb bows are very nice.How do they shoot?
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It shoots very good. I'm considering getting another one.
That 58 kodiak is incredible John. Do you need my address? You said "You really need to see it in person....."
:thumbsup: Good stuff John
Trap
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Well... that's not quite what I meant.But you are more than welcome to come by my place anytime and check it out in person Trap.Maybe I better change my wording.LOL
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lol, Sall Good John. If I'm ever up that way, I'll take you up on that.
Trap
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Trap,You are always welcome.You are right.Sall good!
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ttt - for John Kabisa's 123# '59 Kodiak