I just bought this 1959 Grizzly, 43#, 62", green and brown glass, very nice condition. Got it for the cost of four Silverflame broadheads. :thumbsup: It has an I-Beam of Brazillian Rosewood, and Fred pieced the riser together with various woods on the shelf side. I love these old mismatched bows.
Papa Bear wasn't wasteful. 8^).
Click on photo for slideshow:
(http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v134/oldearcher46/th_grizzly001.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v134/oldearcher46/?action=view¤t=4c1fbd47.pbw)
Kool, I too like the different woods used. Makes for a prettier bow.
I treated the leather grip with Mink Oil and it really came back to life. Here are photos of leather grip:
Before:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v134/oldearcher46/grizzlyb.jpg)
After:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v134/oldearcher46/grizzly003.jpg)
George, Did you heat the oil first? I have found by heating the oil it gets deeper in to the leather. I have done this on saddles and other horse tack. It also helps to keep moisture from getting in to the leather so it looks better longer.
Ive used Neatsfoot oil before but it darkens leather. Nice Bow George. Thats a good deal over some Broadheads huh. I like the big riser
Bob
Very cool George,I have more than one custom made bows with small pieces of wood all glued together,sometime of different woods too.
Hey George, what do you mean by "I-Beam"?
Good stuff, George!
mmgrode asked, "Hey George, what do you mean by "I-Beam"?
It's a sandwich of woods, see photo:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v134/oldearcher46/grizzly013.jpg)
BobL, I didn't trade broadheads for the bow, I was just saying it cost me the same as four of those S.F.'s would have 8^).
George I know, I liked your example you used. What kinda arrows does it like?
That one is especially nice! :thumbsup:
George it is wrong handed-for me anyway - great buy . Let me see you shoot some deer with it , I like the analogy of the 4 broadheads :)
Jack
Boy ,thats a nice one. Would be great to take that old girl out hunt'n!!! Good find.
I do like things out side of the box. Thanx for sharing it with us.
Dam thats nice
good find
George, Nice bow!!
Fred made fantastic bows all around. You can start a list with all the super bows that he made, innovations that started with him, and his "inventors" mind as it pertained to bow making. Awesome guy who I am glad was, and remains, an inspiration to me.
Thanks for sharing.
Great bow!!! :thumbsup:
George, ain't nothin mismatched on the best dang bow ever made :bigsmyl:
I have a couple of them and love em!! They work good too
(http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f143/4runr/SA400236-1.jpg)
How cool is that? Way!!! Thanks for sharing.
God bless,Mudd
Wow what a nice score George. Congratulations.
I just picked up my first LH Fred Bear, an early 70's Grizzly today. I am a FRED BEAR NEWBIE, but hoping to learn more.
I am hoping to snag a LH 63' Kodiak, as it's my birth year.
Great find, thanks for posting your pictures George. I would love to shoot one of those 59ers some day.
Anyone have one that lives along the NC coast?
that's a great looking bow, George
You did good George.That is about as fine a bow as Bear ever made.
I joined an archery club for teenagers,I believe it was 1963.The guys hosting the club brought an assortment of bows from home if kids didn't have or didn't want to shoot their own.
One was a Grizzly like yours,except no rosewood.It was about the same poundage,somewhere between 41 and 43#.I tried to grab that bow every chance I could.I didn't know much about bows but it was clear,that bow was a smooth shooter and looked good too.
I haven't seen one with rosewood.That is just one fine bow.Factory bushing too.If I had that one,it would have to be on the all time,no sell,no trade list.Beautiful.
Real nice George, someday I'll have one of those 1959 my birth year.
When folks talk about compounds and how well those things perform, I allways think how long time Traditional bows can have life in them. Compare these old ladies to any model of say 1979 compounds... -79 wheelie bow is just useless junk (sorry, just my opinion) when these old ladies will make meat and look neat for long time in future !