Bear K Mag Year

[MJB]

Anyone know the year # 10CF22 . The second pic, are these stress cracks and can they be fixed. Wood type ? Brazilian Rosewood handle ?
Thanks

[d. ward]

1964 Bear Kodiak mag,rosewood and bubinga.The stressers will really not hurt anything and will not affect the proformance of the bow.But yes they could be fixed with some super glue......bowdoc

[MJB]

Doc,
Would they still be visible ? This could be a patient for you    

Thanks,
Mike

[d. ward]

Hi Mike yes you may very well still see those cracks,but once glued they will not ever get any worse....I gotta tell ya too.I think thats one of the best looking bows Bear ever built.Never ever figured out why they never made a Kodiak that looked the same.If that were a 1965 it would be the same bow,but the serial number would have started with a 5....so there is no difference in the 64-65 mag...bowdoc

[bearmagtd]

K mag in 64 catalog list it as Brazillian rosewood and bubinga , bow pictured in catalog is serial number 14bj434. The 70 K hunter is listed as Pau ferro and African bubinga for riser wood.

[kurtbel5]

OK,OK, now I am truly confused (Again) I thought in the 60's it was safe to date 'em by the 1st # in the series.That would make that kmag a '61 (I am not questioning B.D.'s or anyone else's answer)reason I ask, I have one that must of come out of the form that same week, 4lbs lighter, last 2 digit different is all and I thought it was a '61 and does that mean my Polar is not a '63 it starts with a 3 but now I have no idea what year it is. dang it.
           Kurt

[d. ward]

Hi Kurt not until 1965,then Bear used the last number of the year as the first number of the serial number.From 1965 until 1969 that dateing works.But that was the only time Bear Archery used the numbers that way.bowdoc

[Horney Toad]

According to the bear catalogs, the 1970 mag uses pau ferro and bubinga, where the 1971 and 1972 use bubinga and shedua. The 1964 model with rosewood and bubinga and curved stripe is my favorite year, followed by the 1965 and 1966. Very nice looking bow.

[d. ward]

Hi Bill your pics look like a 1970 Kodiak Hunter?Upper silk screen on the back of the bow? and no stabilizer bushing? Bear went with the straight stripe in the riser,rather then the curved.I was wondering if pau ferro? is like a fancy name for shedua?? Like African rosewood is bubinga? bowdoc

[d. ward]

Hey,I may make even you wait for the book.Actuly how many different 1961 Kodiaks were there???????? Ohh about 13 types.checks this out,bubinga 1 pc.bubinga 2 pc.bubinga 3 pc.bubinga wt purple heart.walnut 1 pc.walnut 2 pc.& 3 pc.butternut 1,2,3 pc.risers...walnut and butter nut...walnut and butter nut,wt purple heart ibeams.whoooooooo where are we so far.....bowdoc PS pack all this stuff about 10 good collecters knows into one book...

[alaskabowhunter]

Wade is working on a book "Fred Bear's Most Collectible Bows" , that is the only resource I know of at this time beside the knowledge you guys are sharing here,... my '61 Kodiak is walnut, butternut with a purple heart I beam... cool bow. It is the top bow on this rack.

[MJB]

Nice Collection  

[d. ward]

Tooooo many big heads in that group for the old bowdoc (low key baby).And besides without everyones notes what would the book read like ??? I think it would be best if it were something like Fred Bear's Favorite oddities...or Let's Keep those bows-a-rollen,Rawhide ........... bowdoc

[jim bowie]

I have a 1969 KM looks just like the one your looking at except the rosewood is alot darker,
ser#9BM35 Flat gold coin. jim

[d. ward]

Hey Jim can you load a pic...I actually think your bow is a 1964-1965 k mag rather then a 1969......bowdoc

[Horney Toad]

I believe the 1964 and 1965 kodiak mags have different color glass right?

[d. ward]

Toad nope same bow different serial numbers....196's started with 9's 8's 7's 18's and 19's first digets??? along with others.... 1965 started with a 5 as the first diget.But nope they are the same bows.....bowdoc

[Earl E. Nov...mber]

Toad,, you ain't thinking of the 66-67 KM curved stripes are you?? ..'66 is brown,, 67 back to green.
One of these days I am going to find someone with a 64-65 that I can get along with. ":^)

[Horney Toad]

No, what I am sayin is the 1964 and 1965 risers are the same and the 1964 has gray glass, while the 1965 has green glass. Actually the catalog says "olive gray". The 1964 says "bark gray".
With th 1964 bark gray being pure gray while the 1965 being greenish gray.

[PAPALAPIN]

'63 Artic Grey, '66 Brown.

However, seems to me that the '65 & '66 have the same riser design while the '64 is fifferent.  Also the woods in the risers are different.

Now for something important... Any ever notice that the gal in the Tomohawk Long bow ad at the top of the page looks like Jennifer Anniston?  Dumb move Brad!  You're the Pitts!