Bear Kodiak Specials 1955-1967 Identification Guide

[Hobow]

I have a 1959 KS to add as well;

YA097, 68", 50# with underlays.

Brad

[damascusdave]

Gonna move this to the top yet again...and yes Wade we are still interested in those special Bears

DDave

[Wade Phillips]

Guys,

Thanks so much for sharing. Glad to see the interest in Bear bows continue.

Just added data from these posts to the list on the first page of this thread...

1959 68", 50#@30" - YB364L - no underlays - Lon

1959 64", 50# - WL570 - no underlays - Jack Shanks

1959 66", 49# - XE683 - no underlays - Jack Shanks

1959 66" 40# - XF086 - no underlays - Larry M

1959 68", 50# - YA097 - with underlays - Hobow

[warpedarrow]

I'm bringing this back to the front page.  I used it again today to identify three bows.  All three are 1956s.  That means I need to find a 55, 57, and 58.

[Babbling Bob]

I have the following K Specials:

1960 64" 45# - WD 106

Also have the  1959 64" 45# mismarked K Special that Stinger reported earlier with photos in this post (UD 448) where the UD was a W at one time. Of my five bows, it's still my go to bow during the summer 3D season 'cause it shoots as smooth as butter.  

Babbling Bob

[Babbling Bob]

The '59 UD 448 was the "UB 448" as Stinger showed on page 13 of this post with underlays.  Also on the '60, there are no underlays, but don't know if this is typical of the '6o's.

[Wade Phillips]

Babbling Bob -

Just recorded your 448 on the list of 59 KS serial numbers on page 1 of this thread.

[warpedarrow]

I have the following 1959 Kodiak Specials

64" WC613L. 48#  no underlays

66" XE593  49# L.   No underlays

68" YA309  37#  underlays

68"YA869 44# No underlays

[MarkG]

Howdy Folks!

My Kodiak Special is an odd duck, 59 or 60?

68" long
58#
19RX33 serial#
White with grey backing,
Copper coin.
Brazilian Rosewood and other exotic woods.

[MarkG]

Oh it has a stamped star under the serial #
Can't post any pictures yet as I am a new member, but pics to follow.

[Wade Phillips]

warpedarrow -

Just added your four 59 KS to the list. Thanks for posting the information.

[Wade Phillips]

MarkG -

Before posing your Kodiak Special to the list, I would like to ask you to make sure it is a 1959 and not a 1960 as the serial number falls in the sequence when the serial numbering format was being changed in the 1959-1960 bows. We do have a few of the newer serial numbers, but want to make sure the bow is a 1959 rather than a 1960. The photos on the first page of this thread clearly shows the differences.

68", 58# - 19RX33

[MarkG]

It is hard to tell if it is a 59 or 60 but reading that the early 59's had 1/4" Maple layers under a Brazilian Rosewood cap on the belly of the bow (facing the archer),leads me to beleive it is a 59.
Re: Begining in 1959 exotic hardwords were used in bear bows for the first time. The earliest 1959's had a 1/4" lamination of maple sandwiched between the two rosewood laminations in the riser.
Handle riser wood from 1948 to 1958 was mostly Michigan maple with some walnut. In 1959 Brazilian rosewood started along with the African hardwoods of Shedua, Bubinga, Tigerwood, Pau-Ferro and Zebrawood. 1964 we find East Indian Rosewood in the top of the line models. In 1965 appears H.C. or high compression material. This is formica, a paper and resin laminate (not ebony wood). It is also used on the Super Magnum and Super Kodiak in the late 60's (I call these the Black Beauties) and parts of the HC 30, HC300 and Tamerlane target bows. By 1973 all model Bear bows are made of futurewood. (A colored polymer plastic impregnated maple) some models as early as 1970.

[MarkG]

My bow looks like this one,( Skitterz pics):

[Wade Phillips]

MarkG -  

Yes your bow is a 59 if it looks like the images above. I recorded your bow on the list on page one of this thread as...

1959 68", 58# - 19RX33 - no underlays - MarkG

[MarkG]

OK let see if I can upload some pics.  

[MarkG]

[MarkG]

[MarkG]

[MarkG]