Bear Zwickey

Shane Reed · March 21, 2015, 04:57:00 PM

In my search for period correct broadheads to hunt with my deerslayer this year. I have become infatuated with hunting down some Bear special order Zwickey heads. Talking with Jack Zwickey this morning I learned that Fred ordered 17,000 of these heads to sell. Have no idea with that many, why I am struggling to locate any? If anyone has these heads on here I would like to see some close up pictures of all angles 4 blade pictures are also welcome. Jack regrets not saving any oldies right now, and I can understand why.

Blackhawk · March 21, 2015, 09:08:00 PM

Fred may have ordered a bunch of those Zwickeys, but few folks will deny that the Bear Razorhead is numero uno.

Zwickey is number 2.

Shane Reed · March 21, 2015, 09:14:00 PM

It's about nostalgia

zepnut · March 22, 2015, 09:37:00 AM

Bear Special Order 4 blade Zwickeys are pretty rare heads.

Bjorn · March 22, 2015, 08:07:00 PM

The lower head is the Bear Airplane Zwickey and no way were 17,000 delivered. They were only made for a year, I believe, and not that number. I'll have a look in Wade's catalog and get the number made. They are very hard to find and there are fakes too.

Chuck Homitz · March 22, 2015, 08:13:00 PM

I THINK SHANE MEANT 17,000 SPECIAL ORDER ZWICKEY'S WERE MADE AND THE S/O ZWICKEY 4 BLADE IS NOT THE AIRPLANE ZWICKEY.THE S/O 4 BLADE IS VERY RARE AND I BELIEVE WADE HAS THE RARITY AROUND 3 OR 4.

Shane Reed · March 22, 2015, 08:19:00 PM

"Yes that is why I was confused, sorry! This head was produced by Zwickey Archery, but sold by Fred. There were 17,000 made, we don't even have one in our shop. I am kicking myself, because I wish I would have held on to some of our earlier models. We do not have any in our shop."

Shane Reed · March 22, 2015, 08:20:00 PM

The head Jack was talking about is the two blade.

Bjorn · March 22, 2015, 08:32:00 PM

The catalog does not say how many were made; perhaps Wade will see this thread. Fred said he did not think the design was good and I have to agree-I would not hunt with them.

Chuck Homitz · March 22, 2015, 08:53:00 PM

SHANE, THE PICS I SENT YOU WERE 2 BLADE S/O ZWICKEYS. THE RARE 4 BLADE S/O ZWICKEY HAD THE FERRULE CUT OPEN ,LIKE PRESENT DAY HEADS , TO MAKE IT A 4 BLADE. THESE ARE DIFFERENT THAN THE ONES SLOTTED TO ACCEPT THE AIRPLANE INSERT.WADE'S BOOK SHOWS A SLOTTED ZWICKEY WITH THE AIRPLANE INSERT AND A SWEPT WING SHOULDER. THE S/O ZWICKEY'S HAVE A SLOPED SHOULDER.

Shane Reed · March 22, 2015, 08:54:00 PM

I would say Jack has access to his dads old records and would have to believe his numbers. The design is much like todays Zwickey. Only concern may be the metal grade.

JavelinaHink · March 23, 2015, 02:05:00 AM

I guess I should get ahold of Jack to see if he has any interest in my extra SO Zwickey 4 Bld.

Shane Reed · March 23, 2015, 02:10:00 AM

Did you ever find the 2 blades you mentioned Bill?

JavelinaHink · March 23, 2015, 02:29:00 AM

Yes, Have a quiver full of the two Bld S O Zwickeys on Bear arrows

Shane Reed · March 23, 2015, 02:32:00 AM

Pm me if you would.

Wade Phillips · March 23, 2015, 11:30:00 PM

Boy, some of you guys have me wondering with all this misunderstanding and misquoting.

The 1942 Special Order Zwickey/Bear was and still is a great head. Fred killed deer, moose and bear with it. Zwickey owned the broadhead market during the 1940s and early 1950s.

The 1954 Zwickey slotted to accept Bear's Airplane Insert was in Fred Bear's own words, not a good head. The insert was cut at the wrong angle.

However, when Fred introduced his 1956 Bear Razorhead, he took over the broadhead market and in Jack Zwickey's words, left Cliff and Jack sitting around for two years with almost no sales at all.

Shane - If I understand your posts correctly, you are going to use a period correct

- 1940s Grumley Deerslayer
- 1940s Bear Zwickey Broadhead

- and a 1970s knife ???

Shane Reed · March 24, 2015, 12:01:00 AM

Not everything is period correct as I am sure I will not find clothing made in the 40's. I would like the bow set up to be. I am not Fred, but if I can take a deer with the "tools" he used in the 40's; I will be happy. If fortunate enough to harvest a deer; the knife will come in handy. Part of the joy will be using some of Fred's equipment.

Wade Phillips · March 24, 2015, 12:20:00 AM

If you are interested there is likely lots of 1940s style clothing to closely match Fred's 1942 Snow Buck photograph.

What quiver are looking to use?

You may want to ask a serious Puma collector about the value of a new, unused knife in the box, vs one that has been used.

Shane Reed · March 24, 2015, 12:43:00 AM

I do have a Northwoods quiver that I will be using. I will be holding on to the knife and may cringe a bit using it. I guess if I was to worry about value; the deerslayer would be sitting on the rack. I have not mentioned anything about the one I will be using. Just obtained a very nice 56" 50-55# from Jim Belcher. The bow is the first I have owned with rawhide backing. Jim did shoot the bow, but has not in a few years.

Wade Phillips · March 24, 2015, 01:37:00 PM

An early Northwoods is the period correct quiver to complement an early solid wood Deerslayer and a 1942 Special Order Zwickey.

The value of a Deerslayer may change a lot or very little between the state of unbroken to broken depending on the severity of the break, original condition, and the style and configuration of the Deerslayer. There would be way too many variables to guess at for such a crap shoot.

For many years I have used valuable vintage equipment and never worried about its value (but do try to understand the value of it beforehand). Always try to use soundly functioning equipment and know exactly what I am doing to it because of the use of it.