So this old Bear shoots nice, slightly beat up but not bad. BUT what if I wanted to strip and refinish, am I asking for pain ? Were the bows used for Camo flawed underneath ? I do not mind the Camo, am just curious...

"Were the bows used for Camo flawed underneath?"

yes, no, maybe....

The story is early camo models were blems, then the demand for camo outstripped the blems. So some are, some aren't, but even most blems were minor.

I stripped the paint off mine with 0000 steel wool and paint thinner (I think) . Afterwards I put several light coats of Tru oil on it. Turned out beautiful. I did leave a small square of green paint with the bows info written on it I knew I could never reproduce the writing of the serial number and wt also left the Bear logo and Kodiak Mine had lots of scratches in the camo paint I'm very pleased at how it turned out. Just took a little elbow grease and time. I tried various ways suggested to me including Goo be Gone but none worked til I tried paint or lacquer thinner. Sorry I can't remember exactly which one

I don't know any that were flawed, but some where not made and finished to sell without camo paint. Particularly the 61 Grizzly which were all camo models. I think most others were pretty nice underneath and just oversprayed with camo at the end of the process to accommodate a certain number of bows to fill that need.

I stripped a 69 Kodiak this winter. Beautiful Tiger Wood underneath. Used lots of elbow grease and acetone. 2 hrs or so did it. All the silk screens and writing were under the factory camo as well as on top.

Thanks for the info guys, sounds like a viable project !

Often you can see the original silk screens under the camo like Steve had. Look closely and you'll see the raised impressions.

I purchased a 1969 Kodiak Hunter with a twisted limb in factory camo as a project bow. Based on the serial number I suspected it was a tigerwood with black accent and limb tips. Fixing the limb was easy but I had a hard time getting the original finish off with acetone and finally had to use varnish and stain stripper. The decals, serial number and bow specs came off with the camo. I got new decals from Al Hartford (Al's Decals). Once the camo was off the bow did turn out to be the tigerwood and is absolutely beautiful. I intended to fix this bow up and sell it but it came out so nice that I just may keep it. I would love to show you the results but I can't seem to post a picture.

Ok question I just stripped the factory camp off my Dads 70' Bear Kodiak Hunter and it had the beautiful green finish underneath. My question is one it looks like it was a blem finish before they camoed I'm assuming nothing can be done about that. But I have some true oil to finish it. And some Decals from Al coming. One is there anything else I need to know and during me refinishg this? Here's some pics to get the idea of what I have.

Thanks and all help will be appreciated. I want this bow to look real good as it was my dads he gave me. He bought it in Okinawa, Japan at the BX while stationed there during Nam.

I think it's a late 1972 model.

Looks good so far.

So now that it's stripped is there anything I need to do before applying the true oil?

I'd scuff it up a little with some steel wool and then use a tack cloth on it to remove the debris. Use light coats of tru oil and steel wool between every coat applied. Keep going until it looks good to your eye.

It's easy, just take your time and let it dry completely between coats.

Ok thanks. What do I need to do to get a little higher gloss with the true oil. Buff a few days after last coat?also should I put the penning and decals on before, after a few coats or when completly done? Again thanks.

You can buff it, but it'll be pretty glossy without buffing.

Id put a couple of coats on, then do the writing and silkscreens, and then finish up with more coats.

It'll take quite a few coats to achieve perfection. Patience will be a virtue.

Like Steve Milbocker, I also striped and refinished a 69 Kodiak Hunter to reveal a beautiful tiger wood finish. Based on the serial number, I suspected it was the tiger wood riser. The original camo was a flat black finish with the decals on top of the finish. Besides having a twisted limb I fixed, the original camo was ugly with tape glue residue and paint spots. A lot of work but the bow came out beautifuly. Tiger wood is a beautiful wood and bear only used it on a limited number of bows. You never know what you might find under the camo. Good Luck

Wow nice bows.

I like the KHunter!

KodiakHunter56 - Just a heads-up, Tru-oil will yellow over white glass with time. I always use poly or lacquer over white glass.

Be careful using chemicals that could damage glues, like acetone and paint thinner. I use Minwax refinisher and 0000 steel wool with no side effect to the bow.

From what I understand water base clear coats will not yellow and oil based clear coats will yellow.

The bows shown in above posts look very nice.

Well I already stripped the paint off the bow with acetone so that parts already done, read it was ok on this site somewhere. Oh well looks like no harm no foul. So are tall saying not to use the true oil then? Do to the yellowing and use a Polly?

Kodiak Hunter is one of my favorites. Had one at one time and regret selling it this 15 years later.

A friend of mine bought a camo Bear Kodiak Hunter at a garage sale for $5. He asked me if I thought it was a blemished bow. All I could tell from the serial number was it was a '67 and a special order. Which also explained its 72#@27" draw weight. He stripped it and it was some of the most beautiful woods I have ever seen on a Bear. So sometimes there is treasure under that paint.

I had a 50# Super Kodiak that I bought new around 1986. It had the factory camo on it which was nothing more than an OD green base with some black leaf silhouettes painted over that.It was a good bow but shoulder issues got so bad couldn't draw it without severe pain.I gave it to one of my hunting companions.

Ok the bow is looking awesome pics will follow soon. But one question, what do tall use to pen your serial, poundage and amp back on your bow? Super fine Sharpie? Paint pin?

Ok this is it refinished , waxed and set up. I'm pretty proud. It looks really good the pics don't do it justice. Even though it has a few blem spots but it looks great. And it was my dads. He said he actually wanted a Kodiak that looks like this but the only one available at the BX at the time was camo. He is really excited by how it looks. Will be flinging some arrows in the morning!

Also not sure why when I post the pics it keep flipping the upside down

Good job Chris.

Thanks Wildhog! I'm very pleased

Great job on it.

He will love it.

That looks nice.

I'm a pretty big fan of the K Hunter, it's the bow I started with a long time ago.

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