1st post. A friend gave me an armload of bows today & this has me stumped. Single shelf, decals, 60”. Haven’t figured out how to include more than one photo per post

Single shelf with decals would have to be a Kodiak Special 1955.

Yep, a 60"er too. That's a fairly rare bow.

Thanks guys.

actually it is a '56 They didn't make a 60" in 1955 only 64" and 68"

Nice bow. It looks like from the tape residue it had a tape on quiver on it even with the quiver mounting bushing and screw in the leather grip. Lance.

1956 has silk screens, this one has a decal.

Also, the other 60" ones I've seen are all measured @26"...but this one isn't.

I still say it's a '55 until someone proves me wrong.

Stole this from Wade Phillips:

This basic guide is designed to aid in identifying production Kodiak Specials from 1955-1967. Although some lengths listed are not shown in the Bear Catalog for that year, all lengths listed do actaully exist.

Not shown are experimental Kodiak Specials and the many factory variations of normal production bows.

Because the lettering and numbering sequence for Kodiak Special serial numbers changed several times from 1955 to 1967, and some sequences repeat several years apart, it is oftentimes unwise to use serial numbers to attempt to identify the year a Kodiak Special was made. Ignore the serial numbers and use these photographs to assure that you identify the year of the Kodiak Special correctly.

Bear Kodiak Specials 1955-1960

Produced in these lengths...

1955 - 60”, 64”,……. 68”,….… – Gray glass back, brown glass belly, decal logos 1956 - 60”, 64”,……. 68”,.…… – Gray glass back, brown glass belly, silk screen logos 1957 - 62”, 64”, 66, 68”, 70” – Tan glass, 2-color tombstone sight window - 68" not in Bear Catalog 1958 - 62”, 64”, 66, 68”, 70” – Tan glass, rosewood sight window 1959 - 62”, 64”, 66, 68”, 70” – Gray glass back, white glass belly, flared riser inset over glass 1960 - 62”, 64”, 66, 68”, 70” – Gray glass back, white glass belly, crescent riser inset under glass

It's not a 56. As seen in Wade's info. It's 1955 model...decals, and single shelf. First year for the K.S.

Bear Kodiak Specials 1955-1960

Produced in these lengths...

1955 - 60”, 64”,……. 68”,….… – Gray glass back, brown glass belly, decal logos

1956 - 60”, 64”,……. 68”,.…… – Gray glass back, brown glass belly, silk screen logos

1957 - 62”, 64”, 66, 68”, 70” – Tan glass, 2-color tombstone sight window - 68" not in Bear Catalog

1958 - 62”, 64”, 66, 68”, 70” – Tan glass, rosewood sight window

1959 - 62”, 64”, 66, 68”, 70” – Gray glass back, white glass belly, flared riser inset over glass

1960 - 62”, 64”, 66, 68”, 70” – Gray glass back, white glass belly, crescent riser inset under glass

From the limited pics it looks dirty but in good shape Factory rest even Get some WD 40 on a rag wipe the dirt and tape residue of it i bet itll shine up pretty nice

Paint on large areas

Lower tip overlay missing

Nice bow. Take your time cleaning it up, she's a gem.

Love those.

I would like to see it after its cleaned up. Is the riser in the third picture dented? It looks like there is a compression line.

I don’t profess to know as much as some of you older gentlemen, but I took my information from Jorge L Coppen’s book “Bear Archery tradition bows a chronological history”. According to him the Kodiak Special was not made in 60” until 1956. And according to his chart that was the only year it was made as a standard length.

The riser isn’t dented, just poor photography. Tape residue is rock hard. Clean up will be quite a project. I’m open to suggestions for paint and residue removal (already got wd 40 tip, thanks). There is paint on leather grip also. My guess on the I beam is Purple Heart, but it’s a guess.

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