From: mahantango
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Date: 16-Aug-18 |
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Scored a mid 50's static tip today. I know very little about them other than they've always intrigued me. Appears to be 60", dual shelf, dark brown glass back and belly. 53# @ 28" on my scale. I believe it's a Grizzly, but someone tried a refinish and all specs and decals are gone. Really solid otherwise. So, what string length and brace height? Any idea of the year and what the original decals were? Thanks for any info, I've always wanted to try one of these and for 40$ I couldn't pass it up.
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From: Ron LaClair
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Date: 16-Aug-18 |
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Hang it on the wall and buy one of Bear's new K-4 Static bows. The glue in a bow that old probably won't hold.
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From: Kodiak
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Date: 16-Aug-18 |
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Can you post a pic?
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From: mahantango
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Date: 16-Aug-18 |
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I'm photo illiterate, but will try to get a buddy to help.
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From: Knifeguy
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Date: 16-Aug-18 |
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I have 2 Grizzly’s and a Kodiak and shoot them all. If it has aluminum in the laminations don’t risk shooting it. They’ve been known to delam. I made my own strings and if I remember right I started 3” shorter than the length. The static tips threw me a little. Mine are set at roughly 7 to 7-1/2 for brace height, but you’ll have to find your own sweet spot. Pictures will definitely help to determine the year of manufacture. Lance
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From: 4nolz@work
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Date: 16-Aug-18 |
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Examine it closely for repairs especially in the static portion,string it and shoot it.
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From: mahantango
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Date: 16-Aug-18 |
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I know what you're saying Ron, but I have a few 50's recurves that I have thousands of shots through, so hoping for the best and if she goes down in flames, I'm only out $40. No aluminum Lance, Im familiar with them. Braced with a 57" string, it's at 61/2", so I think I'll twist up a 56" and try that. Assuming B50 or B55 is the way to go?
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From: Sinner
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Date: 17-Aug-18 |
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Ron is right. I've got a nasty scar on my little finger to prove it! I had one delam when I was stringing it for the 5th time or so. I still have the bow.
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From: aromakr
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Date: 17-Aug-18 |
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Listen to Ron. Those old glues get brittle and dry out.
Bob
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From: twostrings
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Date: 17-Aug-18 |
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I doubt that folks like LaClair are trying to float a canard. Look at that old bow with a hard eye, then shoot it or not.
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From: Kodiak
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Date: 17-Aug-18 |
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There are 1000s of those old bows being shot on a regular basis.
I hate to disagree with Ron but...
Put it this way, I'd shoot that bow without hesitation.
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From: PEARL DRUMS
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Date: 17-Aug-18 |
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If such is the case, my 59 Grizz has 2 years left and its glue is junk. Id better get some shooting in.
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From: Zmonster
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Date: 17-Aug-18 |
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Ive had some that lasted hundreds of shots that looked like hell, and some that looked mint that lasted only being strung for a few hours. You never know. Im gun shy of them now, although they are my most favorite vintage Bears.
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From: Iowacedarshooter
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Date: 17-Aug-18 |
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shot a new one at the spring fling. shot good, purty neat bow!
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From: fdp
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Date: 17-Aug-18 |
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Words from a very old and wise bowyer "Every bow is going to fail. The older they are, and the more we do to speed that along, the sooner it's going to happen".
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From: Hip
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Date: 17-Aug-18 |
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I have some old bows and shoot them, but I did have one de-laminate after about an hour, it was an old target bow. The thing about old bows unless you know it's history, you don't know how it's been treated or stored and that could lead to problems. I've been shooting an old wood bow and it seems fine but in the back of my mind I feel a little uneasy about it.
Hip
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From: mahantango
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Date: 17-Aug-18 |
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Thanks guys, I've got a lot of experience with old bows, just not static tip Bears. Anybody recommend a brace height? Will proceed with caution.
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From: Matt R
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Date: 17-Aug-18 |
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Picked up a similar one last week at a flea market for $10. 48#er. It was missing tip overlays so I made new ones. I strung it up, let it sit overnight, and then drew to half draw, 3/4, and full. Everything looks fine on it so far. It shoots great with a b50 string with a brace height around 7.5 inches. Use some caution and a good eye like others said, and you should have a nice shooting vintage bear.
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From: wmb238
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Date: 17-Aug-18 |
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My k4 and I were both made in '53. It's 47# at 28". I brace it at 7.75" and shoot 1916s with a 200 grain tip. Great shooter.
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From: George D. Stout
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Date: 17-Aug-18 |
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Shoot it. I was always told that a lemonwood bow would break if left strung while hunting...that it would break if you drew it more than 26 inches....would explode into little pieces if you looked at it wrong. It survived seven decades of shooting and actually can still be pulled and shot though it's declining.
I think not shooting a bow because it might break is silly. Jim Fetrow has a 52 Grizzly set up with fastflight string and he pulled it 30"...... Shoot it. Check it out good first, but shoot the dang thing.
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From: mahantango
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Date: 17-Aug-18 |
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Oh, I've been shooting it George. Pretty impressive for a 60 something year old bow. Still tweaking brace and spine, but what I didn't expect is that it's one of the quietest bows I've ever shot.
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From: Tajue17
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Date: 18-Aug-18 |
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I have a 1953 K4 static and the bow shoots mint! glue joints are as tight as the day it was made and that old orange woven glass is a sight to see..
I will say that they do need a careful looking over before shooting the first time because who knows where these bows came from and how they where stored,, being submerged or exposed to water will separate glue joints real fast..
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From: George D. Stout
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Date: 18-Aug-18 |
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Frankly those old bows mostly tend to just keep on keepin-on. Yes...look over the laminations, tips and even in the string notches...that just makes good sense. ;)
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From: CStyles
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Date: 18-Aug-18 |
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I was shooting my 1952 K4 this morning. It is in very good shape, no issues with glass or glue lines. It is so much fun to shoot, a very solid bow. I liked it so much it made me consider buying a new one again, just because it you have something you really like, having more than one must be better. Truth is I have more nice bows than time to shoot them. You see bows of all ages fail. I think the old bows that come apart were likely stored in a place that was a lot of extreme thermal cycles, like an attic. Epoxy doesn't like that. In my opinion the static Bear bows have a unique feel, and are great fun to shoot. Well worth owning one. Chuck S
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From: mahantango
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Date: 19-Aug-18 |
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Frankly, I'm astonished by how well this bow shoots. I was expecting it to be somewhat sluggish and shocky, but absolutely not so! Now I have to figure out exactly what it is, as the specs and decals are long gone.
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From: George D. Stout
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Date: 19-Aug-18 |
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Paul, if you haven't shot them, keep an eye out for the 55 and 56 Bear Kodiaks....those things are rocket launchers. ;)
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From: trad47
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Date: 19-Aug-18 |
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Are we talking about antique bows ?or just Bear antique statics? I’d like to know more about static recurve and the new Bear in particular . Are they for long draw archers or are they ok for short draw people? Thanks.
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From: Kodiak
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Date: 19-Aug-18 |
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How short?
I think they'd be fine.
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From: mahantango
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Date: 19-Aug-18 |
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I have and I agree George, still on the lookout for an affordable shooter. Just though the statics would be inferior and was very surprised.
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From: Babysaph
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Date: 19-Aug-18 |
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I wouldn't shoot that thing with a catchers mask and a football helmet on.,
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From: tonto59
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Date: 19-Aug-18 |
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This guy named Jim. "Dire Wolf" Use to post on here quite a bit. Knew some stuff. About archery and old bows. He was a big fan of Bear Grizzly's with the static tips. If I remember right he had a 30" draw or better. I don't think he ever worried about the old glue coming apart in his old Bear static tip. When he hit full draw... Another guy we know still posts on here said. "Old Bows were meant to be shot. Not hanging on the wall. Makes a lot of sense to me. I enjoy shooting my old bows.;-) Shoot straight!
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From: tonto59
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Date: 19-Aug-18 |
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Don't know where that picture came from.
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From: mahantango
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Date: 19-Aug-18 |
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JR - I like living on the edge.
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From: Stoner
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Date: 19-Aug-18 |
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Got my first archery buck with a 53' Kodiak. John
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