Looking forward to a 1952 Bear K-4 I won off eb@y last night. Needs part of a tip overlay. 80# 60”. I won’t be able to shoot it right away, heck, I’ll have a hard time stringing it, but it’ll be a fun 2019 challenge to shoot.

If it's an original 1952 model chances are it hasn't been shot in awhile. A bow of that weight and age has a chance of failing when it is strung and shot.

Ron, Agreed on the bow’s age/shooting it. I looked at it closely, and like most higher draw weight bows, it looks like it wasn’t shot much. I got it more to fix up a little, and preserve an old marque. I see less and less of these old warriors. NONTYPICALLONGBOWS -

https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-1940S-BEAR-KODIAK-RECURVE-BOW-K- 411917-B-80-/123528484529

Says 60” tip-tip

Mike, I have an old static Bear Kodiak 53#. I haven't shot it. I also have one of the new K-4's in 35# that I hunted with this fall after shoulder replacement, it's a fun bow to shoot.

The problem with the old bows I think is the glue deteriorates after time and the heavy weights are more susceptible to breakage for that reason.

Mike the 4 in K-4 means 64" . They also made a K-6 that was 66" . Ron I have a 51 lb late 1952 K-4 I shoot all the time. But I to am concerned about something that old at 80 lbs. On the other hand Mike has a 72lb 56 Polar and a 74lb 56 Kodiak he shoots all the time. I did see a 53 grizzly fail recently, but there were numerous clear bubbles under the glass. Chuck S

Mike, Be careful, warm it up slow with a low brace and get those limbs moving a little at a time. Listen for the sound of some old bones creaking and it ain’t you it’s the bow saying no. Have fun though, Lance

Lance, first i have to replace that missing overlay, then I’ll use my tillering string and see how the limbs look being bent. It has longbow thick limbs. I’ll take it slow. I hope it’s solid. Like Ron said, the glue deteriorates over time. I believe where it was stored counts heavily on the condition of the glue. I’ll have to wait until it gets here.

Havent shot a new one or a old one..... but have always been curious how they shoot.

Tracking number says it’ll be here tomorrow, Monday...whooowhooo! Replace one missing tip overlay, clean it up, wrap a new leather grip, strikeplate and shelf, and let the bending begin...slowly.

I shot my 1953 64 pounder last year just to be able to say that I had shot a birth year bow. I found it unpleasant enough to happily hang it back on the rack and admire it from now on from my recliner. I did as stated above, checking for creaks and and groans coming from the bow prior to bringing it to even half draw. All was well, so I let a few rip. I believe that I had it braced at about six inches and wasn't wearing an arm guard. The wrist slap did not endear me to that bow.

Have fun with that old monster but be careful.

I hunted this year with my k-4. It is 47#'s @ 28". I draw about 27" and my arrows weigh about 510 grains. As advised, were it to creak while being strung, it would become a wall hanger. It was made the year that I was born. We'll see who creaks first.

Shoot my 1952 50lb bow all the time. I really like it Chuck S

I have several Bear static bows from 1952 through 1955. My birth year is 1953. I have hunted with a 59# and a 54# K-4 for the last few years, They're fine bows, deliver a heavy wood arrow with authority. Tuned properly they are whisper quiet with a crisp, clean release and no hand shock whatsoever. Best of all, as Ron wrote on another thread, they really take you back to the early days of Michigan bow hunting.

The K-4 arrived @ 7am. I’ve had 4 mid 50’s Bear bows so far. This ‘52 K- 4 makes 5. It’s by far the heaviest built. I’m use to these being very narrow, slender and light in physical weight. This one is a little wider and kinda beefy. It had been shot some as there was a stringwax build up in the static tip grooves. There is a lot of old dirt all over the bow, but not cigarette or wood stove smoke build up. I’ve got half the bow cleaned off. Going to break for lunch, and do the other half later today. I’ll post some pics when I get it cleaned up.

FANTASTIC!!!

The K-4’s string appears to be a combination of flemish and continous loop. That serving is the heaviest I’ve ever seen on a bow string. It look’s like it was made for an ancient crossbow.

Make sure you post them before you go to the club. Now Paul will want one

i had a birth year bear 1953, 62" 49# put a few arrows thru it and it shot fine ,so i put it up than took it out a month later kind of a rainy sleety cold day ,pulled it back to full draw and pow ,glass delam.i might just put some glue under the glass and hang it up just to look at it now and than.

Top nock

So did you clean the other half yet? Pictures? Don't forget I have black and white phenolic, black and white Bowtuff too. Redid my 58 overlays, your Polar too. Chuck S

Yep Chuck, it’s finaly cleaned. It took me a few hours as it was covered with some black smudges, grunge and the obligatory house paint flecks. You gave me some white and black phenolic for my S/Cascade. I’m glueing it on the tip right now. If you had come to CBH yesterday, you could have seen it. I’ll be flexing the limbs tomorrow to see if it’s safe to string up, using a tillering string/pulley in the garage ceiling and clamping the bow down. It looks good so far.

Pulley sounds like a good idea. Wear goggles, crocs, and a puffy vest. Hope it goes well.

I won’t be that close.

Enjoy your new/old bow.

Thanks Buzz, we’ll see if it’ll stay together.

I have a nice 53# K4 they shoot really sweet, the static tips give them a different feel upon release to me it feels like a radical hybrid real dead in the hand after shot,, fast arrow and accurate bows.

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