While up in the North Woods, for a cranberry festival. My better half and I,stop by a few antique stores. Wala, I spot a Bear Polar 56" recuve. 40# & 28" perfect poundage for me. This will get a resto and maybe a new look for the glass. It has vertical cracks in the glass,in the belly ramps area. No big deal the rest is solid. Some Chair Tite is required, before I strip the finish and scrap and sand flush. I'm thinking this is a 1964? Ugly now, but I see a new recurve for me. I will put on new decals after the glass gets a special paint job to hide stress cracks. It's gonna be a Rare Bear Polar. JF

Good find Jeff. Nice to hear you are still shooting.

Tip overlays are solid :-)

Please post a few photos as you progress. I always enjoy your repairs and restorations.

Nice find. I too will like to see photos as you progress.

Looks like a good find. I’ve only seen a few 56” Polars. Looking forward to the refinish. Lance

Nice find! We'll follow this project closely! Congrats!

Bernie

I had a '64 Polar that was 66" and 35# and it was a beautiful bow with those butterscotch tips and zebrawood sight window. Smooth and stable target bow. I actually liked it better than the Tamerlane I had. I agree with Lance - seems like 56" is a rare bird. I was surprised to see one on the "Big auction site" that was near 60# draw weight. I always thought they were more of a target bow? Can't wait to see the finished product!

Saw one of these once that was a lefty and the limbs were light blue. BTW didn't all '64s and 1965s have the first digit as the year of make?

RickR

They made the 56" target Polar in 63 and 64, yours is ineed a 64. And the date in the serial number started in 1965 and ran through 1969. Just FYI.

Well here I go. Using 220 on a DA sander. Only sand enough to remove the yellowed clear. HOT nut and bolt to remove the badge. JF

Most of the old yellow clear was flaking off the medallion. but some of it was still on there and then turn black with the heat of the bolt. So a little lacquer thinner soak and a stainless steel brush scrub it. JF

How much did you pay? (I know it;s rude to ask, but...)

Jeff, PM sent!!!!

Hi JEFF? GREAT FIND! The bow will look new when You are done!

$10.00 Jim. I looked at the tag several times. :-O JF

the way you finish your bow, I'm looking forward to how this one turns out. (btw, still love your hill style)

Love refinishing those vintage bows!

Great find! Those 56" Polars are an odd bird. That heavy one on ebay several weeks ago was a factory custom, but it was the only way, in 1964, to get a Bear in hunting weight and length under 66" with the band new Bear Premier sight. Bear didn't / wouldn't make a 66" bow routed for the premier sight over 50#@28".Most 1964 bows had the routing and cover plate for the Premiere sight; there was a shortened version of the plate made for the 56" bow. They could be ordered in 1964 without the routing and plate. More likely, yours is a 1963.

Great score JF. With your skills it's gonna be gorgeous!

Sanding the limbs and tips, tedious. JF

Now it's really for Big Jim's Buffalo gloss epoxy fill. The first set of coats, about 8 with a half hour in between. JF

Man, you work fast. Nice restoration.

Sight window is a beaut, eh?

that's a big sight window for 56".

Is that gloss epoxy sprayed on, or wiped ? Looks great.

Nice so far! Are you going to remount a quiver?

Your right Ted,it is a huge riser. Short working limbs. I use a foam brush,the wood handle, light grey foam. The black ones are junk. They start leaving pieces behind. I put my leftover epoxy mix back in the freezer I can use it till it's completely gone just bag it up gonna Ziploc or it'll stink up your freezer. JF

Yes I will be putting the quiver on it I have a brown one bear.

This coat looks pitiful. It will get alot better when I start sanding the epoxy. It'll probably take four more coats after the initial sanding. Jf

All these eight layers which I should have probably done 10 coat. This many are just to fill the pores and fiber in the wood. Eventually it will get to a glass smooth finish on the last sanding before I spray. JF

Obviously Frisky is freaking jealous. Because such a great find wasn't in his lower country woods of Minnesota. He couldn't find this if he looked for it, nor appreciate what I great shooting Bear Polar this is. I was impressed for it being a short bow 56" :-0 JF

To be honest, I'd have left that dog hanging on the rack. I'd have considered it at $5. That big crack ain't gonna do nothin' but get bigger!

Joe

Yeah yeah yeah, scared of the vertical cracks. Lots of Bears did this and still shooting today :-) Let's see where is that New in the box quiver. JF

Dang it's a tape on :-(

Looks like I will have to use one of these. Jf

I had extra time yesterday, plus it was dry enough after a couple of hours in my bow oven at 100°

220 grit Stick it. On a rubber pad.

Sand with 320, ready for the medallion to glue back on. I used 5 minute epoxy. Now for more coats of gloss epoxy finish. Still with the foam brush. I want the Grayling Nickel filled in like original. Jf

Looking better :-) JF

What's with the two different colors of the same style quiver? Year difference? JF

Jeff, that quiver was made from 1959-71 so it’s probably just in the anodizing and exposure to the elements. Paint the best one black and get a new decal for it. 3Rivers sells new grippers and they work really good if you should need a new one. Looking great so far! Lance

Bow is looking good !

i love the way you keep filling those tiny holes with clear epoxy... this is gonna look smooth!

Don't travel much but when I do I always stop at the nearest thrift-shop.....nice find, excellent refinish.

Nice find,,, if you would adventure north, across the Octonogaon River, the middle branch,,, the bow you found, is pretty common

I just bought a 1 lb coffee can of razorheads for 5.00

I could put you onto a spot in Crystal Falls, where you can buy a lot of bear stuff, plus original Marble knives

check out the Thursday rummage and flea market in Land O lakes, you would be surprised what you will find

glad you got something

Update on the 64 polar. This is the last gloss epoxy coats, I sprayed these on with a airbrush. Foue more coats then I will barely Scuff the dirt nibs out get it prepped. For when I get the limbs touched up. Apply the decals.Then I will spray the whole thing satin. Looking pretty darn slick to me. JF

I take my time doing these I'm in no hurry I only do it when I'm feeling good and having fun. That's what it's all about to me. JF

Beautiful and Joe's got every reason to be jealous. I am also I have 2 new to me I got from Corson and wished mine looked like these.

I prefer gloss myself.

real Eye Candy!!!

Wow, that is awesome!

Very nice. My every day shooter is a Polar I love it. >>>----> Ken

Jeff, I think you’re gonna have to send that one to me so I can test drive it for awhile! Nice job. Lance

Wow, nice job so far!!!

Very sharp looking bow.

Beautiful job! What's your plan for the limbs?

Awesome...

Very nice..

Mahantango, I found a GM color used back in the 90s that is a very close match. I will use a airbrush to cover the black cracks in the glass and blend it in. Then I might do a stick camo in shades of browns to customize the limb flats. Then new decals then clear coat. JF

Beautiful job! You have every right to be very proud of how this bow turned out. Beautiful wood!

Bernie

That was an awesome find in an antique store at a yard sale price. There is still good stuff out there to be found. The refinish is looking really good too. Nice job!

Don't know how I missed this thread. Awesome restoration job Jeff. thanks for taking us along. John

The highest complement I can give is to quote my late father and he gave these out on very rare occasions ....

... " like a new pin" ...

Dang Jeff, looks like one of Drop Tines restorations! Beautiful work!

Very close match :-) JF

This thread is fascinating. Who doesn't dream of doing this to this level?! Thanks for posting.

I'm with cat. Gloss it. Beautiful job Jeff.

Handsome bow! Thanks for taking us along.

Wow! That is sweet! Great work, Jerry

Okay guys going to finish this one up turned out pretty damn nice I think. JF

Now for some Als decals. JF

The final sanding of Big Jim's Buffalo gloss epoxy, using 1500,2000 and 4000 grit wet. Then I used the nesset polishing system by 3M on a small handheld polisher buffer. JF

Near as I can tell from photographs this would be the rest and side plate. JF

I used carpet tape as suggested by OldBowyer. Works great OB.

I'm going to use Beaver Puffs since that's what I like on my longbows. And it was available to me. Didn't have any brown yarn.

Wow! Absolute beautiful job! Congratulations on a job extremely well done!!

18 strand bcy x padded up to 20 in the loops. JF

I can only imagine how proud fredbear would have been to see how this was finished like he wanted an even better. Super gloss on the riser and tips and satin finish over the limbs. JL

I hope everybody enjoyed tagging along as much as I did redoing it this is my birth year 1964 bear polar 56" 40# but it's scales at 38#. so that's why I wrote 40 back down and gold lettering as close as I can make it to the original signature. :-) JF

That's one of the best refinish jobs I've ever seen.

Immaculate work.

Good Gracious Excellent work Well Done

Great job. Beautiful.

Wow!!! Perfect restoration in every way!!! What a jewel.

Simply beautiful. Always enjoy your work.

You are an artiste/craftsman...and i am DROOLING :)

Agreeing with the above, Very Nice Jeff.

-Bones

hair line crack gone! can't even see where it was.... man you do a great job Jeff....

Great job Jeff! Bet she will shoot as good as she looks

Thank you all for the kind words and encouragement. I just plain love building from scratch or restoring an ol beauty. On to the next project. Keeps a bodyman busy. Gets me away from the humdrum of the wreaked cars and trucks. JF

Very shiny:)

Absolutely Fantastic Craftsmanship !!! John

Damn! That's a fine job and great photos, too. Especially like the way you finished over the medallion. Ben

Ttt

Wow!!!! it didn't look that good when it was new!!! Got to be the nicest Polar around. Wish it was mine.....

Fantastic!

Great job on the bow.

Awesome job! Good luck with it.

Looks great

That gloss is sooooooo shiny, be VERY careful... it WILL SHOOT YOUR EYE OUT!

Jeff

I'm amazed at your craftmanship...that's a beauty

Deno

Glad this thread was brought back up. Beautiful job on the bow, it's sweet looking.

speechless. beyond impressive!!!!

that makes my finish jobs look like i dumped a gallon of poly on the bow, tied it to my bumper, and drug it down a gravel road.

its so perfect it almost doesnt even look real lol

wait.........i knew it......im dreaming right? haha

Beautiful!

Great job. Good looking arrow rest for a bow that came from Wis. Bucky would be proud Thanks for sharing

To be honest, I don't think it's a 56"er. I want to see proof!

Joe

Whenever I examine a refinished bow, the first thing I look at is the lettering. Is it similar to the original? Is it in the correct spot? Your bow is beautiful but the lettering is not in the right spot. It appears to be a couple inches too low. Sorry for being negative. I am sure it doesn't make any difference to most people. I guess I am just picky that way.

what an absolutely beautiful refinish , you are a master craftsman . beautiful work, thanks for sharing

I have only one word: INSANE! "Most bestest redo I have ever seen." Also happens to be my favorite draw weight(should you not like the way it shoots and feel so weighted down by it and just HAVE to give it away.(LOL)

Beautiful and professional looking refinish! Fantastic work.

Nice.

Very impressive work!!!

Awesome !

Just stunning!

That's crazy the way you brought it back not just to life, but magnificent!

Excellent work no doubt

Timberline you are correct about the lettering being low. That's where I wanted to put it so it didn't cover up so much of the middle of the pretty wood. And bear archery didn't do a gloss riser and satin limbs all on the same bow. My penmanship for lettering is not that good but neither was Bear archery at times, lol thanks for looking guys appreciate the comments. Just had to bring it back up for the guy that was going to refinish one. JF

Very nice Jeff

Very cool thread!

Awesome work... Congrats..

The best redo I've ever seen! Awesome, Jeff! You should be super proud! And so would Fred!

The pursuit of perfection: masterful!

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