Has anyone on here ever seen one of these in person? Just how rare are they?

I've never seen one in person.

In 1955 Fred Bear produced 300 prototypes and he sent them to bowhunters across the country to field test. The prototype broadhead was known as the pinned bear heads. Out of them 300 only a few are known to be in collector's collections today. So, my guess is they are pretty rare.

But the rarest of all Bear Razorheads is the prototype Bear Giant (pictured). Only a handful of them were made and the few that are still around are in collections. Fred Bear never brought them out on the market because after testing there were flight problems with the Bear Giant.

Note- Among the rarest of all broadheads is the Bear “Giant”. Made in 1959 as an experimental head, Fred used these heads on his trip to Alaska that year. However, problems with the inch-and-a-half main blade caused poor arrow flight which kept these heads from ever going into production and today only 2 are known to exist in collections across the world.

Thanks again Frank for all the information. Yes those are two rare birds indeed.

There are about five known pinned Razorheads. All in collections.

Why are they called pinned ?

MP

Mark take a look at the first picture marked pin head. Do you see that round dimple? That looks like it was made by a pin punch. Right on the end of the point where the tapered Cedar shaft would seat. That’s why it’s called a pin head. ;)

Did they have an actual pin stuck through, or was it just hit with a punch? Almost looks like the shiny end of a pin in that picture?

I have one I got it from a old friend who use to be a bear dealer back in the fifties!

Mine looks like it was hit with a punch!

read the previous posts before posting duplicates. It is a punch, not a pin

More information on the pinned Razorhead.

By 1955, Fred was confident enough of his design that he made 300 prototypes of a new “Razorhead” design broadhead, and sent out samples to many of his bowhunting colleagues across the country asking them to try out this new head. If reports were positive, he planned to begin mass-production of them within the next year for the general public.

This prototype model Razorhead became known as the “Pinned Bear” due to the appearance of a “Pin-like” depression at the end of the ferrule. Actually, this was not a true pin, but rather a punch impression which held the blade to the ferrule better. Of the 300 prototypes which were originally made, only a very few survived to be in collections today. Apparently Fred’s bowhunting friends took him to his word and went out and shot them as he had asked, eventually loosing them in the swamps and forests across the country.

Note: Be on the lookout for these pinned models, and if you find one you have found a gold-mine as broadheads go.

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