# Mike vs. Grizzly



## longbowdave1 (Dec 12, 2010)

here we go. rick thought of this idea, so now the wheels are in motion. i picked up an old bear grizzly that needs some tlc. my 12 year old son mike is going to do much of the restoration of the bow. we taped off the areas we want to save like the silk screening the serial numbder and the model. then we pulled off the rest material.i will work around these areas later. we started by removing much of the finish with some 0000 steel wool. i told mike to work at his own pace. he started this morning and now he wants to work on it a little more tonight.


----------



## Bowyer29 (Dec 12, 2010)

Awesome! What finish will you use?


----------



## ky_longbow (Dec 12, 2010)

that young man has good taste in his T-shirt !!! GO STEELERS !!!!!!


----------



## longbowdave1 (Dec 12, 2010)

when mike gets the bow ready i will spray it the catalyzed varnish that i use on all the bows i work on.

 mike has got shirts from lots o' teams.


 after working the bow over with the steel wool,  mike did a light sanding job with some 220 grit paper on the entire bow. we even found out that the tip overlays are actually white not yellow! then we wiped the bow down with alcohol to get rid of the sanding dust and see what the glass looks like. on the face of the glass there are some spots with some deep scratches or hair line cracks. i spread some thin ca glue over these areas and he will sand them down when we get back it. this should fill in the flaws.


----------



## BkBigkid (Dec 12, 2010)

looking good so far. 
Keep the Pics coming


----------



## pine nut (Dec 12, 2010)

It might help to use something like a rubber pencil eraser to back the sandpaper with to give a smoother job.  I'm talking about a flat wide one.  Use like a sanding block.


----------



## johnweaver (Dec 13, 2010)

Looks good!


----------



## longbowdave1 (Dec 14, 2010)

mike did some more sanding on the grizz tonight. he was using a wood sanding block last time but we tried mr. pine nut's eraser trick. it works nice. the majority of the sanding is done and the glass is looking much better. a few more spots to touch up and it will time to respray the bow!


----------



## Bubbaforsure (Dec 14, 2010)

It's coming right along...Mike...
Your doing a great job with the ole grizzz..


----------



## longbowdave1 (Dec 15, 2010)

i sprayed the finish on the bow tonight. we'll see how she looks tomorrow. she will still have a few battle scars on her, but we'll see what we get! mike worked hard on sanding it down. i hope we can make her into a shooter again.


----------



## TNGIRL (Dec 15, 2010)

Looks pretty good so far!! Gotta love Mike getting involved with it!!!


----------



## longbowdave1 (Dec 16, 2010)

tomi i couldn't be happier that mike was wanting to do the project with me! 




 i sprayed a silky smooth sweet finish on the old grizz last night. i turned out real well. the satin finish feels great in the hand and is 100% non-glare for the field. i'm proud of the job mike did sanding down the bow. it went from an old bow that i would be afraid to shoot, to a hunting machine that still has a few scars from hunts gone by. i told mike if we find another bow that needs a little tlc, we can do it again. we still have to exercise the old bow before we string it up and fling some arrows off of it. i may just take it out on an old fashion rabbit hunt in the marsh come january! you just have to wonder when was the last time it got to go out on a walk in the field?


----------



## longbowdave1 (Dec 16, 2010)

here's the the junior bow doctor himself. great job mike, you made your old dad proud!


----------



## Bubbaforsure (Dec 16, 2010)

Way to go Mike


----------



## johnweaver (Dec 16, 2010)

Thats a goodn there.


----------



## pine nut (Dec 16, 2010)

Great job Mike!  I'd say in "Mike vs Grizzly" that you AND the Grizzly both won!...That bowand the job you both did is something of which to be very proud.  I can see it on your face that you are proud.  Enjoy it... You earned it.  It is great to see such a good job and an old warrior restored to former beauty and usefulness.


----------



## BkBigkid (Dec 16, 2010)

Sweet Bow, 
That is the same year as Mine which you can see in my avatar 

they are Great bows to learn on and very forgiving at least for me.


----------



## longbowdave1 (Dec 16, 2010)

hi everyone this is mike, I had lots of fun fixing up the old bear bow! 

I might do some more bows if i have the chance. Im glad u liked it!


----------



## 2wheelfoster (Dec 17, 2010)

That looks great! I like that finish on it. Great Job Mike!


----------



## Bruz (Dec 17, 2010)

Looks awesome....Great job by both of you.


----------



## Just BB (Dec 17, 2010)

That is an awesome job! I have a grizzly that I've been hunting with. After the season is over I think I'll freshen her up like you did. What brand finish did you use and where can I get it?


----------



## longbowdave1 (Dec 17, 2010)

just bb,

mike i sent you a p.m.


----------



## rapid fire (Dec 17, 2010)

Very nice.  Good job guys.  I love the matte finish.


----------



## longbowdave1 (Aug 5, 2020)

I dug up this old thread on a father son project restoring and ebay bought bear bow.  Time flys. My son is now 22, and in the academy training for his deputy Sherriff position. I should string this bow up and hunt with it this season. I got a little teary eyed rereading this one.


----------



## twoheartedale (Aug 5, 2020)

ky_longbow said:


> that young man has good taste in his T-shirt !!! GO STEELERS !!!!!!



This!


----------



## antharper (Aug 5, 2020)

longbowdave1 said:


> I dug up this old thread on a father son project restoring and ebay bought bear bow.  Time flys. My son is now 22, and in the academy training for his deputy Sherriff position. I should string this bow up and hunt with it this season. I got a little teary eyed rereading this one.


Yes you should  !


----------



## longbowdave1 (Aug 5, 2020)

Mike is on the track this week learning the driving skills in the Dodge Charger cruisers. I sent him the picture of him holding the refinished Grizzly. Maybe he will get the traditional bug going again.


----------



## longbowdave1 (Aug 5, 2020)

Well see what he says.


----------



## longbowdave1 (Aug 5, 2020)

I had to get the Grizzly of the bow rack  and check it out today. I forgot that I had given the string from the Grizzly to a friend in need of a string for his recurve that I refinished for him. Just ordered a new string from my friend Stilldub off of ebay. He makes some great strings for under 10$ in the B50 variety.


----------



## longbowdave1 (Aug 23, 2020)

Been so busy, I forgot that the string and beaver hide silencers showed up a while back for the grizzly, Got the string om it a flung some arrows for the first time in ten years off the Grizz. What a sweet shooting bow, and quiet too! I may have to take it to the field this year!


----------

