First time regripper

[bloodredsun]

I just wanted to tell everyone considering re-gripping their own clubs that it's very easy to do.

I've had my current irons (Mizuno MX-23 steel shafted) for about 2 1/2 years and the grips had worn spots where my thumbs were resting. I was going to have them regripped by the local proshop but encouraged by a couple of friends, a few comments on the forums here at GTO and the availability of a complete kit (grips, tape, hook blade and rubber clamp) from http://www.golfgrips-direct.com, I thought I'd give it a go. Partly as it works out at about half price but partly as I'm a bit of a geek and wanted a play!

I re-gripped my 3 iron first as it has been replaced by a hybrid so mucking it up wouldn't be the end of the world, and it also allowed me to experiment with using 2 wraps of tape rather than just one ( my hands are on the largish size). This also allowed me to go to the range and compare my old 1 wrap grip on a 4 iron with my new 2 wrap grip 3 iron (I had much more control and feedback from the new grip, partly from the increased tackiness but also from the increased contact on my right hand [right handed swing] which allowed me to turn over easily and reduced my tendency to fade).

So to anyone considering re-grippping their clubs and about to send them to the pro shop; have a think about doing it yourself, it's far easier than you think and you'll save a load of cash that could be better spend on green fees.

[opfoto]

Re: First time regripper

great timing....
In an earlier post I decided to regrip my own as well. I gathered my needed items from another source and now I am ready to give it a go.

But my question is....

Everything I have read so far states to point the toe of the club straight up in the air. I would like to know if I placed a torpedo level on the face (toward the sole) of the club and twist it until it is plumb is that ok? Or am I way off base??? Thanks again for your Patience...

[LowPost42]

Re: First time regripper

Everything I have read so far states to point the toe of the club straight up in the air. I would like to know if I placed a torpedo level on the face (toward the sole) of the club and twist it until it is plumb is that ok? Or am I way off base??? Thanks again for your Patience...

Good idea. However, you need to put the torpedo on the leading edge, not on the face.

The other idea is to get a protractor and figure out the loft of the clubhead. Then you set the protractor to said loft, put the torpedo at 90°, then rotate the club until the torpedo is plumb.

To be honest, I don't have a great method for grip-aligning, other than in-the-vise-add-the-grip-out-the-vise-eyeball-it-against-square-tile-floor-repeat-as-necessary.

Now, I grip with air, so it's no big deal... But if someone has a great way to align grips, I'm all ears!

[opfoto]

Re: First time regripper

Just wanted to update.....

Completed the regripping last night. I broke it down into 2 nights because of other things that had to be done. I cut off the grips and cleaned the shafts the 1st nite. Took about an hour. Then I taped and regripped them last nite, also about an hour. I only had one problem with one club. I had a hard time putting the grip on. It got stuck about 1/4 the way on. After removing it and using more solvent, I was able to put that one on as well. All in all not too bad. I did notice it got easier to do after the 1st 2-3 clubs. They slipped right on. Hopefully they are all on right and square. Bad enough I'll be in the woods looking for the ball but to be left there holding a grip may just send me into therapy. I'll be using them tomorrow. YEEHAAA. Thanks Marc

[bloodredsun]

Re: First time regripper

Great work!

It took me about 10 minutes per club. Only a couple of minutes to strip and clean the shaft but then my nervousness and the extra care I was taking meant that it took some time in the end.

Do you actually look at your alignment aids on the grip? I'm aware that they are there but I take my alignment of the leading edge everytime, so while I spent some time aligning the grips, I was only doing it by eye.

[RobotDoctor]

Re: First time regripper

If I can focus on regripping, it usually takes me around 1 hour or so to completely regrip my clubs (13 clubs, not putter). Most of the time is pealing the layer of tape off. The gripping part usually takes me less than 15 minutes. I am not into rapid regripping but if I had to, I could do a set of 13 clubs in 30 minutes from start to finish if I had to.

I regrip 1 to 2 times per year, depending on how much I play.

[RobotDoctor]

Re: First time regripper

Great work!

It took me about 10 minutes per club. Only a couple of minutes to strip and clean the shaft but then my nervousness and the extra care I was taking meant that it took some time in the end.

Do you actually look at your alignment aids on the grip? I'm aware that they are there but I take my alignment of the leading edge everytime, so while I spent some time aligning the grips, I was only doing it by eye.

I only use round grips and align any logos to the back so I do not see them at address.

[opfoto]

Re: First time regripper

I did look at the aids as well. I am not a very good player so I need all the help I could get.

[LowPost42]

Re: First time regripper

Do you actually look at your alignment aids on the grip? I'm aware that they are there but I take my alignment of the leading edge everytime, so while I spent some time aligning the grips, I was only doing it by eye.

I have yet to find a way to align them, other than by eye. Needless to say, I don't bother on my own clubs.

As for regripping:

If it's a set of clubs I've gripped, I can do a set of irons in about 15 minutes, start to finish. If it's a set of clubs gripped with solvent, I'm closer to 40 minutes.

Air, baby. No mess, no smell, and it's fast.

[cosine]

Re: First time regripper

Lowpost,

I'd like to know how to go about regripping a set of clubs using an air compressor. Could you walk me through the process step-by-step please? I had planned on regripping and gripping my clubs the old fashioned way, with tape and solvent, for a while longer, but since today I found that I have to regrip four entire sets of clubs for my family, plus grip the dozen or so clubs I'm going to build when my Golfsmith order get here, I've just abandoned the idea of doing it the hard way and want to learn the easy way to grip clubs.

Thanks.

[LowPost42]

Re: First time regripper

http://www.golf-tuition-online.com/c...essed-air.html

Hopefully they could sticky this at the top of the clubmaking forum. If not, here's the cut and paste from that thread:

Required tools: compressor with output of 70-90 PSI, blow gun with tapered nozzle used for inflatables, a 10" section of "shaft tube" (those silly things that "keep your clubs organized" in your bag) slide into a section of high pressure hose 1 3/4" O.D. to be referred to as "protector" (warm the section of high pressure hose to facilitate sliding in the "shaft tube").

To install grip: clamp shaft in vise, apply 8" section of masking tape to shaft butt, dip mouth of grip in solvent (mineral spirits) or soapy water to depth of 1/4 to 1/2 ", start mouth of grip onto shaft in usual way, put tapered nozzle into vent hole of grip, hold grip near mouth, apply burst of air while pushing grip onto shaft from the mouth end of the grip. Grip slides on. Takes a little practice to learn how long a burst of air to give it. Air goes down inside of shaft, tries to escape out of the grip, grip expands and slides on. Remove air gun from vent hole while holding grip fully down the shaft. To align grip apply short burst of air while rotating grip to desired alignment. Start it right and you can skip alignment! This method is the easiest for installing grips on oversize butt Taylor Made Bubble shafts. No special tools needed for installation This is all done faster than most can read the how to explanation!

To remove grip: Place "protector" IMPORTANT over grip, punch through tape behind the vent hole (my tool is a piece of pegboard hook pressed into a hole part way through a golf ball and sharpened to a point on a belt sander), if grip tape was used to install grip shoot some solvent (mineral spirits) into the vent hole, put airgun nozzle into vent hole, apply long burst of air, grip will expand in the "protector" as air bubble travels down the shaft and tries to escape from the mouth of the grip and "pop" out the mouth (place a rag over shaft to catch the solvent (if used) spray. If air doesn't reach mouth of grip, remove airgun and reapply solvent. Once "popped" you can remove the "protector" apply bursts of air while twisting and gently pulling the grip off the shaft. Twist while applying air! You will know where the twisting is needed (if not needed, grip will just slide off shaft on cushion or air). Process is "testy" on thin grips like Callaway OEM, Tour Velvet, and! dried out corded (cut these off). All others can be saved 95% or more of the time as your skill at this method improves. If grips were installed by using MASKING TAPE as explained above you can easily save Winn grips. Winn grips on regular double stick have a save rate of approx. 90%.

With time savings, tape and solvent savings and ability to save and reinstall grips this is a very worthwhile investment! Get an oil lubricated compressor which will last many, many years! They run less and are quieter besides.





FWIW, I bought a little 3 gallon 1/3HP compressor to start with (it was the last one of last years' model, being more or less given away (70% off) so I took it.) I can grip 2 clubs before the tank recharges. The answer was to buy a 26 gallon compressor. Much better.

[cosine]

Re: First time regripper

Thanks, Lowpost.