Blade users thread (NO DEBATING CLUBHEADS! NO Buy Sell Trade!)

[TheEldrickWand]

On 5/18/2023 at 5:23 AM, No_Catchy_Nickname said:

Lovely, meaty irons to hit.

 

These are so tidy. 

[TheEldrickWand]

My name is Eldrick (no not actually but that would be awesome). 9 HC - sort of stalled out at the moment but hoping to slowly chip away at that.

 

Been playing blades since I impulse bought some Mizuno MP-69s during the pandemic. Since then I've put together a flow set of Taylormade 2011 TPs which have been awesome - 5, 6i Muscle Cavity and the rest Muscle Backs.

 

I play them for a few reasons. For one iron play is my strength so I actually don't find them that unforgiving to use in a flow set like I have (miss hit it with a GI iron is still a miss hit for me kind of mentality). They mainly just help me tap into the most enjoying part of the game for me - creativity. Being able to work on my game and learn new shots (low fade, high draw etc.) is pure enjoyment, despite it being a long process to get to a point where those shots are usable on the course. Thanks to OP for the thread, great reads and good vibes.

[PedronNiall]

On 5/19/2023 at 9:12 AM, JungleJimbo said:

 

 

 

 

Would be interested to feel those off the ball. 

[PedronNiall]

On 5/19/2023 at 9:12 AM, JungleJimbo said:

 

 

 

 

Would be interested to feel those off the ball. 

[Bigmean]

Your boy is back.  Played today, showed up with no putter as the problem with having 25 putters is sometimes none are in Your bag.  Hit ALL fairways on front sans one by 3 yards, dropped a 38 with no birdies and a 3 putt and other bogey I hit the cart of the group in front(they were cool about it and I yelled fore) so that was good for another 10 yards.  41 on back but whatever, no birdie round and some mis steps but it took from February to now to get right back and the 500 drives I have hit in my garage payed bigly.  One duck hook, on pull, and a couple right and safe and the rest were like hitting a 9 iron.

 

If I had my putter and no slow play I had 2 more shots in the round if nothing changed, left 3 dead on birdies rolls short and a 3 putt.   My irons were weak link which is what should be the case of upper 70s.

[cliffhanger]

back to Mizuno blades for me... last Mizuno's were Mp18 MB's and now MP20's. Best feeling irons I have ever hit. 

[Bigmean]

Curious on some stuff that wasn’t around when I was last killing time on yahoo auction maybe you guys or the Japanese residents can help with any info:

 

-wtf is juice TQ?  I am really feeling these as a super modern blade with slotted long irons.  They are more expensive than I was expecting but I think they are a cool non traditional blade idea.

 

-Artisan 720mb, what’s the deal here?  Serious cheddar so why?, they caught my eye.

 

-grindworks irons:  they have a set like the shinigawa grinds Jimbo posted, but you can get them for like $280.  Are these junk?  I mean they look like any small time company forged club to me, maybe a good cheap intro to some weird Jdm stuff?

 

-Golden Ratio blades:  looks like a modern mp14, in my mind these were premium irons, can find these cheaper too, hidden gem or no?

 

I hardly ever play my 1957 cbs and they really should be my GI set, I am thinking about pulling the recoils from my shingos and building a set of blades with them.  

 

Edit-here are the juice TQs

 

https://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/s1090724291?conversionType=search_yac_browsing_hisotry_list

 

 

 

 

Edited May 21, 2023 by Bigmean

[Nard_S]

18 hours ago, Bigmean said:

 

-Artisan 720mb, what’s the deal here?  Serious cheddar so why?, they caught my eye

They are ground by Don White, who was the premier builder with Macgregor back in day.  My Mac-Cobra's were made by him. He did all of the 'Tour' stamped if not entire run. Artisan's are pricey and part of that is the custom build nature of buying them. Made to your desire, toe, sole, topline, weight, finish etc. So you need to deeply delve to build sheet. Very expensive, personally would rather have Miura do a custom build or buy Koyei's but Artisan's are real nice too. Have no idea where they source the blanks.

[JungleJimbo]

18 hours ago, Bigmean said:

-grindworks irons:  they have a set like the shinigawa grinds Jimbo posted, but you can get them for like $280.  Are these junk?  I mean they look like any small time company forged club to me, maybe a good cheap intro to some weird Jdm stuff?

 

@Bigmean

Grindworks isn't junk... perhaps that's $280 per iron?

 

..https://www.grindworks.jp/portfolios/grindworks-x-patrick-reed-limited-pr-101a-forged-irons/

 

..https://golf.com/gear/patrick-reed-iron-change-grindworks-pr-202/

 

 

[JungleJimbo]

18 hours ago, Bigmean said:

Curious on some stuff that wasn’t around when I was last killing time on yahoo auction maybe you guys or the Japanese residents can help with any info:

 

-wtf is juice TQ?  I am really feeling these as a super modern blade with slotted long irons.  They are more expensive than I was expecting but I think they are a cool non traditional blade idea.

 

 

Edit-here are the juice TQs

 

https://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/s1090724291?conversionType=search_yac_browsing_hisotry_list

 

 

 

@Bigmean

Here's a Link to a 2022 post w.r.t.  Jucie TQ irons (credit: @biliscupidez)

 

 

 

 

[Mitchell]

30 minutes ago, Nard_S said:

They are ground by Don White, who was the premier builder with Macgregor back in day.  My Mac-Cobra's were made by him. He did all of the 'Tour' stamped if not entire run. Artisan's are pricey and part of that is the custom build nature of buying them. Made to your desire, toe, sole, topline, weight, finish etc. So you need to deeply delve to build sheet. Very expensive, personally would rather have Miura do a custom build or buy Koyei's but Artisan's are real nice too. Have no idea where they source the blanks.

Mike Taylor, formerly of Nike (and Hogan), not Don White

[Nard_S]

4 minutes ago, Mitchell said:

Mike Taylor, formerly of Nike (and Hogan), not Don White

Okay my bad, then where did Don White go? Because I know there's "D.W.." stamped blades floating around?

 

Edit; Have to say not surprised I conflated the two, lol.

Edited May 22, 2023 by Nard_S

[Nard_S]

Okay well yeah, D.W. is with NCW along with Jeff McCoy.  

 

Mike Taylor is Tiger's guy. He did VR Pro II. Which are super solid.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 22, 2023 by Nard_S

[Mitchell]

11 minutes ago, Nard_S said:

Okay my bad, then where did Don White go? Because I know there's "D.W.." stamped blades floating around?

 

Edit; Have to say not surprised I conflated the two, lol.

Both are class gentlemen who like one another, so sure they would not mind 👍🏻

[infinii]

Why does the blade size get larger for the scoring irons? Seems opposite to what I'd expect.

[Nard_S]

1 hour ago, infinii said:

Why does the blade size get larger for the scoring irons? Seems opposite to what I'd expect.

For one , they get heavier, generally descends 7 grams per club, which in part accommodates the 1/2" they gain in length. The two combined neutralizes swing weight feel. This is more in the realm of building/fitting, which I'm not an expert but can do for myself.

[Bigmean]

Thanks guys.  On the grind works, used sets all day under $500 and $350 for the funky vfoil looking ones used from what I was seeing the other week.   

 

Good to know on artisan, not my thing but explains that.  
 

Now those Juice TQ, full CNC milled SGI blade set?  I would be curious how big the top line is at address and how they look addressing a ball.   I had the fh1000 fourteen blades and they were by far the most forging blades ever, and proved you can reverse taper up the face and get forgiveness, but at address the were thick and big and tall and just at that point the sorta lost the point of blade play some.  I didn’t like the Vega vm02 for similar reasons.  If the Juice TQ did this in a head that is say the size of miura tournament blades or whatever is a medium sized normal looking at address blade then they may actually be worth the premium.  

[subrew]

1 hour ago, Nard_S said:

For one , they get heavier, generally descends 7 grams per club, which in part accommodates the 1/2" they gain in length. The two combined neutralizes swing weight feel. This is more in the realm of building/fitting, which I'm not an expert but can do for myself.

 

Usually seems to be around the 8i too, where a switch is made from a straighter top line to a more pronounced curved top line.  I'm custom grinding some older Titleist Tour Forged irons, and the 2-7 are very straight edged, then bam, taller face and curved top on the 8 and 9. 

 

Similar on my MP14, MB/CB712 and Mac Pro-M sets too.  Some of these are combo CB/MB sets, but I've seen photos of the corresponding 8i in the MBs, and they always seem to make the transition from straight to curved.

[Nard_S]

14 minutes ago, subrew said:

 

Usually seems to be around the 8i too, where a switch is made from a straighter top line to a more pronounced curved top line.  I'm custom grinding some older Titleist Tour Forged irons, and the 2-7 are very straight edged, then bam, taller face and curved top on the 8 and 9. 

 

Similar on my MP14, MB/CB712 and Mac Pro-M sets too.  Some of these are combo CB/MB sets, but I've seen photos of the corresponding 8i in the MBs, and they always seem to make the transition from straight to curved.

Like those Pro M's.....

Yeah I've always heard the transition from #7i to #8i is a big challenge for club designers, not sure why, it may be the nature of "scoring clubs" to have that added tall face look for mass reasons and maybe spin/launch.characteristics.  

[lefthack]

I broke down and ordered a set of irons because I couldn't stop thinking about them. I'm really curious what I've ordered and what I will get. They are supposed to be Miura MB 101's, but Miura never made a lefty MB 101. The lefty Miura blade is the TB 901. It has a longer blade than the MB and also has the Y grind sole and the MB's don't. So what are they and more importantly how do they play? 

 

June 15 expected delivery.

[PedronNiall]

Anyone know the reason for the tendency for the bespoke JP houses to only offer 4i and up? I've seen from the Artisan thread that they follow that standard as well as an exception to the norm for US brands, but the tendency for pretty much all brands otherwise is for the 3i to be included, with a few still offering a 2i as a custom order. I see Grindworks strangely offers the 3i for all sets only for a limited number of models though for most the 3i is not offered at all or only for the left-handed set.

 

I'd guess with space somewhat being a premium/expensive that courses on average are slightly shorter than those in many other golf-friendly locales, but it seems unlikely a 3i would never be of use. Is there some gentleman's agreement there? Is it just a quirk?

[JungleJimbo]

6 minutes ago, PedronNiall said:

Anyone know the reason for the tendency for the bespoke JP houses to only offer 4i and up? I've seen from the Artisan thread that they follow that standard as well as an exception to the norm for US brands, but the tendency for pretty much all brands otherwise is for the 3i to be included, with a few still offering a 2i as a custom order. I see Grindworks strangely offers the 3i for all sets only for a limited number of models though for most the 3i is not offered at all or only for the left-handed set.

 

I'd guess with space somewhat being a premium/expensive that courses on average are slightly shorter than those in many other golf-friendly locales, but it seems unlikely a 3i would never be of use. Is there some gentleman's agreement there? Is it just a quirk?

@PedronNiall Japanese irons seemed to start the market-trend for stronger/jacked lofts (sometimes a 7iron is 25 degrees loft, or stronger, i.e. effectively a 5-iron
... eg the wildly popular Yamaha "UD+2" series ... albeit isn't a Blade iron.)

Also... hybrids have grown in popularity. So likely it's market forces/ consumer surveys? 
 

[PedronNiall]

Most still seem relatively traditional with 4i lofts around 24*, PW around 47.

[NRJyzr]

5 hours ago, PedronNiall said:

Anyone know the reason for the tendency for the bespoke JP houses to only offer 4i and up? I've seen from the Artisan thread that they follow that standard as well as an exception to the norm for US brands, but the tendency for pretty much all brands otherwise is for the 3i to be included, with a few still offering a 2i as a custom order. I see Grindworks strangely offers the 3i for all sets only for a limited number of models though for most the 3i is not offered at all or only for the left-handed set.

 

5 hours ago, JungleJimbo said:

@PedronNiall Japanese irons seemed to start the market-trend for stronger/jacked lofts (sometimes a 7iron is 25 degrees loft, or stronger, i.e. effectively a 5-iron
... eg the wildly popular Yamaha "UD+2" series ... albeit isn't a Blade iron.)

Also... hybrids have grown in popularity. So likely it's market forces/ consumer surveys? 
 

 

 

Seems like utility clubs are getting a fair amount of play in that spot in the bag, I wonder if that has anything to do with that trend...

 

[Nard_S]

9 hours ago, PedronNiall said:

Anyone know the reason for the tendiency for the bespoke JP houses to only offer 4i and up?

The nature of Ti metals has rendered #3i and others to diminished role. Even at the tour level. My guess it has something to do with the added wedge thing. The metals are longer and easier to use, and straighter, so gaps at that short of bag gets more important. Faster greens as a defense and longer tee shots equals less need for a #3i. 

 

I carry one, can do pretty well with a #4i though, so on opening five holes where I could use it 3X, go with the four as percentage play. On back side there's two must use spots for #3i. By then I'm warmed and put it to good use.

[Bow Hunter]

The beauty makes me want to hit the range or links. 
 

[Bigmean]

On 5/22/2023 at 1:27 PM, subrew said:

 

Usually seems to be around the 8i too, where a switch is made from a straighter top line to a more pronounced curved top line.  I'm custom grinding some older Titleist Tour Forged irons, and the 2-7 are very straight edged, then bam, taller face and curved top on the 8 and 9. 

 

Similar on my MP14, MB/CB712 and Mac Pro-M sets too.  Some of these are combo CB/MB sets, but I've seen photos of the corresponding 8i in the MBs, and they always seem to make the transition from straight to curved.

I sold a set I shouldn’t have because I couldn’t get over the 8 to 7 transition(Vega raf cm).  It wasnt the top line going from curved to straight as all sets tend to, I swear the 3-7 had a more rounded lower bulging toe and 8-w had a more squared toe(my preference).  It always bothered me.  Those pro Cs look amazing.....

Edited May 24, 2023 by Bigmean

[Nard_S]

The bag on this beautiful Sunday.

[Nard_S]

3rd outing, 8 pars & a birdie, but 85, so okay, an 85 that shows there's upside. A plus guy joins us every week, nice kid, really freaking good too. Like 190 yard, #7i good. 17 GIR 's good. Humbling & inspiring at the same time.  #3i served me well. #5W did not. May drop it. Short game, total B grade but it is 3rd outing. Hope to see T-Stamps in bag this year. Have nice melding parts of swing, if I hit the gym, might look even better. Cheers.

[lefthack]

I have to say I love my new 3 iron and I'm pretty sure it wasn't offered when I ordered my set, but I'm glad I have it now. 

 

My very full Haywood bag