Iron Reshafting - Fitter Broke 4 Shafts - Normal?

[blazman11]

I purchased some C-tapers to put in my Xforged, replacing the Pxi shafts. I used a pretty well known shop in Rochester, NY as Golf Galaxy had performed such sloppy work on two wood shaft installs I asked them to do earlier in the year.

 

The guy who did my C-tapers did a pretty good job. Irons look great and have absolutely no complaints about the workmanship. However, when I asked for my old shafts back he told me he's only got a few, that "it was a real wrestling match" with the rest of them. So he brings me out 3 shafts. The other 4 he told me he threw out.

 

I was still at a high looking at the fantastic work he did. And, since I've had such horrible luck in the past with iron reshafts (including 2 sets literally having the heads fly off), I debated what my response would be. Thinking I don't want to burn any bridges if he did in fact do a good job with the c-taper install. So I didn't really say anything. Just pretty much paid and left. Plus I didn't want to make a scene especially since I highly doubt he was lying. They do quite a bit of volume in the store and I myself have purchased 2 sets of irons in the past from them so it wasn't just some guy off the street adding to his own collection.

 

I spoke with my playing partners and we all agreed that this just isn't normal. None of us just had ever heard of something like this before. I was hoping to re-sell the Pxi's and lower the cost of the c-tapers. But, I figured I would ask a wider audience here of their experiences and if sometimes the fitters have to break a few eggs to make an omelet???

 

By the way, the shafts felt great and performed very well.

[Hstead]

I have never pulled any PXi's but I have pulled quite a few shafts, graphite and steel. I have never broken a shaft yet, and I have never really had a "wrestling match" either. I have had a few shafts that were stubborn when I tried to use a heat gun, but I hit it with the torch real fast and they always loosen quickly. The only thing I have ever seen is with one of my buddies, who has a driver ss of 120+, bent the tips of every PX 6.5 irons in a set of Callaways. Every tip was bent in the same direction from where they just couldn't stand up to his pounding. None of those broke either.

I am not a club fitter, just do it for myself and friends on the side so I do not have a great volume as a sample, but I have never experienced this. I think he is full of BS but who am I to say?

[blazman11]

[quote name='Hstead' timestamp='1373080431' post='7396186']
I think he is full of BS but who am I to say?
[/quote]

See that's what I'm struggling with. Why would he BS me though? When this happened I really struggled to think of a reason why he could be lying to me and I just couldn't. That's why I didn't lay into him or start making demands. I thought there was some incompetence perhaps. I've played hockey and golf for 30 some years and if a shaft won't come apart, just heat it more ya know?

This golf shop has built a very good reputation in Rochester. It's either them or Golf Galaxy if you want something done. Unless of course you already know of someone solid which I no longer do. I'm still thinking of at least going back and asking for some money back. I paid $119 for 7 shaft installs and I gave them the grips. But again, I just need some more feedback first to see if I have a case.

[kwooten31]

Sounds like he used them in another build, 1 shaft being messed up okay, but 4, now that doesn't sound right. I would demand him to give the my shafts back broken or not.

[farmer]

I have reshafted many, many irons, including several sets of Pings, and never broken an iron shaft. Or any steel shaft at all. The old pinned heads were a struggle, but never to the point of breaking a shaft. Maybe he didn't get them hot enough and twisted the shafts hard enough to green stick them. Although after one, he should have learned.

[Guia]

I think he used them in someone else's irons. Breaking 4 shafts is ridiculous. Did you tell him you
wanted the old shafts before he started?

[1puttwoods]

Used them for other repairs, if my customers don't want their old shafts back we use them for cheaper repairs. The guy who plays twice a year breaks his 9 iron will surely want to use a pullout vs a new shaft even if he's only going to save $10. But I always ask the customers if they want their old shafts back never thought of just not giving them back.

[blazman11]

[quote name='Guia' timestamp='1373083475' post='7396520']
I think he used them in someone else's irons. Breaking 4 shafts is ridiculous. Did you tell him you
wanted the old shafts before he started?
[/quote]

I did not tell him I wanted them back before he did the swap. I thought it was just a given that I would get them back really. I did make a comment that if I didn't like the C Tapers I would just put the Pxi back in. That's not the same thing, I realize that. It just didn't dawn on me to request he saves them as every single time I've ever had a shaft install done (woods or irons) I always got back the old ones.

[zebrasinamerica]

as a club builder that pulls shafts out of heads every day I dont fully understand what he means by he "broke" a steel shaft. I pull everything from stock steel irons to OBAN Tour Prototypes and have only ever had issues with made for driver shafts (i.e. Mitsu Rayon made for Titleist/nike/ping/whoever) fracturing as they are VERY thin walled in the shaft vise.

I could use a breaker bar to tighten my vise down on a steel shaft and would expect that I wouldn't even have a mark on it after the shaft is removed from the head...

seems fishy to me

[Kev-Golfnut61]

[quote name='1puttwoods' timestamp='1373084165' post='7396550']
Used them for other repairs, if my customers don't want their old shafts back we use them for cheaper repairs. The guy who plays twice a year breaks his 9 iron will surely want to use a pullout vs a new shaft even if he's only going to save $10. But I always ask the customers if they want their old shafts back never thought of just not giving them back.
[/quote]

I agree with this post. I also do a lot of repairs and pulls. I have never broken a steel shaft when taking out of set of irons.
-Kevin

[denkea]

First off you should have told him that you wanted to old shafts back and to save them. Ask him. There could be a very valid reason.

Were the clubs original from the OEM or were they reshafted sometime before?

If anyone here has tried to pull a steel shaft from and iron hosel that has been reshafted with JB weld. (the stuff they use to fix engine blocks) then it is very reasonable to expect to destroy a shaft being pulled. They even might have needed to be drilled out.

Just a thought.

[neilc]

[quote name='blazman11' timestamp='1373084492' post='7396570']
[quote name='Guia' timestamp='1373083475' post='7396520']
I think he used them in someone else's irons. Breaking 4 shafts is ridiculous. Did you tell him you
wanted the old shafts before he started?
[/quote]

I did not tell him I wanted them back before he did the swap. I thought it was just a given that I would get them back really. I did make a comment that if I didn't like the C Tapers I would just put the Pxi back in. That's not the same thing, I realize that. It just didn't dawn on me to request he saves them as every single time I've ever had a shaft install done (woods or irons) I always got back the old ones.
[/quote]


IM just a part timer but never had any issues removing a shaft intact.steel or graphite.

just removed one a while back in 20 seconds using a torch and an old shoe.


When I reshaft i always keep the shafts for a while in case the customer want them back or even prefers the old ones?

[cxx]

I think it is strange that any repair person thinks that they should, by default, take possession of any part that has been replaced broken or otherwise. If they ask, then its up to the customer to give it to them not the other way around. The only exception is if the replacement part requires a core return, but this also should be discussed beforehand with the customer.

Stinks like old fish. DIY, reshafting irons with steel shafts is really easy. You could send them away as an alternative if there is no one else. Some of the guys at the PGA tour superstore do pretty good work around here.

[Colej]

Could it be that he crushed them? The PXI is a lightweight shaft right? Maybe the guy is sloppy and crushed them when he clamped them?

It also could be that he is dishonest and used them in another build.

[T Shaf]

[quote name='Colej' timestamp='1373115025' post='7397372']
Could it be that he crushed them? The PXI is a lightweight shaft right? Maybe the guy is sloppy and crushed them when he clamped them?

It also could be that he is dishonest and used them in another build.
[/quote]

honestly, using a puller is a waste of time on steel shafts so I doubt he did that...The only time I've ever broken a steel shaft on a re-shaft is on some old Hogans that used hosel pins. The older model heads seemed to fit really tight, I just cannot see any situation where a newer model head would be so difficult that a shaft would need to be broken to remove...no chance. It's very fishy and sad as it seems either he or someone else in the shop knew what they had and made the story up.

[LansingMI]

Be STOLE them from you. There is NO way he didn't.

*EDIT*

He might have allowed another employee to steal them after he pulled.

[Colej]

[quote name='T Shaf' timestamp='1373115584' post='7397394']
[quote name='Colej' timestamp='1373115025' post='7397372']
Could it be that he crushed them? The PXI is a lightweight shaft right? Maybe the guy is sloppy and crushed them when he clamped them?

It also could be that he is dishonest and used them in another build.
[/quote]

honestly, using a puller is a waste of time on steel shafts so I doubt he did that...The only time I've ever broken a steel shaft on a re-shaft is on some old Hogans that used hosel pins. The older model heads seemed to fit really tight, I just cannot see any situation where a newer model head would be so difficult that a shaft would need to be broken to remove...no chance. It's very fishy and sad as it seems either he or someone else in the shop knew what they had and made the story up.
[/quote]
I didn't say he used a puller but you can use a shaft clamp in a bench vice and crush a shaft.

[HISPL]

I don't buy it, crushing a steel shaft in a clamp would be near on impossible.

I have reshafted X Forged 13 irons and had zero issues pulling the shafts.

Something fishy is going on!

[Colej]

[quote name='HISPL' timestamp='1373122023' post='7397826']
I don't buy it, crushing a steel shaft in a clamp would be near on impossible.

I have reshafted X Forged 13 irons and had zero issues pulling the shafts.

Something fishy is going on!
[/quote]

More than likely that is the case. The guy used them for someone else or somebody took them for their own set.

[secretmidam]

I do all the Club Building for the shop I own, and I have never broken a steel shaft on a pull, or heard of one breaking from people I talk to. He had to have kept them for future repairs. Demand the shafts back, or credit in the shop. That is brutal that you were not even asked if you wanted them.

[RobS14526]

Hmmmm, East Rochester, Brighton or other?

[bpark1210]

I would go back and demand the shafts back. Pulling iron shafts is not complicated. You don't even need a shaft puller, just a heat torch and a rag to pull them out. There is no way a steel shaft broke from your X Forged heads. They aren't bore-through and as simple a build can be.

Just go back and ask for them nicely, cause you know he's b*llsh*tting you.

[RookieBlue7]

They're still your property. I'd tell him I want them, broken or not. You don't have to ask for your shafts back, they're yours. Just because they do the work doesn't make them the owner of the pulls. He'd be giving me the shafts back or a refund plus replacement costs, plain and simple.

[Johnny]

should have mentioned you wanted shafts back before install... PXi's as a clubbuilder I would have assumed you wanted them though. In my ho'n days I purchased irons, etc with no intention of using said shafts and never broke one, but have wrastle'd with a few ping irons in my days.

[Shambles]

[quote name='HISPL' timestamp='1373122023' post='7397826']
I don't buy it, crushing a steel shaft in a clamp would be near on impossible.

I have reshafted X Forged 13 irons and had zero issues pulling the shafts.

Something fishy is going on!
[/quote]

You are way wrong. It's way easy to crush a shaft on a bench vise. I know from experience. You are probably thinking of a vise that can be preset to only give so much pressure, but even those can be mistakenly set too high or put on the fatter part of the shaft.


Shambles

[shankz]

Wrestling match?

[mxtitleistgolfer]

[quote name='Shambles' timestamp='1373131837' post='7398444']
[quote name='HISPL' timestamp='1373122023' post='7397826']
I don't buy it, crushing a steel shaft in a clamp would be near on impossible.

I have reshafted X Forged 13 irons and had zero issues pulling the shafts.

Something fishy is going on!
[/quote]

You are way wrong. It's way easy to crush a shaft on a bench vise. I know from experience. You are probably thinking of a vise that can be preset to only give so much pressure, but even those can be mistakenly set too high or put on the fatter part of the shaft.


Shambles
[/quote]

No, HISPL is correct. A shaft puller is not the same as a bench vice and a bench vice would not be used to pull a shaft in any self respecting workshop. Even with a bench vice the only way you are going to crush a steel shaft is if you don't use any sort of pads.

There is no reason the OP shouldn't have gotten his shafts back. Despite the PXi's being a light weight shaft they are still a very strong steel shaft.

[BigLeftyinAZ]

20 years of pulling shafts,I've never broken any shafts .I can't even imagine how one could break a steel shaft

[EJ Mac]

I gotta say I don't understand what would make any club builder think that it was ok to keep shaft pulls if the customer did not say they could have them. The customer should not have to ask for them back, I mean it is not tires we are dealing with here. They should also take every step possible to insure a clean pull and if one becomes temper mental they need to phone the customer to see how to proceed. The club I have used once here gets $25 per club so why would they need pulls to make more money. That is $200 plus tax to reshaft a set of irons that I supply the shafts and grips for $200 labor wow be a while b4 I reshaft.

[aplomb]

[quote name='bpark1210' timestamp='1373126901' post='7398078']
I would go back and demand the shafts back. Pulling iron shafts is not complicated. You don't even need a shaft puller, just a heat torch and a rag to pull them out. There is no way a steel shaft broke from your X Forged heads. They aren't bore-through and as simple a build can be.

Just go back and ask for them nicely, cause you know he's b*llsh*tting you.
[/quote]
[quote name='RookieBlue7' timestamp='1373130979' post='7398370']
They're still your property. I'd tell him I want them, broken or not. You don't have to ask for your shafts back, they're yours. Just because they do the work doesn't make them the owner of the pulls. He'd be giving me the shafts back or a refund plus replacement costs, plain and simple.
[/quote]

This, and this.