Regripping question. Hole or no hole?

[Shorty]

When you put tape on a grip, you twist it at the end and then push it in or just make sure you tape over the end.

Once you have put the grip on, should you pierce the end of the tape so that air/moisture can get in and out of the shaft?
I am wondering if the very small amount of rust I've seen on the end of some shafts is caused by a hole or a lack of a hole.
Thanks

[goblue107501]

I always put tape over the end of the shaft. The #1 reason is that I don't want the grip solvent to run down the shaft to the clubhead and break up the epoxy. That was just something I was told way back when I started regrippnig myself. It made sense so I figured it wouldn't hurt anything. I try not to break that seal after the grip is on so nothing can get down into the shaft.

[iacas]

I always put tape over the end of the shaft. The #1 reason is that I don't want the grip solvent to run down the shaft to the clubhead and break up the epoxy. That was just something I was told way back when I started regrippnig myself. It made sense so I figured it wouldn't hurt anything. I try not to break that seal after the grip is on so nothing can get down into the shaft.

I've never heard that. The solvent that goes down the shaft (a minimal amount) would likely just hit metal, and that's if the minimal amount even managed to get down there. The epoxy is on the outside of the shaft. And even if you did dump a bunch of solvent down the inside of the shaft, all you'd have to do is tip the club grip down and let it dry/evaporate.

I've never seen a club come back from a reputable person or company with the end of the grip blocked by tape. Most will just tuck a little extra tape into the end of the grip, some will cut it off, most use the strips that are the right length and require no trimming.

[Fourputt]

I cut the tape about 1" to 2" longer than the grip and tuck it inside. I don't see how you could run solvent all the way down to the clubhead if you are doing the job right. I stick a tee in the hole in the end of the grip, squirt some solvent in the grip and shake it around, then pour the solvent out over the tape on the shaft. When I slip the grip on over the tape there isn't even enough in the grip to drip... certainly not enough to run even halfway down the shaft, much less reach the clubhead. Like Erik said, the epoxy that counts is in the outside of the shaft anyway. A good epoxy shouldn't be affected by grip solvent in any event.

[kpaulhus]

I've never seen a club come back from a reputable person or company with the end of the grip blocked by tape. Most will just tuck a little extra tape into the end of the grip, some will cut it off, most use the strips that are the right length and require no trimming.

All my clubs have been done this way.

[Zeph]

I use an air compressor to remove and replace grips, so plugging up the hole would not work well. Don't see why it should be a problem when using solvent either.

[Joeyvee]

You dont need tape at all ever. You CAN use it though. I hate it. I dont like the ridge it leaves (if done wrong IMHO) and if I want to regrip I dont want to strip tape off. Its annoying.

[DBeane]

I have always covered the end of mine when I regrip them to prevent moisture from getting into the shaft (rainy play, etc...). It always seemed logical to me however, I dont think it really matters one way or the other.

-Beane

[apex53]

I've always put tape over the butt-end of the shaft simply because that's the way I was taught to do it. Seems to make the grip slide onto the shaft a little easier. Never really gave it any thought until I read this topic... Now I'm questioning it LOL... Probably doesn't make any difference one way or the other... Thanks for stirring my brain on a Sunday evening

[basesloaded190]

plugging the hole will have no effect on an air compresor taking the grip off. TBH it really doesn't matter. Some people do, some don't. Solvent isn't going to ruin a shaft or make a club head come apart. Solvent drys so fast it won't matter. I always put tap over the end, put thats the way i was tought.

[patriot07]

I don't think it matters one bit. But if it did matter, I think you'd be better off not making a hole in the tape. A hole means you can trap moisture and/or solvent in there. No hole means the entire inside of the shaft is exposed to the outside air. And any moisture or solvent that gets in there can evaporate easily. Every OEM grip I've ever taken off had a hole in the end or was trimmed where there was very little extra tape at all.

[senorchipotle]

I use an air compressor to remove and replace grips, so plugging up the hole would not work well. Don't see why it should be a problem when using solvent either.

how is this done? i've got one, and if it would make regripping easier, i'm all ears.

[Zeph]

Makes it a whole lot easier. The pipe you can buy at any hardware store, same goes with the air pistol. The thin straw sized end of the pistol you don't really need, you can use one like this . I don't use the larger pipe at the pistol either. After changing a few I could do it without the pipe. Turning the alignment was no problem, just a small cushion of air in there and you can turn it around.



This can of course be done with the hole plugged up, but it might be ripped open by the air pressure. Have anyone experienced a shaft rusting inside and making it unusable? I've never heard about plugging the hole until now, it can hardly be a problem.

[lumpuckeroo]

I cut the tape an inch or two longer and fold it over the hole because it then covers the "sharp" edge of the shaft and make is easier to slide the grip on. I have noticed that when I take off grips for the first time from the OEM there is usually tape over or in the hole, I just assumed that was because it was better to have a little to much tape as opposed to not enough.

[iammpspeer]

The reason people plug the hole is so the grip slides on easier. By leaving the extra 1/4 inch over lap and folding it in puts tape over the end of the shaft, which can be pretty sharp. After you put the solvent on the tape, the overlapping part gets lubricated, allowing the grip to just slide right on. If you don't fold over the grip tape, that sharp, butt-end of the shaft can be hard to get past. But like others have said, you can still do it without covering the hole.

P.S. There should be a "Clubmaking" Section of this forum, I enjoy the topic.

[Zeph]

Preventing sharp edges can also be accomplised by folding the tape over and inside the hole.

[basesloaded190]

how is this done? i've got one, and if it would make regripping easier, i'm all ears.

You just need to be careful when doing this that you don't put too much air the the grip or get a bubble. Its easy to ruin a grip quickly taking them off that way. If you aren't worried about saving them, then go for it. It's an easy process as shown by Zeph, but like I said, if you want to save the grip, there are better ways.

[Zeph]

Bubble where? The grip is pretty tight, so any air will get pushed out. It is not a problem to use the grip you have removed.

You install the new grip the same way. You can of course blow up the grip, but then you'd have to try. With a light pressure, you just create a small air cushion between the grip and the shaft, so it can glide on.

Experiment on an old club first and you will quickly get the feeling for how it should be done.