Does length change stiffness in iron shafts?

[rustyredcab]

Will my PX 5.0 non-flighted iron shafts play any stiffer if I have the installed 1/2 inch longer than standard? Does length matter in irons as it relates to how stiff they play?

If I soft-step some PX 5.0 iron shafts, they drop from a rifle rating of 5.5 to 5.1 according to a chart I got off this site somewhere.

I'm considering soft-stepping once and adding 1/2 inch. What effect will that 1/2 have on the flex?

Here's the chart that someone posted and I have been using as reference.

[mvmac]

This is a good question.  Are you talking about adding length, a plug, to a current shaft or installing a new shaft and soft stepping it.  The simple answer is yes adding length will make it play "softer".  By how much I'm not sure, my guess would be 10-20%

[rustyredcab]

I'm talking about soft-stepping uncut shafts that will be cut longer than standard. I read elsewhere that shafts get softer if longer but that PX shafts get firmer. Don't understand how or why. Not sure I believe it. Looking for answers here. :)

[mvmac]

Did some more research on this and basically came up with:  By adding extra length at the butt end, you are adding more at the stiffest end of the shaft Therefore, you are actually making the shaft STIFFER. But at the same time, you are adding the weight of the iron head further away from the hands which makes the shaft WEAKER. For most reasonable length changes (1" would be reasonable) the 2 factors cancel each other out and you end up about where you were in the first place.

Below is an example for Dynamic Gold shafts and using shaft extenders, which you're not doing but thought it was interesting,

Lengthening 1" with extenders will have the following effect on Dynamic Gold shafts :

1. Make you shafts play weaker flex-wise if you are playing dynamic gold shafts such as r300 s300 x100.

2. Make your heads feel heavier (unavoidable swing weight change of 6 points). Counter balance and swing weight are different.

3. Make your shafts play weaker, based on #2, by 6 frequency points.

Expect a full 9 point frequency change which is like moving from Stiff to regular. This is an estimation

Then searching on another site I found this post:

Quote:

This of it this way. While lengthening alone will only soften your clubs a bit, the swingweight matter in addition kills you. Think of 2 McDonalds drinking straws attached together to make a 20" segment of straw tubing. Then jam a grape on the end of it. The shaft will handle the grape fine. But if you extend that straw by another inch, the grape will still be supported but the assembly won't be as stout. by a touch and the grape will seem heavier. The flex and whip of the straw won't be as supportive and it will kick differently. Keep adding length and the sensation of flex gets' even whippier.

This is what is happening. That increased heft sensation at the end of your irons really makes a difference when you are coming around at 90-97mph.

Then there is also this I read on another site

Quote:

Going longer = Going stronger

1" butt will gain butt Cpm by 9, but swingweight change "eats up" 6 Sw point / 6 cpm, so gain is 3 cpm pr. inch.
With 2" longer but, you got 6 cpm more.
- it's aprox 5 cpm from 5.0 to 5.5, and another 5.5 to 6.0, so yours is stiff like 6.1 or in that area.
- Add a few grams to the heads if they feels to stiff. 2 grams will weaken 1 cpm, if you can handle more Swingweight

EDIT - That was to fast - I don't think they have given you standard weight heads, because 2" extras with standard weight heads will give you 12 SW point extra, and i dont think this is the case. IF they gave you heads 10 grams lighter (it happens), you still got both high SW, and even stronger shafts.
(10 grams is 5 SW point / 5 cpm, so now we are up around 6.5 )

Have them tested on a SW scale, because Swingweight makes major influence on flex

[rustyredcab]

Sounds like if I go .25" - .50" longer, there will be no big effect based on the extra length. And if there is a small effect, it will be to make the shaft stronger. If that is right...

That is good for me since soft-stepping the PX 5.0 gets the flex about as soft as I'd wish.

Thanks for the help. I'll post here when I've done the deed and felt the difference.

[mvmac]

Yes that sounds correct

[jmanbooyaa]

Reviving an old thread. I am told I need to lengthen my AP1 714 irons by 1/2. My question is would it make sense to soft step my irons by taking the 6 iron shaft and inserting it into 7 iron. 7 iron into 8 iron etc. throughout irons. Currently have reg. Flex standard length XP 95 shafts with an iron swing speed of 78/81 avg. plus have GP multis on them so i would prefer not to have to re grip. Hope this make sense. 

[1badbadger]

On 12/27/2011 at 8:11 PM, rustyredcab said:

I'm talking about soft-stepping uncut shafts that will be cut longer than standard. I read elsewhere that shafts get softer if longer but that PX shafts get firmer. Don't understand how or why. Not sure I believe it. Looking for answers here. :)

This is correct.  Most shafts will play softer at a longer length, but Rifle and PX shafts actually play stiffer.  The butt end of the shaft is stiffer than the tip, so increasing the length will result in a stiffer flex.

[Hatchman]

Yes the X shafts get stiffer.  Did it once.