Need help getting rust off old putter

[lebewohl]

I started playing again after a 20 year hiatus. I've been slowly putting together a set of clubs. My dad gave me an old Ping Anser 2 putter that has been sitting in our basement for decades. I brought it to a shop and asked what I could do to get it to a presentable state. I got it regripped and was told to use steel wool to get the rust out. Asked my fiancée to pick up some steel wool for me but she came back with scotch brite steel wool soap pads. Can I still use these in some way or do I need to get ones without the soap? Thanks in advance!

[LBlack14]

Make another trip to the store.

[Shorty]

That is called "patina".

It stops glare and allows the putter to retain its value. Leave it. :-)

[lebewohl]

I know what a patina is. This is rust. It's mostly on the shaft and a couple of spots on the face itself.

[Pretzel]

My putter has a small amount of rust (accidentally left a wet headcover on it once) and I don't mind it at all. It merely gives the putter some personality and doesn't affect the performance of it unless you let it affect how you think of the putter. I touched up a few spots on the bottom with steel wool (I would advise against the Scotch-Brite pads) and just went back to using it myself.

[lebewohl]

I played with it once. It's fine but after every hole, I kept on trying to remember when my last tetanus shot was - Yes, the rust is that bad! Anyways, went and got some steel wool without soap in it. Thanks, everyone!

[Chris223]

uh... get it re-shafted and a fresh grip?  It wouldn't cost that much...  and you'd even be able to change the length if you so wanted.

[Shorty]

I know what a patina is. This is rust. It's mostly on the shaft and a couple of spots on the face itself.

Might have helped if you'd used the word "shaft" in your original post, then.