Using Air to Regrip Clubs??

[rlheiman]

I saw that some of you had a debate back about a year ago.   Did anyone use air installed grips all last season?  How did they work?  I'm just dabbling into this right now, but first set of irons and drivers grips went very quick and easy.  They seem very tight and it wasn't hard to line them up.

I put a set of White Itomics on my Nike Blades with KBS shafts.  So according to specs.  .580 grips on .600 shafts.   I'm interested to see if they make the season.

[camster8]

Just my own opinion here Ryan, but I have yet to see a blown on grip the hasn't twisted at some point in time, over its lifespan.  I know many guys do it and swear by it...  There are so many do's and don'ts, what grips twist, which ones do not, etc., etc...  I'm not taking the chance of having even ONE twist for whatever anomaly may happen...  I pride myself on quality builds, with a zero tolerance on anything, including a slightly twisted grip.  You read it here first, I will NEVER blow on grips and take that chance...  Never...

[bogeycentral]

I have seen more grips fail from being installed through forced air than standard installing practices.

[rlheiman]

If I was doing this professionally or even for someone else, I would do it the old fashioned way.  So Frank I agree with you, if my business depended on it, tape and solution.

But I wanted to try something a little faster and cleaner for regripping.  I don't know if I will keep these grips on long, they are more of an experiment, but I hate to just cut them off when I am done, and it is a pain and a little messy to slide them off with solution and a tool.

But for the hobbyist just wanting to try a bunch of different grips and switch them out quickly, it seems like it should work OK. I assuming some swear that it works all the time, and others that are on the flip side of the argument.   So if you air grip your clubs, have you gone back to tape and solution?

[daughterscameron]

Well..., you know how I swing, Ryan.  Pretty violently. .  We talked about this earlier.  I
did all my grips with air this year.  Absolutely no problems.  I love doing it now.
I even mastered putting on ribbed grips.   

[bcheeks]

I use tape and solution and have no plans to change but I'm curious about using air to remove grips and reuse.  I've pulled grips using solution and a tool I got from golfworks and it's miserable.  Is it easier removing them with air?

[daughterscameron]

I use tape and solution and have no plans to change but I'm curious about using air to remove grips and reuse.  I've pulled grips using solution and a tool I got from golfworks and it's miserable.  Is it easier removing them with air?

If they were put on with air, Brian, they are a piece of cake.  If you are trying to get them off
with air, but they were put on with solution, NOT EASY.

[bcheeks]

If they were put on with air, Brian, they are a piece of cake.  If you are trying to get them off
with air, but they were put on with solution, NOT EASY.

Thanks Jim

[Indacup]

Once you learn the proper technique...as well as learn which grips have best retention...using air is a breeze (pun intended).....

For local grip jobs we will usually use air and have never, ever had a bad result...however, for all jobs done online, we do it the old fashion way.

As far as I am concerned, better safe than sorry.

[rehorneman]

tape and mineral spirits is the only way to go

[rockford35]

I use tape and solvent. While I'm probably low volume when compared to some of the ho's out there, I use cheap grips. 1. Because I like them, and 2. if I wanna cut one off, I can and I won't see my retirement get thrown in the garbage as a result.

I haven't considered air, and likely never will. I'm of the school that unless you have a true adhesive holding two items together, you're likely going to get movement with environmental and hand movement all being equal...

R35

[SPY ZINGER]

Just my own opinion here Ryan, but I have yet to see a blown on grip the hasn't twisted at some point in time, over its lifespan.  I know many guys do it and swear by it...  There are so many do's and don'ts, what grips twist, which ones do not, etc., etc...  I'm not taking the chance of having even ONE twist for whatever anomaly may happen...  I pride myself on quality builds, with a zero tolerance on anything, including a slightly twisted grip.  You read it here first, I will NEVER blow on grips and take that chance...  Never...

Frank, you obviously will never catch Tiger like this guy!!  To Tiger: "I'm comin for ya!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXcTsZeKpaE&feature=player_embedded

[Jetlv25]

When I am building and trying different clubs I will sometimes blow them on with the prices of grips these days.  You have to be careful an pay attention as some will slip if not matched up properly.  That being said, I personally would not sell anything with grips blown on.  I now exactly what to expect so it's no big deal for me but I would not take that chance with someone elses clubs.

[bogeycentral]

For many the big feature of using compressed air for installing grips is to re-use the grips. A few years back when I ran the club repair for a PGA Superstore, they were doing a lot of their grips by blowing them on. For a large volume shop they were also having a lot of those re-grips coming back from the grips twisting. We were able to narrow it down to a select few who only used air to install grips and surprisingly those were the only ones who had customers come back with grips twisting. I was not in the business of selling used grips so tape and mineral spirits great for installing them and found a hook blade great for taking them off. 

[camster8]

Frank, you obviously will never catch Tiger like this guy!!  To Tiger: "I'm comin for ya!"


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXcTsZeKpaE&feature=player_embedded

Wow, that guy taught me everything I didn't want to know!   First, that original grip came off way too easy...  Secondly, when he blew on the new grip, you could clearly see there was some kind of solvent being blown around at the mouth of the grip.  Thirdly, he didn't even check to see if the grip went on straight, or at least not crooked...  Lastly, the "old" tape was not old...  I love my competition in this business...

[daughterscameron]

Frank, you obviously will never catch Tiger like this guy!!  To Tiger: "I'm comin for ya!"


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXcTsZeKpaE&feature=player_embedded

So when is he due??? Twins??? 

[mainuh]

I own all the tools necessary to install with air but still go at it the old fashioned way.
Now maybe I am not as dexterous as most however it always takes me more than a few seconds to properly align the grip. That I would have to keep shooting air into the grip to get the seam straight and whatever alignment mark is on the grip to be where I want it seems like too much work.
As long as the solvent is still wet I am able to make the adjustments.

rob

[camster8]

I own all the tools necessary to install with air but still go at it the old fashioned way.
Now maybe I am not as dexterous as most however it always takes me more than a few seconds to properly align the grip. That I would have to keep shooting air into the grip to get the seam straight and whatever alignment mark is on the grip to be where I want it seems like too much work.
As long as the solvent is still wet I am able to make the adjustments.

rob

My, common sense on top of a great post!

[Runbird]

I regrip clubs everday and I always use solvent.  Its just easier for me.  I have seen alot of grips get ruined by air, on the other hand I have seen great results using air. 

[bl8d]

can't see a reason for not using the best of both worlds.
You can still use wetted double side tape when you blow a grip on, and you can blow the same grip off again if you shoot a little solvent down the shaft first.
A few burst will aerosol the solvent between the grip and the tape and you back it off with staccato burst like you would normally.
This would be especially helpful for the guys who want to test different grips, save the grips, and still have the security the tape offers.

Caveat- be sure to use the protective sleeve whenever you blow a grip off.

[Indacup]

can't see a reason for not using the best of both worlds.
You can still use wetted double side tape when you blow a grip on, and you can blow the same grip off again if you shoot a little solvent down the shaft first.
A few burst will aerosol the solvent between the grip and the tape and you back it off with staccato burst like you would normally.
This would be especially helpful for the guys who want to test different grips, save the grips, and still have the security the tape offers.

Caveat- be sure to use the protective sleeve whenever you blow a grip off.

Cannot emphasize that enough.....LOL

[rlheiman]

Almost had one explode on me a couple of days ago.  I wasn't paying attention (problem right there).  Shot some air into it, nothing, then suddenly a huge air bubble right in the middle of the grip.  Now I always use the protective sleeve.  Quick easy and painless. (literally.)

[bogeycentral]

Cannot emphasize that enough.....LOL

When you explode one that is deafening loud !!

[Cwebb]

Almost had one explode on me a couple of days ago.  I wasn't paying attention (problem right there).  Shot some air into it, nothing, then suddenly a huge air bubble right in the middle of the grip.  Now I always use the protective sleeve.  Quick easy and painless. (literally.)

You should stick 3-4 pin holes down the grip.  I do one about 3/4" below the cap, one in the middle, one further down on the back side, then one about 2" from the end.  It will prevent the bubbles and also facilitate the ability of the grip to hold on by itself.  After installed, massage down the grip to help release any trapped air.

[LyleG]

I never use solvent anymore and have had no issues with slipping, or moving grips