pitting and corrosion in a set of 2019 irons.

[bradleywedge]

I have recently bought a set of second hand Titleist 718 AP1 irons. I have only used them in about 3 rounds since I bought them. Yesterday whilst pulling the 7 & 8 irons out of the bag I noticed some pitting on the shafts. The 7 iron only a small amount, but quite a bit on the 8 iron.

Couple of questions, should this be happening on a set of irons less than a year old, why has it only affected 2 irons in the set and can it be cleaned off, or should I have the shafts replaced? The rest of the irons are immaculate, the heads are in superb condition, just these 2 irons let the set down.

 

[casuk]

I use nippns and saw a little on the shafts and on my putter too I cleaned it off and it hasn't came back as yet, clubs were bought new just over 2 years ago,

 

[Bunkermagnet]

Try wiping them down with something like WD40 after cleaning the shafts first.
As you bought them second hand, and probably " as seen", I doubt whether Titleist would be interested in anything under warranty.

 

[Parsaregood]

Where do you keep them ? How long do you leave them without using them ? I usually leave my old wedges and stuff out in the byre and after about a year you can usually see a little pitting

 

[Jigger]

All the above valid. Given them a rub down with some water displacing lubricant like WD40 and wipe the shafts down after most rounds this time of year to ensure they’re completely dry. Being second hand you can’t tell how they’ve previously been kept but keep them in the house if possible. I used to keep an old set in the garage and the shafts where destroyed after a few years. I’ve been told you should also keep them in the house to stop the glue under the grips from cracking due to the cold but in all honestly, I’ve noticed more of a difference in them not being rock hard when you first tee off.

 

[bradleywedge]

Clubs always stored in the house. I have never used them in the rain so I imagine the damage was already caused when I got them.

 

[bradleywedge]

I use nippns and saw a little on the shafts and on my putter too I cleaned it off and it hasn't came back as yet, clubs were bought new just over 2 years ago,

Unsure what 'nippns' means, how did you clean it off please?

 

[duncan mackie]

Agree that the basis for the damage was almost certainly in their history - it's possible to create conditions that will cause such corrosion on nearly any metal!

I suspect that the earlier code reference was to Nippon shafts

 

[casuk]

N.s.pro 950gh shafts I cleaned then with a cloth, dried them and put them back, clubs are always stored at home I have played them in the rain a lot and never clean the shafts after use, happened on my putter shaft too looked like surface rush and came right off

 

[Bunkermagnet]

My clubs (Ping i20's) are kept in the garage. Its cold this time of year, but dry. I've had them from new, and occaisionally give them a wipe over. They look like new.
They also get a short squirt of wd40 down the shaft through the grip drain hole to keep them clean on the inside.

 

[clubchamp98]

I have recently bought a set of second hand Titleist 718 AP1 irons. I have only used them in about 3 rounds since I bought them. Yesterday whilst pulling the 7 & 8 irons out of the bag I noticed some pitting on the shafts. The 7 iron only a small amount, but quite a bit on the 8 iron.

Couple of questions, should this be happening on a set of irons less than 2 years old, why has it only affected 2 irons in the set and can it be cleaned off, or should I have the shafts replaced? The rest of the irons are immaculate, the heads are in superb condition, just these 2 irons let the set down.

What are the faces like if the owner used these to practice with it will show more use on the faces.
He may have put them leaning on a wall or something rough.

My guess is just a manufacturing fault in the chrome process.
Worth just asking Titleist what they think in an email.
They can only say no!


Rub gently with some wire wool. And WD40 when nessesary.
But not really much you can do except dry them off after use.

 

[jim8flog]

In theOP it says secondhand so you have no idea of how they were used by the previous owner.

If they were n a carry bag which did not have shaft protection they would have received a lot of bashing about.

 

[fundy]

In theOP it says secondhand so you have no idea of how they were used by the previous owner.

If they were n a carry bag which did not have shaft protection they would have received a lot of bashing about.

are you saying using a carry bag causes pitting on iron shafts?

 

[Parsaregood]

In theOP it says secondhand so you have no idea of how they were used by the previous owner.

If they were n a carry bag which did not have shaft protection they would have received a lot of bashing about.

?? you can be as rough as you like with shafts, they will not rust as a result of being rough. I have a theory, the previous owner has kept them somewhere cold & damp, there has been a couple of minor pit mark's on a couple of the shafts which he has 'cleaned' off but the top layer of the shaft has come off on these areas leaving the underlying metal exposed which will now rust very easily. It shouldn't affect the shaft if they are small and theres only a couple of small bits, annoying more than anything else.

 

[Jigger]

?? you can be as rough as you like with shafts, they will not rust as a result of being rough. I have a theory, the previous owner has kept them somewhere cold & damp, there has been a couple of minor pit mark's on a couple of the shafts which he has 'cleaned' off but the top layer of the shaft has come off on these areas leaving the underlying metal exposed which will now rust very easily. It shouldn't affect the shaft if they are small and theres only a couple of small bits, annoying more than anything else.

Yep. As I said earlier I kept my previous set in the garage with disastrous effect.

 

[Crow]

My guess is that it will be purely cosmetic. Just get some aluminium foil and rub the shaft with it, will bring it up a treat. ( Oooer missus)

It takes a lot of corrosion to make a shaft under perform, you should see some of the stuff I play with......

 

[Andy]

In theOP it says secondhand so you have no idea of how they were used by the previous owner.

If they were n a carry bag which did not have shaft protection they would have received a lot of bashing about.

Put the sherry back in the cupboard.

 

[jim8flog]

are you saying using a carry bag causes pitting on iron shafts?

Put the sherry back in the cupboard.

?? you can be as rough as you like with shafts, they will not rust as a result of being rough. I have a theory, the previous owner has kept them somewhere cold & damp, there has been a couple of minor pit mark's on a couple of the shafts which he has 'cleaned' off but the top layer of the shaft has come off on these areas leaving the underlying metal exposed which will now rust very easily. It shouldn't affect the shaft if they are small and theres only a couple of small bits, annoying more than anything else.

Just listen to somebody carrying their clubs in a non protective carry bag compared to someone using a trolley and a protective bag and it will quickly make you realise just how much bashing about clubs take when carried in such a way.

I recently bought a set of irons with TTDG shafts and quickly worked out that the short irons must have been at the bottom of such a bag when carried there was so much pitting on their shafts and virtually none on the mid and long irons. Head wear was virtually identical so use and storage could not have been the issue.

 

[Parsaregood]

Just listen to somebody carrying their clubs in a non protective carry bag compared to someone using a trolley and a protective bag and it will quickly make you realise just how much bashing about clubs take when carried in such a way.

I recently bought a set of irons with TTDG shafts and quickly worked out that the short irons must have been at the bottom of such a bag when carried there was so much pitting on their shafts and virtually none on the mid and long irons. Head wear was virtually identical so use and storage could not have been the issue.

Or the might have practiced with the short irons alot and mostly kept them in the boot of the car, I carried my clubs for years and had irons for years and never did any pit.

 

[Parsaregood]

Also that's the heads chapping not the shafts, tour pro's clubs are carried thus way and have been for decades,? are they damaging their clubs ?