Vokey SM5 removing black finish down to raw ( a how to pic heavy)

I have always loved playing the raw brushed finish on the Tour Issue Vokeys and with all the new grind possibilities I figured I would save some money over ordering a thousand dollars in wedges from wedge works. I ordered a set of Vokey SM5 with the black finish built to my specs and went to work. ( this only works on black oxide and oil can finishes) I am not responsible for any damage to clubs, personal property or injury of person following these instructions.

You will need:

Patience : It took approx 4 hours to get the results I did.

Scotch brite pads

Klean strip paint stripper ( works way better than acetone make sure you use it outside and don't get any on your skin) if you don't want to remove the paint fill skip this step.

2- 2 liter bottles of Coke a Cola or naval jelly

Q tips and tooth picks to remove paint from corners

Acetone to clean up any scuffs on the ferrules from the scotch brite

Old tooth brush for really getting in to the lettering

Steps:

1. (Outside) open the stripper and put gloves and eye protection on. Using a Q tip fill the painted areas with stripper gel and let sit until you see paint start to bubble and peel. Clean paint out of lettering may take a coupe applications. Rinse with warm water and brush letters with an old tooth brush to get all the paint out

2. Give the heads a good once over with a fresh scotch brite pad and soak the wedges in Coke for 30 minutes. (When you go over the faces keep the pressure light)

3. Remove from coke and rinse them off and go over them again with the scotch brite pad. I did this process 4 times total as the black finish was tough to remove. Oil can finish should only take one or 2 baths in the coke to completely strip the finish

4. Final step go over them with the scotch brite pad use straight strokes with the pad or you will get a swirled finish on the metal. Clean up ferrules with acetone and a smooth cloth. Don't rub too hard the acetone eats the plastic.

The process does not remove metal so the weight of the heads and swing weight of the club are not impacted. Wedges were a D5 swing weight when I started and still were when I finished.

Hope you enjoy the how to. This process will void the warranty if that matters to you. I'm sorry for the couple of upside down pics.

Nicely done. Do they look the same as if you did this process to an oil can wedge, or are they still going to be darker due to the new black finish?

[quote name='aswo3332' timestamp='1403977148' post='9597161']
Nicely done. Do they look the same as if you did this process to an oil can wedge, or are they still going to be darker due to the new black finish?
[/quote] Thank you. I could take some more scotchbrite to them and get them all the way raw. Right now they look like a lighter version of the slate version of the Callaway wedges. The oil can will go completely raw.

I actually really like that when you've just removed the lettering paint fill - stealth look. Good job.

The black with no paint fill is pretty awesome too. Nice work!

The murdered out wedges look sick ! Nice job man!

[quote name='Groundskeeperwilly' timestamp='1403993019' post='9598367']
I actually really like that when you've just removed the lettering paint fill - stealth look. Good job.
[/quote] yeah they looked pretty sick.. I almost stopped but wanted that raw steel coming through.

[quote name='minitour' timestamp='1403994006' post='9598447']
The black with no paint fill is pretty awesome too. Nice work!
[/quote] thank you.. Yeah Once I got the paint fill out I almost stopped. But I really wanted that raw steel coming through.

[quote name='WilliamTighe' timestamp='1403996008' post='9598563']
The murdered out wedges look sick ! Nice job man!
[/quote] thank you.. They look like a lighter version of the slate finish on the callaways in person.. They turned out cooler than I expected for sure

Sweet.

[quote name='spetzle' timestamp='1404009366' post='9599735']
Sweet.
[/quote] thx

looks good, however just place in ordinary household vinegar and in ten minutes you are done

yea vinegar works twice as fast and even takes off the paintfill. White vinegar to be specific...But I prefer the all black better.

Off topic here boys, but If I take the chrome tvd's and use the paint stripper and scotch brite on them will they end up like the titliest irons pictured above? thanks.

[quote name='WilliamTighe' timestamp='1404088516' post='9604195']
Off topic here boys, but If I take the chrome tvd's and use the paint stripper and scotch brite on them will they end up like the titliest irons pictured above? thanks.
[/quote] no they won't.

Why do you use a scotch brute pad vs a paper towel, or something else like that. I guess I am asking of the scotch brite is the only one that does the job.

[quote name='pgagolfstuff' timestamp='1404093068' post='9604697']
[quote name='WilliamTighe' timestamp='1404088516' post='9604195']
Off topic here boys, but If I take the chrome tvd's and use the paint stripper and scotch brite on them will they end up like the titliest irons pictured above? thanks.
[/quote] no they won't.
[/quote]

How do I get them to look like that?

[quote name='duck hook' timestamp='1404058250' post='9601835']
looks good, however just place in ordinary household vinegar and in ten minutes you are done
[/quote]

[quote name='Tee2Green85' timestamp='1404058444' post='9601849']
yea vinegar works twice as fast and even takes off the paintfill. White vinegar to be specific...But I prefer the all black better.
[/quote]

Vinegar will have no effect on the black raw finish. Nor paint fill. Even overnight. Vinegar is 5% acidic ph and would take days to have any effect.

Vinegar removes the black finish in just a few minutes , I know because i've done it. Won't remove paintfill

[quote name='duck hook' timestamp='1404592300' post='9642611']
Vinegar removes the black finish in just a few minutes , I know because i've done it. Won't remove paintfill
[/quote]

Go give it a whirl and get back to us. Not the SM5's. It was one of the first things I tried. Had them in for 4 hours. White household kitchen vinegar 5% ph.

I'm going to murder out my wedges tonight using step #1. I love that murdered out look!

Great job and thanks for posting.

They look great. Good post with good instructions/directions. It would be hard to decide which way to go after seeing the wedges "blacked out".

Scary to think CocaCola does this to metal and we put it in our bodies. : )

[quote name='TPhodge' timestamp='1405551329' post='9715995']
They look great. Good post with good instructions/directions. It would be hard to decide which way to go after seeing the wedges "blacked out".

Scary to think CocaCola does this to metal and we put it in our bodies. : )
[/quote]

The acid in our stomaches is wayyy worse. No worries mate.

MURDERED out wedges...
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[quote name='station2station' timestamp='1404612329' post='9644055']
[quote name='duck hook' timestamp='1404592300' post='9642611']
Vinegar removes the black finish in just a few minutes , I know because i've done it. Won't remove paintfill
[/quote]

Go give it a whirl and get back to us. Not the SM5's. It was one of the first things I tried. Had them in for 4 hours. White household kitchen vinegar 5% ph.
[/quote]Completely wrong. I took my sm5 raw black to raw with vinegar in under an hour. Works perfectly and ive taken over 20 wedges raw in my life using multiple techniques (coke, naval jelly, etc) I have a pic of my raw sm5 in my WITB. Vinegar works very well on the raw black finish.

Did my SM5's today, mainly with CLR. They turned out pretty well. I might try vinegar next time though, or have another go at these to get a slightly more even finish. The raw is great and, as much as I love the look of the black SM5's new, I think it will wear considerably better.

[attachment=2375607:SM5 Raw.jpg]

So- applying paint stripper to remove the paint fill does not do any hard to the raw black finish? I've got some saw black sm5s on order and may give it a go, too!

[quote name='Fore_Man' timestamp='1412516120' post='10238635']
So- applying paint stripper to remove the paint fill does not do any hard to the raw black finish? I've got some saw black sm5s on order and may give it a go, too!
[/quote]

Affirmative. Paint stripper will only strip (well, more like melt) the paint. It won't change the finish at all. Paint stripper will also remove paint without removing rust on raw wedges, or removing oil can finishes. It's weird stuff. You should see what it can do on antique furniture.

Cool thanks. Oh- I've seen it do magic on wood. It's wonderful stuff. I just want to be sure the black is unchanged.

Thanks for this!