Spalding TPM Putters

I've become enamored with the Spalding TP Mills putters, specifically the 1984 line. I recently refinished a #5 and #3 with a gun blue and love the look. I stumbled upon a #14 (the mallet, 1987) and sanded it down to raw metal. But when I went to blue it, it had no effect, leading me to believe this model is made from an alloy. Has anyone else experienced this? I bought a new bottle of blue to verify it hadn't gone bad, but no avail. I'm considering taking it to a shop to get black oxide. Gamed it for nine holes and finished with 14 putts (good for me).

Welcome to the world of putter saving, ;). You have chosen the best line, IMHO, to invest time into and to learn from for little investment.

TPM Spalding putters were great, simple designs that you can find fairly easily and not for a large ticket. I did the same thing and have learned a ton from TP's designs, as well as many others.

The only challenge with the TPM putters is that you never really know what material was used to cast or forge the heads, unless there is tell-tale rust on the surface. I asked Tad Moore once about this situation and he said simply that TP had so many locations casting these putters that maintaining or even requiring a set material to be used on them, was a never a priority. I even had a LH TPM-7 melt under only the heat from a Propane torch. I was shooting for a torched blue finish and after a few minutes of heat, the surface began to bubble followed by the head just falling off the neck. Yes, I was more than a little baffled, but I learned from it and kept going.

About the only sure-fire way to determine what material is to single out slightly rusted or very rusted examples and use only these for projects that you intend to gun blue or have oxide dipped. The others will be great candidates for polymer finishes, if you should choose to dabble in that arena.

Good luck and enjoy the journey. In most cases, the journey will be one that pays dividends far beyond any cash reward. There is always something special about pulling the cover off of a putter that your own hands brought back to life, :).

Pix are always a great treat for the guys here. After all, we're guys and visual is what it is all about, LOL.

LaMont in AZ

Ha. Nailed it. This one had almost no rust compared to the first two rust buckets I got. Thanks, Lamont. I'm going to look into polymer. I'd love to come close to that black matte, white fill original look. I'm also trying to find a modern grip that has that tapered feel of the original TPM grips. Attached some eye candy for ya. ;)

Any chance of posting pics of the ones you finished?

Any chance of posting pics of the ones you finished?

I second the motion

Well, this was my first attempt at a refinish.

Great...now I wanna buy one of these and have you redo it :p

Very nice work sir.

I have one of these in my storage unit that I don't know what to do with, model 17. I should send it to you!

I've got 5-6 more though I've just gotta find em. They're around the house in closets?

The 7 & 16 are sweet sticks!

My Best?

RP

Love the Pens cover RP.

Do the feel of these compare to any modern putters?

I have one of these in my storage unit that I don't know what to do with, model 17. I should send it to you!

Is it rusted. As LaMont indicated, that would be a sign that it is cast of carbon steel, and gun blue finish would be possible.

I have one of these in my storage unit that I don't know what to do with, model 17. I should send it to you!

 

Is it rusted. As LaMont indicated, that would be a sign that it is cast of carbon steel, and gun blue finish would be possible.

no it's not rusted, it's also the gun metal color with bronze paint fill. It's the exact one in Fored4Evers post on the upper right side, minus the restoration. It was my first ever putter.

I have one of these in my storage unit that I don't know what to do with, model 17. I should send it to you!

 

Is it rusted. As LaMont indicated, that would be a sign that it is cast of carbon steel, and gun blue finish would be possible.

 

no it's not rusted, it's also the gun metal color with bronze paint fill. It's the exact one in Fored4Evers post on the upper right side, minus the restoration. It was my first ever putter.

Well you have to keep that, and show it some TLC. I'll post pics of this #14 after I do it. It's going to be a polymer. We'll see how it turns out.

This is the piece... Sanded and stripped. I somehow roped my buddy who refinishes antique bicycles into this charade...gonna be fun. We're going black gloss.... I already know that I LOVE this putter (played two rounds and it altered my mind on the greens) so it's all gravy.

That is beautiful mate.

How was that finish done?

Got a couple of old steel putters in similar condition to yours on July 3rd, I'm thinking of refinishing them myself and yours looks sweeeet.

We did this with acrylic automotive paints. It will be interesting to see how the finish holds up. Anyone have experience? Or suggestions?

One of the best putters I ever used was TPM 1... not to thread jack, some great refinishing work here.

Question for you Spalding TPM guru's. I've got a Spalding TPM 4 (not roman numeral) that I'm refinishing by buffing up and polishing.

I think it is stainless steel, it certainly looks just like a SS putter. But it has a certain amount of magnetism to it. Does that mean it will contain some carbon steel?

And if so, what would be my refinishing (coloring) options? Would it take cold gun bluing, or would have to be hot bluing?

I previously tried torching it, but it was a very poor look and finish, so I've buffed it back to bare again. It will look nice polished, but probably too glaring in our sun over here.

TIA for any info.

Thought I'd share my collection of Spalding TPM's. The original Roman Numeral Touring Pro Model series.

So far I've got I, III, V and VI.

Will try to complete the set up to IX if I can. But really on the lookout next for the IV because my other collection is 8802/Napa style putters.

My first 4 in the collection are all pretty well worn and ripe for restoration. I'd love to get them all black nickel finished but cost might prohibit that. plus finding someone locally (Brisbane Australia) that can do it).

I'd welcome any other suggestions of finishes to put on these. I also have a numbered series 4 that I simply buffed and polished to a shine that looks nice (see my last post above). But a bit hard to play in our bright sun over here. Not sure if heating will turn out well because they are all (I'm lead to believe) different metals, and you never know exactly what they are made of.

3 of the 4 also have the original Spalding grip. So if I can find a III with that original grip I'll swap out my current one that has a newer Pure grip on it.

Here's some pics.

I've had most of them over the past 10 years or so, but the only ones I've held onto are the VIII and IX. I cleaned up, torched, and replaced the wood on the back of the VIII, and the IX is this year's winter project. The one I've never had that I really would like to try is the V - I'm kind of a mallet guy.

I've had most of them over the past 10 years or so, but the only ones I've held onto are the VIII and IX. I cleaned up, torched, and replaced the wood on the back of the VIII, and the IX is this year's winter project. The one I've never had that I really would like to try is the V - I'm kind of a mallet guy.

Love what you've done with that VIII. That new wooden back looks sweet.

I've had most of them over the past 10 years or so, but the only ones I've held onto are the VIII and IX. I cleaned up, torched, and replaced the wood on the back of the VIII, and the IX is this year's winter project. The one I've never had that I really would like to try is the V - I'm kind of a mallet guy.

 

Love what you've done with that VIII. That new wooden back looks sweet.

It is from a chunk of walnut and took me a couple tries to get it shaped just right. I still have the rest of the chunk and will use it for the IX backing as well. Honestly, it's my gamer. I have a GSS insert TP Mills Sycamore and a TP Mills Heritage that was made for a former tour player, and I still prefer the old woody!

Love that you game that!

Those are some great looking Putters fellas!!

I have a couple similar Spalding Putters in brass(I think), but they are not TP Mills versions that I know of. I’ll see if I can dig up some pics, maybe one of the experts in here might know a thing or two about them :)

I like the Spalding TPM 12 cavity head design, but the monster hosel offset I don't. Searched and searched for same head with slight offset. Studio design 1.5 is it (see pic), but I don't like the bottom flange sight line. So it finally dawned on me to take the 12, and bend the hosel to eliminate most of the offset (check out all the kinks). And I added my preferred sight line in the locale that fits my address. It's custom, it's mine, and I am loving it. I may put a little more effort into the finish, but I just couldn't wait to get it in action. Before pics also.

Mint!