Pitting / rusting on new shafts

Long story short, I bought a custom fit set of Rogue Pro irons and MD4 wedges with KBS tour X 130 shafts in April. By June they had developed a small amount of pitting or rust on each of the shafts. Fortunately Callaway agreed to reshaft the irons and my wedges at the time under warranty.

However I have just noticed the pitting has appeared again. I don't understand how this can happen again. I don't think I am doing anything wrong. I am very careful to make sure I wipe dry any wet clubs (even though it has been a bone dry winter over here in Australia) and I store my clubs inside.

I am looking for some advice on the following:

1. Do you think it is reasonable for me to go back again and request that the issue be rectified?
   
2. Is there a known issue with KBS shafts being more prone to rust than other steel shafts? If so should I request they be reshafted with a different shaft.
   
3. Is there anything else I can do to prevent this happening or the rust getting worse?
   

Thanks.

I must say I have not heard this.

I play TourV which are chromed and they have no issues after 32 months now.

Maybe has to do with the brushed finish of C Tapers.

Edit.....see if you can switch out to the limited edition Black ones that just came out. Look cool and are coated.

https://goo.gl/images/M3E1gm

I must say I have not heard this.

 

I play TourV which are chromed and they have no issues after 32 months now.

 

Maybe has to do with the brushed finish of C Tapers.

 

Edit.....see if you can switch out to the limited edition Black ones that just came out. Look cool and are coated.

 

 

https://goo.gl/images/M3E1gm

Thanks for the reply. The shafts are the standard KBS tour shafts in X flex, not the C Tapers.

Those black shafts do look awesome though!

I must say I have not heard this.

 

I play TourV which are chromed and they have no issues after 32 months now.

 

Maybe has to do with the brushed finish of C Tapers.

 

Edit.....see if you can switch out to the limited edition Black ones that just came out. Look cool and are coated.

 

 

https://goo.gl/images/M3E1gm

 

Thanks for the reply. The shafts are the standard KBS tour shafts in X flex, not the C Tapers.

 

Those black shafts do look awesome though!

That’s even more surprising, but you can get the Tour in black too.

https://www.golfworks.com/kbs-tour-custom-black-355-steel-iron-shafts/p/fs0028/

Certainly an upcharge but since it’s the third time maybe they help you. Call KBS customer service for sure and explain.

I have KBS Tour V in my current set of RSi TPs that I've played regularly for the last 2-3 years, and I play a lot in NE Ohio Falls/Winters where there is a pretty big temp difference from house to course. I have no pitting on these. I also have a set of C-Tapers in my back-up bag that stays in the trunk most of the time, and have no pitting on those either. Used to have the original Tours in my back-up to the back-up bag, and never had any issues with those.

My biggest concern with my KBS shafts is tip bending (common issue) and rust forming on the INSIDE of the shafts from condensation forming from going from warm to cold temps in the Fall/Winter. I always check the insides of the shafts when re-gripping, and haven't had a problem yet.

**Edit** Guess what I'm saying is, this is not a "common" problem. Maybe Callaway AUS got a bad batch of shafts from KBS?

It’s that weird Australian humidity south of the equator. Does all sorts of strange things.

**Edit** Guess what I'm saying is, this is not a "common" problem. Maybe Callaway AUS got a bad batch of shafts from KBS?

That was definitely the suggestion when I had them reshafted back in June.

It’s that weird Australian humidity south of the equator. Does all sorts of strange things.

Haha no humidity this time of year. But December - March is rough in Queensland, 90 degrees and hotter with 85%+ humidity... very shvitzy!

Why not get another KBS shaft from another source and put it in an old beater wedge/demo head? You don't even have to play it, just keep it in your bag for a while and see if it shows the same conditions.

I just spoke with the fitter. He said to try a very light application of WD40 with a rag to all of the shafts and if that doesnt stop the pitting getting worse or if I am not happy with the result they will sort it out because it should not be happening. Guess it helps when you do all your club ho'ing through on person!

Definitely interested in the experiment of finding a second hand club with a KBS tour shaft and leaving that in the bag to see what happens!

Do whatever works easiest for YOU, but in my opinion that's a BS copout - Seriously!

What other clubs have you ever had where you need to keep the chrome plated steel shafts coated with WD40 to keep them from being defective in a few months? I'd be having a serious talk with my "club fitter". It's nice he's trying to work with you, but you shouldn't have to go through that, and he shouldn't ask you to. I'd ask him if you would need to keep WD40 on a set of Dynamic Golds or Nippons as well, or if it's just KBS, because I guarantee no one else in any other part of the world is swiping down their KBS shafts every few rounds.

Do whatever works easiest for YOU, but in my opinion that's a BS copout - Seriously!

 

What other clubs have you ever had where you need to keep the chrome plated steel shafts coated with WD40 to keep them from being defective in a few months? I'd be having a serious talk with my "club fitter". It's nice he's trying to work with you, but you shouldn't have to go through that, and he shouldn't ask you to. I'd ask him if you would need to keep WD40 on a set of Dynamic Golds or Nippons as well, or if it's just KBS, because I guarantee no one else in any other part of the world is swiping down their KBS shafts every few rounds.

I probably didn't give enough context. I called him and explained that it seemed to be happening again and asked if there is anything I could to prevent it getting worse, to which he suggested a light application of WD40. He then said if I wasnt happy to bring them back in and he would get it sorted.

If there is something quick and easy I can do to prevent it, then that would be good because I dont want to be without my clubs for 2 weeks while they are sent away to Callaway for reshafting.

EBIT: But yes it is very frustrating. These are supposed to be premium shafts and it is rubbish that they have rusted up on me twice in 4 months when we have had zero wet weather

Twice in 4 months is not acceptable for me. You know what they say, Fool me Once-Shame on you, Fool me Twice-Shame on me.

Do you not have a backup set of irons/wedges you can rely on at this point? If not, that's on you, as everyone on this site knows you always need to have a backup, and possibly another backup in case something happens to the first backup set :happy:.

Like I already said, I can't judge YOUR situation, but I would be extremely pixxed of if this happened to me twice, and I'd be explaining to the fitter that either he or Callaway AUS got a bad batch of shafts.

You live near the beach mate?

The only time I've seen corrosion on chromed shafts is when they are 20-30 years old. Maybe you ran into a batch of shafts that have defective plating. If you do live near the ocean then all bets are off

It is possible to have the batch of shafts not properly chrome plated. IS there a way you could find out if the two sets are from the same batch of shafts ?

Or the shafts could be exposed to chemicals by application ( cleaning ) or, in the environment ( in the air, or physical contact ). Heavy salt in the air near the ocean might cause early corrosion. It is known to us the automobile from the Hawaiian islands or near oceans will have premature rust.

Florida also have heavy sulfur in the air from the topography of marsh lands.

It is possible to have the batch of shafts not properly chrome plated. IS there a way you could find out if the two sets are from the same batch of shafts ?

Or the shafts could be exposed to chemicals by application ( cleaning ) or, in the environment ( in the air, or physical contact ). Heavy salt in the air near the ocean might cause early corrosion. It is known to us the automobile from the Hawaiian islands or near oceans will have premature rust.

Florida also have heavy sulfur in the air from the topography of marsh lands.

I like this post. Is there something you are doing to the clubs/shafts to try to clean them? I hadn't thought of that, but if you are introducing a foreign chemical that reacts badly with the chrome plating that could be an issue. Any change to your routine from previous sets?

You live near the beach mate?

No, at least 10 miles in from the coast.

It is possible to have the batch of shafts not properly chrome plated. IS there a way you could find out if the two sets are from the same batch of shafts ?

Or the shafts could be exposed to chemicals by application ( cleaning ) or, in the environment ( in the air, or physical contact ). Heavy salt in the air near the ocean might cause early corrosion. It is known to us the automobile from the Hawaiian islands or near oceans will have premature rust.

Florida also have heavy sulfur in the air from the topography of marsh lands.

 

I like this post. Is there something you are doing to the clubs/shafts to try to clean them? I hadn't thought of that, but if you are introducing a foreign chemical that reacts badly with the chrome plating that could be an issue. Any change to your routine from previous sets?

No chemicals when cleaning, just a wet towel then a dry towel.

You live near the beach mate?

 

No, at least 10 miles in from the coast.

 

It is possible to have the batch of shafts not properly chrome plated. IS there a way you could find out if the two sets are from the same batch of shafts ?

Or the shafts could be exposed to chemicals by application ( cleaning ) or, in the environment ( in the air, or physical contact ). Heavy salt in the air near the ocean might cause early corrosion. It is known to us the automobile from the Hawaiian islands or near oceans will have premature rust.

Florida also have heavy sulfur in the air from the topography of marsh lands.

 

I like this post. Is there something you are doing to the clubs/shafts to try to clean them? I hadn't thought of that, but if you are introducing a foreign chemical that reacts badly with the chrome plating that could be an issue. Any change to your routine from previous sets?

 

No chemicals when cleaning, just a wet towel then a dry towel.

It is as simple as whether the object itself had quality control issue or , outside agent (s) made the change .

I would not be surprised if it's the former.

One, there is no manufacturing process under one roof these days, very difficult for implementing quality control when using sub-contracting method to reduce cost.

Two as the technology advanced, everything is supposed to be pushed to the limit by using cost reduction method. I would not be surprised the plating process was changed to produce the desired appearance and reducing cost. When cutting the edge too close, the tolerance level will bordering the failure level closely.

I would contact the OEM and question if these two sets of shafts were from the same batch of production ( or close in production date ) and whether there was any other similar issue from other users. I know for a fact that many, many of the factories in SE Asia had moved to another location ) province ) to avoid rising cost from labor and land lease. Some even escaped the original Country ( or contemplating of moving the plants in the near future ).

They owe you an explanation of what may have caused the pitting on the chrome plating, whether they suspect an outside agent was at fault or because of the failure of the product itself.

The OEM will never know ( or care, for that matter ) had there been no question raised for the quality of their products.