Difference between these 2 KBS shafts

HI there WRX,

New to the forum. Just a quick one. I bought a set of used Taylormade MC irons with KBS shafts and I just noticed the 6 iron shaft sticker is different. They are all KBS Tour by FST but all the irons have an "X" on the top right corner of the KBS sticker except for the 6 iron shaft.

Are these the same or is the 6 iron shaft a different flex?

Thanks to all!

Put your clubs on a grams scale and take notes, they should be average 7 grams apart, if your #6 iron is S flex, that iron would be about 5 grams lower weight than expected. (very close to the #5 iron wgt)

Thanks! Very interesting. I have measured and the flex seems to be the same for the 6 iron. Interesting is that from the 7 iron upwards the weights go unpredictable.

Here's the weights I got with an electronic digital scale that measures in grams:

Just be aware of that GRIPs often has a tolerance of plus minus 3.5 grams, so "worse case scenario" is that a set matched 100%, but where grip weights is to each end can end up with the same total wgt. The only number i find strange is your #9 iron, the others is "typical OEM" and nothing strange at all.

I think the 9 iron is like that because I have bought another head and put it on the same shaft as the sweet spot on the old one was completely worn .

I've ordered replacement KBS shafts from Golfworks on multiple occasions and they may or may not come with the same labels as the "originals". I always assumed it has to due with when the labels were created, or possibly they make different ones for OEMS vs resellers? Perhaps the 6 iron was recently replaced, judging by condition of it compared to the other one you posted?

As to the overall weights being all over the place, perhaps a previous owner reshafted without a SW scale and just cut the shafts to length and slapped them in there? It would be interesting if you could get them swingweighted just to see how they come out. I just reshafted a set of TM P770 yesterday, and even with the factory installed tip weights still in place, the 5 iron raw head weight was still way off. I had to drill out some material from inside the hosel to try to get it more in line with where it should be. It's still heavier than I'd like, but within "my" tolerances.

Could he not figure this out via the step pattern/first step measurement?

Yes thats a good idea. I'll try and find someone that can test the swing weights even though its quite tough here in Italy, especially at the moment!! :-)

No problem, you already have a gram scale, and since you are in Italy, i expect you to have access to a metric ruler. On top of that you need a vice and a knife and a piece of painters tape.

Put the knife in the vise with the sharp edge UP.

Put the club on one finger to find the approximate balance point, and put a small piece of painters tape at that spot.

Now put the club on the knife edge, and move it back and forward until it can rest perfectly flat.

Push the club down against the knife blade so the knife edge makes a mark in the painter tape (thats why we added the tape, we dont want marks on the shaft)

Now measure length from the butt end of the club and down to the BP in millimeters and take notes, put it on the gram scale and take notes.

Make sure you measure distance to BP as precise as possible, the best is to let the ruler start against a wall you can push the butt of the club onto as point zero

Do this with all clubs, and go to this address where you enter total wgt and distance to BP, and the webpage returns a SW value.http://www.leaderboard.com/SWINGWT.HTM

If you do your job right, the web want fool you, its very precise.

Wow. Thanks a lot. Will definitely give it a go!

Kbs marks their shafts on the but end. There is a sticker and an etching. The sticker usually comes off pretty easily so you will likely have to find the etching. The shaft model, flex and club number (for taper tip) is etched very lightly. You would have to remove the grip and tape and clean is to find it. Not ideal since you have to remove the grip but it’s an option.

Not to be argumentative, but in my personal experience they label them with either a sticker or an etching, not both. If it was a sticker only, you'll be wasting your effort pulling the grip and tape as the sticker will likely be left unreadable, if even still intact. I happen to have a brand new KBS Tour sitting around here that I just inspected and it is definitely a sticker only, no etching or ink-jetting.

Yeah and likely to be cut off from the butt end upon trimming to final length as that sticker is right on the end. Sometimes and I mean sometimes I will write in permanent marker on the butt end of the shaft if there is no etching or writing that will remain on shaft, but then again it's not a practice as I don't buy/make a club with the intent on selling it!

Since KBS has the same step pattern, the fast and easy is to judge them by weight, and they can be seen just like DG Sub flexes where 5 grams is 5 CPM like there is from DG S200 to DG S400 or KBS Tour S to S+ since its 5 grams and half a flex or 5 CPM between both. Thats the nature of constant weight shafts, weight is flex...1 gram is 1 CPM average, so if step pattern is the same and weight is 10 grams apart its 10 CPM or a full flex.

Wish I had known about the etching. I just received my new i500s with C-Tapers. I asked that they not be gripped as that's a personal thing for me. BTW... I ordered them through Club Champion. When they arrived the stickers were in an odd place. Going to grip my first club I realized I was going to have to remove all the stickers as they were too high on the shafts and would be partially covered by the grips. Being brand new the stickers came right off. The only thing I noticed was under 1 of them there was a green sharpie mark. I was marking the shafts so I didn't tape too far.

But... I emailed KBS about a week later. It asked to fill the box explaining the problem. It also had me fill in my info. 7 days later I had 7 new stickers in a hand written envelope in my mail box. At least now I get to sticker them where I want to. Under side, out of site.

LOL...in another tread CC dont seem to be able to get SW values correct, but they state they have unmatched tolerances...yeah right

KBS Shaft labels is added on the Second FULL step below the grip, and if we have not added the grips yet, just measure 10 inch down and set a mark, thats the area the grip will cover,

On Dynamic Gold and other models with shorter steps we use step #3 below the grip

PS! we dont really need shaft labels, most shafts looks better without....just saying

C-Tapers don't have steps.

Granted, the 10in could have been solid advice. I really don't know who put the stickers on, actually. But KBS did replace them at no cost and I got to place them on the heel side.

Are they KBS Tours? The sticker will say. I’ve played these for several years, and if I remember correctly KBS redid the sticker design a few years ago. Could be the same shaft but with different generation shaft bands.

I order my shafts straight from KBS and they come with stickers and etching. They put it low enough that it isn’t cut off when butt cutting to length. It’s VERY light. Easy to miss.