How do you Remove Shaft Pitting/Rust???

mattl2787 · January 11, 2009

One of my putter shafts has some pitting on it, and I want to get it the heck off! How should I go about doing this???

djl0657 · January 11, 2009

I would just replace it with a new shaft. Most .370 iron shafts will fit a putter, depending on how the hosel is configured. A slight amount of heat until the epoxy loosens and you pull the old shaft and reshaft with a new iron shaft. If you need a special, bent shaft there should be some available through MALTBY or GOLFWORKS. Hope this helps.

If you want to try and rub it out, I would try a metal polish (automotive store has several types, I like WESTLEY's CHROMEBRITE for my shafts). FLITZ, SIMICHROME, would be less abrasive alternatives, but all of the above might have a tough time getting pitting out of the shaft.

d0n · January 11, 2009

Neverdull - it works like a charm with little to no effort. Also cleans up the clubfaces very well. You can buy it at Walmart or a hardware store. It's pretty common.

Legolf · January 12, 2009

You might want to understand where the rust is starting from - from the outside or the inside.

Shafts do rust from the inside - in fact it's probably more common. I have seen two shafts fail on irons in-use, the shaft snaps mid swing and the flying head/shaft can be dangerous. And these shafts had no external visible sign of rusting prior to breakage.

Evidently not a danger problem with a putter, but if the shaft is rusting internally, then it's only a matter of time and you may as well bite the bullet and re-shaft.

Polishing will only remove the external surface "bloom" of colour. It will still be rusting underneath and will come back. To make a permanent fix you need to treat the rust (auto stores have solutions that convert the rust to something inert) and then seal the surface with a clear lacquer or some-such to prevent it starting up again.

You may want to do some gentle picking and probing to see how deep the rust goes - i.e. is it coming through from inside, but this may leave a larger unchromed patch that is visually distracting.

honketyhank · January 12, 2009

I agree with legolf except to go further than he does. If the rust has started from the inside, which is most likely, you will not be able to stop it, nor remove it. Polishes, removers, inhibitors are available and they will maybe make it look OK for a while if it is not really advanced and maybe slow it down. Never use steel wool, though.

The problem is really coming from condensation on the interior of the shaft. If you play in warm humid weather, and if air can get into the interior of the shaft via the vent hole in the butt of the grip, and if you then bring the clubs into a cooler environment, you will get condensation inside.

Whenever one puts a new grip on a club, one should make sure the butt of the shaft is sealed to prevent air circulation. Then, when practicing, do NOT jam tees or anything else into the vent hole of the grip to break that seal. Finally, if you suspect that seal has been broken, do not throw your putter into the pond after a suboptimal putt unless you intend to leave it there - breaking it over your knee will accomplish the same thing and at least you can sell the head.

sactown_golfer · January 12, 2009

Simple fix: very fine steel wool. I have used this to remove minor rust on my gamer. It does take some of the shine from the chrome shaft, but I sort of like that too. be sure to use the 00000 steel wool though or it will scratch.

Permanent fix: re-shaft

sactown_golfer · January 12, 2009

Simple fix: very fine steel wool. I have used this to remove minor rust on my gamer. It does take some of the shine from the chrome shaft, but I sort of like that too. be sure to use the 00000 steel wool though or it will scratch.

Permanent fix: re-shaft

honketyhank · January 12, 2009

Unless you want the buffed look on the shafts that can result from steel wool, try a scotch brite pad (the blue ones, no abrasive) plus a rust remover / polisher / rust inhibiter cream or paste. This stuff is available in automotive supply stores. If it is indeed surface pitting, the scotch brite should do the trick with just a little elbow grease.

The other drawback of steel wool is that it can leave microscopic bits of steel in the scratches and these can rust later on giving you little brown spots on the chrome.