Chrome peeling off of hickory mashie

Tumbleweed_1968 · June 5, 2018

Question:

Last week I picked up a couple of hickory clubs to add to my set of irons (no woods yet). One of them has peeling chrome & rust. The head is currently sitting in rust remover, but I am wondering if there is such a thing as chrome remover and what would the process be?

I'd like to see this club minus the chrome. It has "Mashie 4" stamped on the sole. The engraving is no longer legible on the back, except for "Al". That's all I can make out.

After I get this one fixed up, I plan on regripping all of my hickory clubs with leather. Hope to get this all done by July 4th weekend.

Also, if anyone has a line on a couple of reasonably priced woods, pm me please. Ideally I would like to have a 3 1/2 wood and something like a 7 wood. I think that would allow me to play best.

Thanks!

hollabachgt · June 5, 2018

If the chome is chipping off naturally you could most likely media blast off of the rest. You could also take the head to a chrome shop and they should be able to strip it for you.

majic · June 6, 2018

Old woods are the hardest part of finding playable old clubs. You would best to find a Brasdie or Spoon and a Cleek or Baffy for your lofted club.

Another way to clean irons is vinegar. Soak the head in it. For chrome you are best to have a chrome shop strip it fit you. Knock the pin out of hosel and take head to shop

ebeer · June 6, 2018

Unless a club is a valuable collector or fabulous player, I wouldn't mess with chrome alterations. If the face is clean, I just sand down any chrome flaking so it's smooth and play away. For the time, effort, and expense to mess with chrome you could find a suitable replacement sans the hassle (just my opinion of course).

I have a true ugly duckling MacGregor niblick...the chrome was peeling but face is clean. Light sanding to smooth and call it good. The club has nice loft, great playable weight, and believe it not just a touch of bounce. It's a player, and fine just like it is.

Tumbleweed_1968 · June 6, 2018

Old woods are the hardest part of finding playable old clubs. You would best to find a Brasdie or Spoon and a Cleek or Baffy for your lofted club.

True! I am having a dickens of a time finding one. I was thinking along the same lines as your suggestions, and am considering reproduction clubs. Considering that the woods would be used quite a bit, and that playable irons seem relatively easy to obtain around here, new reproductions might be a better way for me to go. They would change my cost per club ratio a bit tho.....

Tumbleweed_1968 · June 6, 2018

Unless a club is a valuable collector or fabulous player, I wouldn't mess with chrome alterations. If the face is clean, I just sand down any chrome flaking so it's smooth and play away. For the time, effort, and expense to mess with chrome you could find a suitable replacement sans the hassle (just my opinion of course).

I have a true ugly duckling MacGregor niblick...the chrome was peeling but face is clean. Light sanding to smooth and call it good. The club has nice loft, great playable weight, and believe it not just a touch of bounce. It's a player, and fine just like it is.

Mine is nothing like that. After soaking over night in rust remover, it actually polished up pretty good. So much so that I can now read the very light engraving. It's an "Al Winstou's" (but it could be "Winston's) and appears to have been made in Milwaukee, which is a bonus. I'll try to take pics tonight and post them...

hollabachgt · June 6, 2018

Old woods are the hardest part of finding playable old clubs. You would best to find a Brasdie or Spoon and a Cleek or Baffy for your lofted club.

True! I am having a dickens of a time finding one. I was thinking along the same lines as your suggestions, and am considering reproduction clubs. Considering that the woods would be used quite a bit, and that playable irons seem relatively easy to obtain around here, new reproductions might be a better way for me to go. They would change my cost per club ratio a bit tho.....

There are a couple of pretty nice looking Wilsonian driving brassies on ebay right now that may be worth a look. Those are good solid driving clubs that won't entirely break the bank. You should also look at getting a good driving iron, They can be great clubs to bridge the gap between playable woods and not having a club for the tee.

hollabachgt · June 6, 2018

Unless a club is a valuable collector or fabulous player, I wouldn't mess with chrome alterations. If the face is clean, I just sand down any chrome flaking so it's smooth and play away. For the time, effort, and expense to mess with chrome you could find a suitable replacement sans the hassle (just my opinion of course).

I have a true ugly duckling MacGregor niblick...the chrome was peeling but face is clean. Light sanding to smooth and call it good. The club has nice loft, great playable weight, and believe it not just a touch of bounce. It's a player, and fine just like it is.

I've been looking for an early Popular C model Niblick, If you're ever in parting with the club please let me know.

majic · June 7, 2018

If you are interested in reproductions please contact me as I may have a demo club for you. [email protected]

Tumbleweed_1968 · June 7, 2018

If you are interested in reproductions please contact me as I may have a demo club for you. [email protected]

Thank you! Will do.

deetsal · October 18, 2018

The inventor of chrome should be tared and featured. God invented stainless steel for a reason. :)

stixman · October 19, 2018

The inventor of chrome should be tared and featured. God invented stainless steel for a reason. :)

'Tared and featured' is much too good for these miscreants.

I would have them Tarred and Feathered !! That'll show them who they're messing with.

deetsal · October 25, 2018

The inventor of chrome should be tared and featured. God invented stainless steel for a reason. :)
'Tared and featured' is much too good for these miscreants.
I would have them Tarred and Feathered !! That'll show them who they're messing with.

Had a slow month, could not afford the extra "r". No worries things are better now.

gvogel · November 4, 2018

Old woods are the hardest part of finding playable old clubs. You would best to find a Brasdie or Spoon and a Cleek or Baffy for your lofted club.

True! I am having a dickens of a time finding one. I was thinking along the same lines as your suggestions, and am considering reproduction clubs. Considering that the woods would be used quite a bit, and that playable irons seem relatively easy to obtain around here, new reproductions might be a better way for me to go. They would change my cost per club ratio a bit tho.....

When it comes to woods, I think that reproductions are the way to go. If the original was good back in the day, it was probably subject to a lot of abuse, or at least a lot of wear and tear.

I remember that my father had a favorite Hillerich and Bradsby driver with a brass back weight. He got a lot of use out of that club, but his tendency was to strike the ball off the heel from time to time. At some point, the wood on the heel side of the face insert has worn away, and we had to have some epoxy added to the face, and sand it back down to make the club playable.

Imagine a really good driver from the 1920's, and if it were that good, it would have been played a lot. It would have corresponding issues with wear and tear, unless it was played by a great ball striker. If it was played by a great ball striker, it would probably be in a museum or hall of fame, or a trophy room in an old club house. And the shaft would have been too strong for 95% of us.

When it comes to woods, pick up a good brassie and something more lofted, and don't be ashamed that you are not playing an original. In a sense, every persimmon head shafted with a hickory shaft is an original. Some are simply more recent.