1958 Walter Hagen Blades

[cold_war_era_golfer]

I’m not sure what to do with these.

 

I purchased them off Facebook market place and when I got them home they seemed shorter than my other clubs.

 

I hastily relisted them for sale. But now I’m wondering if I could/should try to lengthen them.  About .75 of an inch.

 

What would you do?

 

[Stephen8802]

I just lengthened  a set of '56 Wilson Staffs and it is one of the easiest repairs you can do. I love the look and feel of the old clubs, but I'm 6' 3" and my swing was grooved around '85 staffs, so I really need something about that length. (I also choke down to that length on my modern clubs because my swing doesn't work 3/4 of an inch longer either). I added 1/2 inch, then counter weighted them with 12 gram counter weights to keep them at D2ish, slipped on some new grips, and they are wonderful. So I say modify and keep.

 

If you haven't done this before, it is just a few steps. Take off a grip and measure the shaft size. Buy the correct sized steel extenders from Golfworks; they come two sides per extension, so you need 1/2 the number of extensions as the number of clubs. While you are putting in the order, buy some lead counterweights and grips. (I buy everything from Golfworks but grips and buy Mint grips directly from the manufacturer because I grip so many clubs it is too expensive to use name grips... and the Mint grips feel great). If you don't have a swingweight scale, just buy the 8 or 12 gram counterweights...12 worked for me, so that would be a decent guess.

 

When you get the extensions, cut each one in half. Epoxy all the extension halfs into the shafts and let them dry. You may need to use a round file to clean the inside of the shaft if it isn't smooth. Then cut to desired length, I went 1/2 inch, and epoxy in the counter weights. I use a bench grinder with a cut off blade to cut my shafts, but a pipe cutter also works. The counter weights add another 1/8 inch in length, which requires more weight. When I first weighted out the clubs with the new grips and extended shafts, it looked like I would need 8 grams, but with the extra 1/8 inch, 12 grams were got me closer to D2.

 

On another note, I recently started blowing on my grips with a compressor instead of tape and solvent and I'm a convert. Easy, quick, clean, and they come off easily. Much more civilized than tape.

[Jiggered]

To me they look too good a set to mess with, if they don't suit your height I'd move them on to someone who can play them as they are.

[raggal62]

As Stephen8802 says, lengthening is a relatively simple task. He explains the procedure very well.

 

The originality of these were lost when they were regripped, hence I would experiment and first lengthen just one club, say the 7 iron. If you like the results then extend them all. If not then pull the extension and reinstall the grip. No harm/no foul. Those Lamkin grips should blow off without too much trouble. Just my 2c.

 

 

 

[Stephen8802]

That's a good point, it is easily reversible. If you use shafting epoxy, you can break the epoxy bind with a heat gun and get them right back to where you started.

 

On another note, the design looks a lot like my '56 staffs, so I would say they are definitely keepers.

 

 

Edited September 22, 2020 by Stephen8802

[deejaid]

These are a beautiful set of irons.  I am jealous as I’ve wanted a set for awhile and I’ve not seen a set in as good of condition as yours.  These Haig’s were the Hagen version of the 1958 Wilson Dynapowered irons which I think are one of the most playable designs of that era.   
 

At this point they have had the original grips replaced so there is no reason not to extend them a tad to make them more playable for you.  Clubs from that era were definitely shorter, I ended up selling my beautiful 1958 Dynapowered’s as they were all original and too short for my 6’2” frame.   I’d love to find a set again in condition  just like yours, beautiful, original chrome but replacement grips so I’d feel no remorse lengthening them.

 

Do what you need to do to make them playable or send them my way, I’d gladly extend them and put them in play!?

[Stephen8802]

I sold a perfect set of '66 Staffs for the same reason. They were too original to strip the grips and too short to play. I was thrilled to find my last set with crappy 70's rubber grips and cut them off the shaft as soon as I could. I really regretted letting my '66s go but was rewarded by the thrift store gods with my last find. In the future, I won't hesitate to cut off leather if the clubs are keepers...getting these clubs back in play is the most important thing for me.

[cold_war_era_golfer]

This could be a GREAT project for me when it gets cold here in the Chicagoland area!

Thanks for the tips I may attempt it and I may be back with more questions.

Would anyone know what size these are?

Golfworks sells:  .560, .580., .600, .620

 

That said, I took the '58 Haigs and my '81 FG-17s to the chipping area this morning.  Played the 7-SWs for both sets.  
I must really stink because I hit them both pretty much the same.

The Haigs are the oldest club I have hit a ball with and I have to say it's a magical feeling and sound when you hit them right.

 

For the record I'm 6'2.

 

 

Edited September 22, 2020 by oldpinggolfer

[Stephen8802]

You should probably pull a grip and measure the OD, but my Staffs from that era (green band Rocket shafts) are .580.

 

If you wait until it gets cold, you will have to epoxy indoors...it needs to be above 65 degrees. No big deal, just protect your work area; I have a bad habit of smearing epoxy all over the place like a kid with frosting.

Edited September 22, 2020 by Stephen8802

[BEK1966]

I think you should keep the set and take on the project of lengthening the shafts.  The fact that the grips are not original is the perfect green-light to proceed!

 

I have the same experience when I compare the 70-71 Hagen Ultradynes to the 70-71 Button Back Staff Models - I must stink too!  Pretty much the same clubs.  Kind of like comparing Chevrolets and Oldsmobiles, or Fords and Mercurys from the same era.

 

Regards,

Brad

[cold_war_era_golfer]

Thanks guys!  
You convinced me and I went ahead and ordered new grips from Mint.

Now I just have to pull one of the pre-existing grips and measure.

 

 

[cold_war_era_golfer]

Alright first question:

Should I buy a shaft cutter for this project?

 

[raggal62]

Those ProFit "R" should be .580".

You can use a tubing cutter or a cutoff wheel on a Dremel tool. I use a cutoff wheel on a bench grinder.

[cold_war_era_golfer]

Here’s an interesting discovery for me at least.

 

I have been gaming an early 80s JP Wilson SW and PW.   Ironically they are the same size as their Hagen counterparts.  

 

 

[russad]

How about you play a round with them as they are? You might find that you can easily adapt to the shorter length. 

[HoganApexBlades]

BUMP...3 1/2 years later.

[HoganApexBlades]

What did you do with the '58 Hagens???

[cold_war_era_golfer]

I traded them to a fellow vintage golfer who held on to them for 2 years.  He then traded them back to me.  I had since evolved into a Spalding fan but had some great rounds with a set of 60-61 Wilson Dyna-Powereds that I thought I'd try those '58 Haigs again.  I sold them on eBay as to I had too many sets.  I'm down to one set of Haigs 1960.  They are nice but I'll be selling them in the future.  Spalding is my groove.