Best Iron Refinishing Options: The Iron Factory, Ralph Maltby Golf Works or Other

[HoosBadg]

I want to restore my father's set of Walter Hagen, Haig Ultra irons from the 70s.  When I was a teenager, not wanting to play my brother's hand-me-down Northwestern irons, I would sneak the old man's Haigs out of his trunk to go play them. Does this clandestine operation sound familiar to anyone of a certain age out there ?  I have looked at The Iron Works and Ralph Maltby Golf works and am looking for feedback on either of these two or any other company that does a great job.

[EDT501]

I had a set of irons done by Dough Oughton this year and the results completely blew me away. They were my clubs from high school and were very, very beat up and they came back looking like new (large sole gauges filled & smoothed, all bag chatter gone, grooves looking perfect even though I didn't spec re-grooving, etc.). Granted, I had mine stripped raw, but he offers re-plating and based on my experience his work is exceptional. Prices and turnaround were great too.

[golfunderpar18]

Haven’t used him before but see lots of his work on Facebook.  Looks great.  https://www.flaniganbiltputters.com
 

[AdExec]

I had a set of Titleist 681t refinished by the iron factory. Solid work overall. Sloppy paint fill. The tour chrome finish they use isn’t a standard high polish chrome but looks fantastic. There are some random buffing marks and you can see some areas where dings were smoothed but very nicely done for the most part. 

[NRJyzr]

I admit I've read enough negative stories in golf forums regarding Iron Factory work that I'd be leery of sending my own stuff there.  And then there's this...

 

As it happens, I own a set of clubheads that were rechromed there.  Bought them from the guy who had them rechromed, they'd been just sitting around since that time as backups.  I bought a set of shafts to use in these clubs.  As I started the dry fitting process, I noticed the shaft was loose in the PW.

 

Turns out it was bored parallel.  Not the "best part" of the story, though....  only three of the clubheads are bored parallel, the other six are .355 bore.

 

Flavors my view of that company.

 

Edited December 18, 2020 by NRJyzr

[deejaid]

I can second Doug Oughton at Oughton’s Golf in Sacramento.  He did 3 sets of Hogan irons for me and they all came out spectacular.  Nice guy to deal with and good prices too.

[Bruceapex]

The iron factory ruined a set of otherwise perfect hogan apex redlines that I sent him to refinish...sloppy work on the faces, didn’t cut new groves as directed and re griped them with the wrong grip even though I stapled a cut sheet of the lambkin grip I wanted to EACH club. Not only was the workmanship lacking, the guy was a total ....what’s the word I’m looking for, I wonder?....hmmmm

not only did he do poor work and used the wrong grips, and neglected to re- groove them, when I called him to discuss what I should do now, he told me I was “one of the impossible to please hogan guys”. Never even got the correct grips from him to correct his mistake in re-gripping.

I wouldn’t send anyone his way if hell froze over....and I’m being way to polite about it

[Scully13]

I have some had some work done by both ir0nfac0ry and Doug Oughton.

 

Ir0nfact0ry was more pricey and the quality and the workmanship has slipped in my opinion. He has been inundated by vintage hogans from overseas (we all know the dude with the vintage refinished Hogans) and is probably very sick and tired of people sending in Hogans to be restored to their original glory and expect new mint perfection. 

 

I have gotten to know Doug Oughton and I consider him to be the premier club refinisher in North America. 

 

His work is outstanding and he is the most honest golf pro on this planet. I have developed a great friendship with Doug and I look forward to the day when I can visit Doug in his shop and play a round of golf with him. Being from Canada there are many challenges in doing this during this global pandemic.

 

I highly recommend Doug for his professionalism and quality of work. The guy really knows his stuff.

 

Steven

[dcr147]

Google Ken Findlay. He has some of his refinished work for sale on eBay. Pricy but very good.

[JimmyC59]

On 12/19/2020 at 3:26 AM, deejaid said:

I can second Doug Oughton at Oughton’s Golf in Sacramento.  He did 3 sets of Hogan irons for me and they all came out spectacular.  Nice guy to deal with and good prices too.

I had Doug Oughton regroove and polish my 1980s era Wilson R90 SW. I didn't realize it was Stainless and not Chromed. It came out fantastic.  I just got it today and can't wait to give it a "spin" tomorrow. Great price too!

[stimpmeterp]

Curious if the same names are still on top of their game or if there’s anyone else doing iron restoaration?

[raggal62]

6 hours ago, stimpmeterp said:

Curious if the same names are still on top of their game or if there’s anyone else doing iron restoaration?

Specifically are you looking for stainless or chrome plating service? Or both?

[stimpmeterp]

2 hours ago, raggal62 said:

Specifically are you looking for stainless or chrome plating service? Or both?

I’m looking to refinish an old set of MacGregor MT blades that are currently chrome and would like them refurbished and regrooved.  I’d do chrome or satin finish.

[raggal62]

4 minutes ago, stimpmeterp said:

I’m looking to refinish an old set of MacGregor MT blades that are currently chrome and would like them refurbished and regrooved.  I’d do chrome or satin finish.

Ken Flanigan or Doug Oughton would be my choices for consistent quality. The Iron Factory can be hit or miss.

[NRJyzr]

3 hours ago, raggal62 said:

Ken Flanigan or Doug Oughton would be my choices for consistent quality. The Iron Factory can be hit or miss.

 

I have a set rechromed by Iron Factory.  The rechroming itself was fine, but the clubheads now have three of them with a .370 bore, the other six in their original .355 bore.  🤔

 

[stimpmeterp]

4 minutes ago, NRJyzr said:

 

I have a set rechromed by Iron Factory.  The rechroming itself was fine, but the clubheads now have three of them with a .370 bore, the other six in their original .355 bore.  🤔

 

 

My experience with them was also less than ideal - had them refinish a sentimental Spalding Cash-In.

[Swingingk]

On 2/24/2022 at 10:45 AM, NRJyzr said:

 

I have a set rechromed by Iron Factory.  The rechroming itself was fine, but the clubheads now have three of them with a .370 bore, the other six in their original .355 bore.  🤔

 

That's weird.  I wonder why they did that?  Maybe they subbed in some other heads that they though were in better condition?

[NRJyzr]

20 minutes ago, Swingingk said:

That's weird.  I wonder why they did that?  Maybe they subbed in some other heads that they though were in better condition?

 

They're 986 Tours, not terribly common.  My guess is someone took instructions for another set and applied them to this set.

 

I haven't decided if I'm going to ream the others to 370, or just shim the three heads in question. 

 

 

[chisag]

On 12/18/2020 at 6:51 AM, NRJyzr said:

I admit I've read enough negative stories in golf forums regarding Iron Factory work that I'd be leery of sending my own stuff there. 

 

 

... Probably me amigo LOL. I sent my cherished 588 LW to the IF to have it re-chromed in a satin finish but it came back shiny chrome. Sent it back and he did it again with the correct satin finish. It was early in my golf equipment life and didn't know anything about the process so you can imagine my shock when the swing weight was reduced form D6 to C5!?!?! He tells me every time they remove chrome they strip off some of the metal and since he did it twice the swing weight was going to be reduced by quite a bit. WTF? 

... About 10 years later I gave him another chance with some Scratch Wedges and it was just as bad with a very poor quality finish. Never again. 

[NRJyzr]

1 hour ago, chisag said:

 

 

... Probably me amigo LOL. I sent my cherished 588 LW to the IF to have it re-chromed in a satin finish but it came back shiny chrome. Sent it back and he did it again with the correct satin finish. It was early in my golf equipment life and didn't know anything about the process so you can imagine my shock when the swing weight was reduced form D6 to C5!?!?! He tells me every time they remove chrome they strip off some of the metal and since he did it twice the swing weight was going to be reduced by quite a bit. WTF? 

... About 10 years later I gave him another chance with some Scratch Wedges and it was just as bad with a very poor quality finish. Never again. 

 

Yes sir!  Yours is one of those stories.  There's a few too many.

 

That doesn't even include the dumping into the water supply at their old location....

 

[Swingingk]

5 hours ago, NRJyzr said:

 

They're 986 Tours, not terribly common.  My guess is someone took instructions for another set and applied them to this set.

 

I haven't decided if I'm going to ream the others to 370, or just shim the three heads in question. 

 

 

That's too bad.  Shims would fix it sure but still... really?  I too have heard too many stories like this. 

 

My new job is Shop Foreman in a medium sized machine shop and part of our facility does industrial chrome plating for shafting and the like.  I asked the boys in the chrome shop if they could strip heads for me and they said yes but not the Nickel plating underneath.  I'm gonna try a sample set anyway and see how it goes.  Our plating setup won't do shiny cosmetic chrome but I'm really only interested in the raw look anyway.  We shall see!

Edited March 7, 2022 by Swingingk

[raggal62]

8 hours ago, Swingingk said:

That's too bad.  Shims would fix it sure but still... really?  I too have heard too many stories like this. 

 

My new job is Shop Foreman in a medium sized machine shop and part of our facility does industrial chrome plating for shafting and the like.  I asked the boys in the chrome shop if they could strip heads for me and they said yes but not the Nickel plating underneath.  I'm gonna try a sample set anyway and see how it goes.  Our plating setup won't do shiny cosmetic chrome but I'm really only interested in the raw look anyway.  We shall see!

I have a set of irons that were chrome stripped only leaving the nickel plating. They have developed a nice tarnish patina but definitely not a raw look.