Spalding Serial Numbers ?

[jfrank]

I've been buying up some vintage Spalding irons at Goodwill recently.  I've been able to identify some of them from https://swingyard.com/spalding-irons-by-year/

 

I have one set of the TopFlite Synchrodyned irons (beautiful) from the early/mid-1950s and a partial set of Spalding TopFlite blades from the early 1960s.  I came across this KroFlite wedge pictured below with a SN of 10172.  Do the last two numbers correspond to the year of manufacture?  Trying to find out if there is a system here.  The aforementioned irons have a mixture of letters and numbers, but the KroFlite is a little more basic. 

 

Thank you!

[bcstones]

41 minutes ago, jfrank said:

I've been buying up some vintage Spalding irons at Goodwill recently.  I've been able to identify some of them from https://swingyard.com/spalding-irons-by-year/

 

I have one set of the TopFlite Synchrodyned irons (beautiful) from the early/mid-1950s and a partial set of Spalding TopFlite blades from the early 1960s.  I came across this KroFlite wedge pictured below with a SN of 10172.  Do the last two numbers correspond to the year of manufacture?  Trying to find out if there is a system here.  The aforementioned irons have a mixture of letters and numbers, but the KroFlite is a little more basic. 

 

Thank you!

I see no numbers....I have several KroFlite irons & they all have "reg." followed by number. Somehow, I've had the notion that it was a number that related to shaft length, swingweight not necessarily a year), so that a broken club could be rebuilt to the rest of the set. 

 

[jfrank]

There's a 10172 on the ferrule.  Sorry my picture was poor.  

SwingYard says the Kro Flites came out in 1940, but I found that hard to believe for this wedge.  Had more of a 1960-1970s vibe to me.

[jfrank]

The Top-Flite Synchro-Dyned irons I have are wooden ferrules stamped with 436682A.

The Top-Flite Synchro-Dyned 8 iron I have is a plastic ferrule stamped with 461343.

The Top-Flite Blades I have are un-labeled black/red plastic ferrules with tags on the shaft that read AI-008028.

 

Appreciate any help you can provide narrowing down the year windows.

[cold_war_era_golfer]

1 hour ago, jfrank said:

The Top-Flite Synchro-Dyned irons I have are wooden ferrules stamped with 436682A.

The Top-Flite Synchro-Dyned 8 iron I have is a plastic ferrule stamped with 461343.

The Top-Flite Blades I have are un-labeled black/red plastic ferrules with tags on the shaft that read AI-008028.

 

Appreciate any help you can provide narrowing down the year windows.

I couldn't date them by the serial # and I don't think anyone here could unless they worked for Spalding back then.

 

However, I can date them if you have a few pictures.  Happy to help that way.

[jfrank]

Thanks!  I'll post some of the Synchro-Dyned and regular Top-Flites.  Pretty sure the Synchro-Dyned I have are 1953-1954 based on info from a guy with a similar set.  Can you tell the era of the Kro-Flite wedge posted above?

[bcstones]

1 hour ago, jfrank said:

There's a 10172 on the ferrule.  Sorry my picture was poor.  

SwingYard says the Kro Flites came out in 1940, but I found that hard to believe for this wedge.  Had more of a 1960-1970s vibe to me.

 

 

actually Kro-Flite dates back to hickory, I have some A.G. Spalding club heads that are for hickory shafts....also a couple of Bobby Jones sets that are pyratoyned which would date to the '30s.

. I believe that the Kro-Flite logo ended in 1949 (I do have a set of Jones' Kro-Flite w/chromed shafts...the heads say "registered" but I could find no numbers, even on the ferrule) cuz Top-Flite began in 1950.

 

I believe you might be able to date somewhat by the "Kro" logo...they are different in some of the clubs I have, also where they are placed

Edited December 10, 2022 by bcstones

[jfrank]

That's amazing, thank you!  Beautiful shape for 1940s.  Based on the triangles on my Synchro-Dyned irons and wood ferrules, I believe they are 1953 models:

https://drivingrangeheroes.com/you-had-me-at-53-my-1953-spalding-synchro-dyned-top-flite-find/

[cold_war_era_golfer]

2 minutes ago, jfrank said:

That's amazing, thank you!  Beautiful shape for 1940s.  Based on the triangles on my Synchro-Dyned irons and wood ferrules, I believe they are 1953 models:

https://drivingrangeheroes.com/you-had-me-at-53-my-1953-spalding-synchro-dyned-top-flite-find/

Yeah,

Those are '53s with that ferrule.  That ferrule was also on the 1952 models but those were called Tournament Model.  Synchro Dyned was new for '53.

If you ever tire of those and want to sell them I'd be a buyer.

 

Thanks!

[jfrank]

I will keep that in mind!  I've been cleaning them up and redoing the paint fill - love the red.  The grips on most of them are still in pretty good condition.  These old clubs are quite interesting.  Funny how false all the "10 yards more" claims are each year.  I hit the 2 iron about 210 last weekend first time hitting it - similar loft to my dang 5 iron now!

[cold_war_era_golfer]

8 minutes ago, jfrank said:

I will keep that in mind!  I've been cleaning them up and redoing the paint fill - love the red.  The grips on most of them are still in pretty good condition.  These old clubs are quite interesting.  Funny how false all the "10 yards more" claims are each year.  I hit the 2 iron about 210 last weekend first time hitting it - similar loft to my dang 5 iron now!

That year's leather grips seemed to be very resilient to abuse.  I've got a few sets of the 1954s with original grips and they usually just need a lexol treatment and they are good to go.

[Brian1862]

[cold_war_era_golfer]

3 hours ago, Brian1862 said:

/cdn-cgi/mirage/610045b6f775786869a4f03bbc6ea866d3e558421809bdcec86344355da3a40c/1280/cdn-cgi/mirage/610045b6f775786869a4f03bbc6ea866d3e558421809bdcec86344355da3a40c/1280/https://wrxcdn.golfwrx.com/uploads/monthly_2022_12/image.jpeg.3331722f02679b16e9ce15c4d0c4e838.jpeg

That is the exact document I was thinking of!  Thanks

[jfrank]

I've been working on this KroFlite wedge a bit since we established it's from the late 1940's.  I put on an orange jumbo Chamois grip that I think looks great.  I started working on the head with a deburring wheel and got a strange smell and some copper-looking residue on the sole.  Do you think these clubs were copper coated prior to nickel or chrome coating?  First time I have seen that happen with de-burring a wedge sole.  The face has a neat rough sandpaper-like finish on it originally.  I'm thinking this thing will spin for an OG.

[RoryM.]

On 12/9/2022 at 4:43 PM, jfrank said:

I've been buying up some vintage Spalding irons at Goodwill recently.  I've been able to identify some of them from https://swingyard.com/spalding-irons-by-year/

 

I have one set of the TopFlite Synchrodyned irons (beautiful) from the early/mid-1950s and a partial set of Spalding TopFlite blades from the early 1960s.  I came across this KroFlite wedge pictured below with a SN of 10172.  Do the last two numbers correspond to the year of manufacture?  Trying to find out if there is a system here.  The aforementioned irons have a mixture of letters and numbers, but the KroFlite is a little more basic. 

 

Thank you!

I don't know about the serial numbers, but I got my first non-kiddie set of clubs when I was around eleven or twelve years old. That would have been around 1972. My wedge looked just like the one you are asking about -- had the Kro filled in with gold/yellow paint just like the one in the picture. I used them a lot for ten years or so. The chrome on the pitching wedge sole eventually wore off due to heavy use and there was copper underneath.  I remember the set, 3-PW, a one, three and four wood (laminated) cost $59. I remember because I couldn't believe my mom would spend so much money on a set of clubs for me. 

 

So, I think it is very likely the 72 in the serial number refers to the year of manufactured. Hope this helps. 

[Shallowface]

On 1/8/2023 at 6:50 PM, jfrank said:

I've been working on this KroFlite wedge a bit since we established it's from the late 1940's.  I put on an orange jumbo Chamois grip that I think looks great.  I started working on the head with a deburring wheel and got a strange smell and some copper-looking residue on the sole.  Do you think these clubs were copper coated prior to nickel or chrome coating?  First time I have seen that happen with de-burring a wedge sole.  The face has a neat rough sandpaper-like finish on it originally.  I'm thinking this thing will spin for an OG.

This club is definitely NOT from the 1940s.  I bought a Spalding pitching wedge with the same back design and sole stampings brand new in 1974, although it likely was made sometime prior to that as it had an aluminum shaft.  This is definitely late 60s/early 70s, and could well be from 1972 as RoryM wrote.

[cold_war_era_golfer]

On 1/8/2023 at 5:50 PM, jfrank said:

I've been working on this KroFlite wedge a bit since we established it's from the late 1940's.  I put on an orange jumbo Chamois grip that I think looks great.  I started working on the head with a deburring wheel and got a strange smell and some copper-looking residue on the sole.  Do you think these clubs were copper coated prior to nickel or chrome coating?  First time I have seen that happen with de-burring a wedge sole.  The face has a neat rough sandpaper-like finish on it originally.  I'm thinking this thing will spin for an OG.

That wedge is from the 1960s.  For starters Spalding didn't use that font in the 40s. 

 

That shape first appeared in 1963 with the proline Top Flites.  Spalding kept that shaped pitching wedge well into the late 60s and it was pretty standard for the prolines and the storelines to have that shaped pitching wedge.

I have a few of those from the late 60s storeline models that I'll use when I don't want to damage the proline Top Flites.  

[SnowbirdTom]

Ok, Spalding gurus - I know these are a retail set, but they were so nice (and cheap), I jumped on it.  2-9 Spalding Kro-Flite RTJ Power Dyned 2-9 irons with aluminum shafts and gorgeous leather grips.  Shaft bands are literally perfect.  I'm leaning towards an early '60s dating, but no retail research info in my stuff.  They'll be in my hands next week after the oldest son picks them up today and ships down south.

 

 

[bcstones]

1 hour ago, SnowbirdTom said:

2-9 Spalding Kro-Flite RTJ Power Dyned 2-9 irons with aluminum shafts and gorgeous leather grips.  Shaft bands are literally perfect. 

I'm no guru, but sure do like the history involved - except for the aluminum shafts, I'd have suggested mid to late '50s...I do believe that "Power-dyned" was the retail version (or restamping???) of the Syncro-dyned heads. What do the shaft bands say?

Edited February 6 by bcstones

[SnowbirdTom]

4 hours ago, bcstones said:

I'm no guru, but sure do like the history involved - except for the aluminum shafts, I'd have suggested mid to late '50s...I do believe that "Power-dyned" was the retail version (or restamping???) of the Syncro-dyned heads. What do the shaft bands say?

 

I don't have them in hand yet and the picture resolution is not good enough to zoom in far enough and keep them readable.

 

My son's picking them up this evening and shipping them south this weekend.  Better pictures in the morning after he has them.

 

 

ETA:  Shaft bands read Spalding Power Play Alumishaft.  Son just picked them up and sent me that.  He was raving about condition as "these have never been played!"  Also got possible dibs on an early set of Kroydons.  Seller is a collector of vintage.  🙂

 

Sample of club faces>

 

Edited February 6 by SnowbirdTom
Add info on shafts

[bcstones]

10 hours ago, SnowbirdTom said:

Also got possible dibs on an early set of Kroydons.

will be interesting to see if the hosel is wide (like for a hickory shaft) but is steel shaft or the wee bit later w/standard hosel to accept a standard steel shaft

[cold_war_era_golfer]

21 hours ago, SnowbirdTom said:

Ok, Spalding gurus - I know these are a retail set, but they were so nice (and cheap), I jumped on it.  2-9 Spalding Kro-Flite RTJ Power Dyned 2-9 irons with aluminum shafts and gorgeous leather grips.  Shaft bands are literally perfect.  I'm leaning towards an early '60s dating, but no retail research info in my stuff.  They'll be in my hands next week after the oldest son picks them up today and ships down south.

 

 

 

Late 1960s.  The big brands didn't start using aluminum shafts till 1967.

 

Those heads look similar in shape to the 60-61 Synchro Dyned irons so I'm going to guess those weren't the newest design at the time but I believe Spalding would use the previous few year's proline designs for the store line models.  They also look to have the spades on the faces which were on the Synchro Dyneds for 1963-65.  

 

The shaft label although a different color is the same design used on the 65-67 proline Spaldings.  

[Shallowface]

20 hours ago, bcstones said:

I'm no guru, but sure do like the history involved - except for the aluminum shafts, I'd have suggested mid to late '50s...I do believe that "Power-dyned" was the retail version (or restamping???) of the Syncro-dyned heads. What do the shaft bands say?

Aluminum was only around in the late 60s/very early 70s.  Four to five years at most.

 

Edit: Cold_War just edged me out by seconds!

Edited February 7 by Shallowface

[SnowbirdTom]

8 minutes ago, cold_war_era_golfer said:

 

Late 1960s.  The big brands didn't start using aluminum shafts till 1967.

 

Those heads look similar in shape to the 60-61 Synchro Dyned irons so I'm going to guess those weren't the newest design at the time but I believe Spalding would use the previous few year's proline designs for the store line models.  They also look to have the spades on the faces which were on the Synchro Dyneds for 1963-65.  

 

The shaft label although a different color is the same design used on the 65-67 proline Spaldings.  

 

Thanks! 

Knew you’d have an educated guess.  I was in my price guide looking from 1955 thru mid 70s for aluminum shafted Spaldings.  No joy.  I suspected mid to late 60s, but pictures with actual info are hard to come by.  They look kinda like the early ‘60s Top Flites.

[bcstones]

8 hours ago, SnowbirdTom said:

 I was in my price guide looking from 1955 thru mid 70s for aluminum shafted Spaldings.

thing is, @Jiggered video on the aluminum shafts mentions that in (somewhere) in the '50s, the first aluminum shafts were made, tho there was no mention if any manufacturer actually used them....