JDM iron refinishing ideas

[fairway_bandit]

Haven't been on the forum in a while. I'm also about to send in some clubs to Alfamek. All communication is via e-mail and I just use ChatGPT to draft the Japanese text. Prices are more than fair and will post the end results when all is said and done! I also initially had issues with the contact form on their site and it seems that it doesn't like the Latin alphabet.

Edited May 13, 2023 by fairway_bandit

[CaymanS]

31 minutes ago, fairway_bandit said:

Haven't been on the forum in a while. I'm also about to send in some clubs to Alfamek. All communication is via e-mail and I just use ChatGPT to draft the Japanese text. Prices are more than fair and will post the end results when all is said and done! I also initially had issues with the contact form on their site and it seems that it doesn't like the Latin alphabet.

Yes, the prices for refinishing are very reasonable and the price list indicates that the consumption tax is included.
 

It cost me $78 for shipping from the left coast via USPS. Return shipping might be more since I am using Tesco who is a middleman, and they repackage everything. 
 

I’m also expecting an import fee when the package gets here. 

[EaglesGolf99]

54 minutes ago, CaymanS said:

Yes, the prices for refinishing are very reasonable and the price list indicates that the consumption tax is included.
 

It cost me $78 for shipping from the left coast via USPS. Return shipping might be more since I am using Tesco who is a middleman, and they repackage everything. 
 

I’m also expecting an import fee when the package gets here. 

Don't quote me on this one, but if I am remembering correctly, the import is included with Tenso. Nothing additional once you pay Tenso. Like I said, I easily could be wrong on this one. Been a little while since I've used their Services. Ironically enough, I currently have an order with Japan that is coming in via Tenso. Should be somewhere around June 20th or so. 

Edited May 13, 2023 by EaglesGolf99
Stupid Autocorrect Misautocorrected!

[Bigmean]

The import fee is included.  I’m pretty sure anyway, I just got an order but didn’t look at paperwork but I am pretty sure tenso runs my proxy from billing.

[LionGolfer]

Nomura-san just replied to say they cant replate my irons and putter due to a "melting" issue which I'm sure got translated wrongly by google or whatever.  Oh well.

[CaymanS]

9 hours ago, LionGolfer said:

Nomura-san just replied to say they cant replate my irons and putter due to a "melting" issue which I'm sure got translated wrongly by google or whatever.  Oh well.

Too bad.  I think their site says something about plasticky logo and emblems causing problems, so they reject them or ask that the customer takes the risk by removing them first.  They told me the "bore through" plugs on the sole of my irons might get distorted a little which I accepted.  They could be concerned about the emblem on the MR-23's, but the putter looks fine.  Don't know for sure. 

[LionGolfer]

8 hours ago, CaymanS said:

Too bad.  I think their site says something about plasticky logo and emblems causing problems, so they reject them or ask that the customer takes the risk by removing them first.  They told me the "bore through" plugs on the sole of my irons might get distorted a little which I accepted.  They could be concerned about the emblem on the MR-23's, but the putter looks fine.  Don't know for sure. 

 

I think you are correct. For the putter, there is an aluminium sole insert so maybe that it. 

[Bigmean]

What’s that gauge about?   I saw one on yahoo auction I was sweating, but as much as I love putters I never know what gauge putters are the ones to have or not and the only one I have is a the como come,  which is a very nice putter for what it is. Finish sucks on it tho.  
 

I also think I bought xenon mini mallet from you years ago, if you were at jdm clubhouse back in the day, something about lion golfer is ringing a bell😎

[CaymanS]

19 hours ago, LionGolfer said:

 

I think you are correct. For the putter, there is an aluminium sole insert so maybe that it. 

Speaking of putter refinishing, I recently tried out NorCal to apply a copper finish on my Scotty gamer.  They do a wide range of finishes and I can comfortably give them high marks for quality.  It has an aluminum face and part of the sole, and I don't know if they removed it before plating.  Maybe it isn't possible on the Gauge.  Below is what the putter looked like shortly after I removed the protective film, thus no patina.  It is looking better now, but still has a way to go.  I copied the paint fill colors Scotty used on his copper models, since I'm sure I would have chosen something with worse taste.

 

 

[LionGolfer]

5 hours ago, Bigmean said:

What’s that gauge about?   I saw one on yahoo auction I was sweating, but as much as I love putters I never know what gauge putters are the ones to have or not and the only one I have is a the como come,  which is a very nice putter for what it is. Finish sucks on it tho.  
 

I also think I bought xenon mini mallet from you years ago, if you were at jdm clubhouse back in the day, something about lion golfer is ringing a bell😎

 

This is perhaps the 5th or 6th guage I have owned.  I got this for the SM490A material. I've had a couple of previous Kitada SM490As and just wanted one back on the collection.  Yeah.  I was at jdmclubhouse.

[Bigmean]

8 minutes ago, LionGolfer said:

 

This is perhaps the 5th or 6th guage I have owned.  I got this for the SM490A material. I've had a couple of previous Kitada SM490As and just wanted one back on the collection.  Yeah.  I was at jdmclubhouse.

That makes perfect sense.  I regret selling my Vega raf-cm blades and I have been looking for anything similar.  Like I think the crazy blades are them but I am not 100%.  Anything kyoei and a blade, but I did not like the VM02 or whatever ones.

[CaymanS]

An update on my refinishing experiment using Alphamec in Japan.  For some reason, they could not figure out how to use Tesco for the return shipping and just went to their local post office.  Since the package was under 2kg they could use EMS. 

 

The invoice is below and the total seems like a good deal at $232 including the return shipping for 6 heads.  I still wonder if there will be some kind of import fee upon arrival in the US. 

 

Since this is just a test case, I do not plan to keep the heads, I already have 2 sets of blades.  My total investment was $250 for the heads, $75 to ship to Japan and this invoice for $232 = $557.  I don't have a clue what someone would be willing to pay for them, but they will be listed here soon. 

 

Nomura-san sent a bunch of photos of the finished heads, several of which you can see below.  The re-plating was done in satin boron.  They do not do paint fill. I have been to Japan many times and visited several factories.  The Japanese people take pride when it comes to making things and it is not just a job to them, more of a passion.  When I see these heads in person, I suspect the quality will reflect that same pride.

  

Overall, this was a positive experience.

 

Golf Club Head Repair Service

Invoice #000061

May 29, 2023

Satin Boron for Iron for overseas customers

¥24,600

(¥4,100 ea.) × 6

Express Mail Service JPN to USA within 2kg

¥7,900

Subtotal

¥32,500

Included Tax

¥2,954

Total

¥32,500 = $232

 

[EaglesGolf99]

1 hour ago, CaymanS said:

An update on my refinishing experiment using Alphamec in Japan.  For some reason, they could not figure out how to use Tesco for the return shipping and just went to their local post office.  Since the package was under 2kg they could use EMS. 

 

The invoice is below and the total seems like a good deal at $232 including the return shipping for 6 heads.  I still wonder if there will be some kind of import fee upon arrival in the US. 

 

Since this is just a test case, I do not plan to keep the heads, I already have 2 sets of blades.  My total investment was $250 for the heads, $75 to ship to Japan and this invoice for $232 = $557.  I don't have a clue what someone would be willing to pay for them, but they will be listed here soon. 

 

Nomura-san sent a bunch of photos of the finished heads, several of which you can see below.  The re-plating was done in satin boron.  They do not do paint fill. I have been to Japan many times and visited several factories.  The Japanese people take pride when it comes to making things and it is not just a job to them, more of a passion.  When I see these heads in person, I suspect the quality will reflect that same pride.

  

Overall, this was a positive experience.

 

Golf Club Head Repair Service

Invoice #000061

May 29, 2023

Satin Boron for Iron for overseas customers

¥24,600

(¥4,100 ea.) × 6

Express Mail Service JPN to USA within 2kg

¥7,900

Subtotal

¥32,500

Included Tax

¥2,954

Total

¥32,500 = $232

 

Look outstanding! 

[Ger21]

On 5/30/2023 at 1:21 PM, CaymanS said:

My total investment was $250 for the heads, $75 to ship to Japan and this invoice for $232 = $557. 

My refinishing with Flanigan-Bilt was $350 + $25 shipping for 7 heads. Those look really, really good.

[fairway_bandit]

Time for a worthy update. The work is finished and judging from these teaser pics I will be pleasantly surprised when I get them in.

 

A little backstory: I managed to score a well-used set of SB-01s after fortuitously coming across an excellent condition set not long before. Of course I left the latter untouched, but the beat-up set needed some proper TLC. In my initial contact I asked if they could restore my clubs to factory fresh condition (knowing of course that this was nigh well impossible). Nagai-san naturally explained this, but they could offer an extra step of polishing. The black boron finish looks beautiful.

 

[CaymanS]

14 hours ago, fairway_bandit said:

Time for a worthy update. The work is finished and judging from these teaser pics I will be pleasantly surprised when I get them in.

 

A little backstory: I managed to score a well-used set of SB-01s after fortuitously coming across an excellent condition set not long before. Of course I left the latter untouched, but the beat-up set needed some proper TLC. In my initial contact I asked if they could restore my clubs to factory fresh condition (knowing of course that this was nigh well impossible). Nagai-san naturally explained this, but they could offer an extra step of polishing. The black boron finish looks beautiful.

 

Great start.  I bet they’ll look better in-person.  Who did the work?

[fairway_bandit]

5 hours ago, CaymanS said:

Great start.  I bet they’ll look better in-person.  Who did the work?

Nagai-san at Alfamek made everything a seamless experience. He arranged for the paint fill and extra polishing to be done as well. Certainly made my life easier as I can’t imagine having to organize all of that myself from abroad.

[CaymanS]

20 minutes ago, fairway_bandit said:

Nagai-san at Alfamek made everything a seamless experience. He arranged for the paint fill and extra polishing to be done as well. Certainly made my life easier as I can’t imagine having to organize all of that myself from abroad.

Nomura-san told me they don't do paint fill, so Nagai-san went out of his way to get it done for you.  Customer service!  And the quality of work is phenomenal.  

[JS Golf]

Wonder if there is anyway to get it finished like this Pic.  😂

[fairway_bandit]

On 6/23/2023 at 8:20 AM, CaymanS said:

Nomura-san told me they don't do paint fill, so Nagai-san went out of his way to get it done for you.  Customer service!  And the quality of work is phenomenal.  

I was told the same thing, but they do subcontract that work out to other workshops.

[EaglesGolf99]

I think I'm going to be sending some Miura work their way in the near future. 

[Wewe]

I have just gotten these Miura KM700 5i-PW and KM701 wedges from Aifie Golf Shop in Osaka. They are very well made, I am all smile and hearts. Nevermind the play, I am not as good as a player to match the irons but they do make me feel real happy and satisfied. Now successfully dragged 2 other friends to dive into Miura world.

 

 

 

 

 

The below Fujimoto Edition K Iura heads have just been shipped from FujimotoGikoh to the same Aifie Shop in Osaka to be assembled. I havent myself looked at them in person but I am very excited to see them soon. Fujimoto San really does quality great work.

 

Edited August 11, 2023 by Wewe
Typo

[EaglesGolf99]

On 6/22/2023 at 6:57 PM, fairway_bandit said:

Nagai-san at Alfamek made everything a seamless experience. He arranged for the paint fill and extra polishing to be done as well. Certainly made my life easier as I can’t imagine having to organize all of that myself from abroad.

 

On 6/22/2023 at 7:20 PM, CaymanS said:

Nomura-san told me they don't do paint fill, so Nagai-san went out of his way to get it done for you.  Customer service!  And the quality of work is phenomenal.  

 

So Alfamek is who to use for JDM refinishing. 

 

Nagai-san and Nomura-san are two Craftsman whose names have floated. 

 

@fairway_bandit @CaymanS I'm gonna send you each a PM, please check your inboxes. 

[autronicdsm]

Got these back from Japan. Soft black mirror with copper underneath. 

 

 

[EaglesGolf99]

2 hours ago, autronicdsm said:

Got these back from Japan. Soft black mirror with copper underneath. 

 

 

Who did the work? 

[autronicdsm]

2 hours ago, EaglesGolf99 said:

Who did the work? 

Alfamek

[LionGolfer]

Hmm.   This has me thinking about my grind studio irons. 

 

So basically, you ship it to them and they ship back?  No middle shipper in Japan required? 

[EaglesGolf99]

9 minutes ago, autronicdsm said:

Alfamek

Very nice. Any complications? What is the turnaround time like? 

Edited March 22 by EaglesGolf99

[autronicdsm]

1 hour ago, LionGolfer said:

Hmm.   This has me thinking about my grind studio irons. 

 

So basically, you ship it to them and they ship back?  No middle shipper in Japan required? 

 

No, they shipped these directly to me in US.

 

1 hour ago, EaglesGolf99 said:

Very nice. Any complications? What is the turnaround time like? 

No complications at all.

I sent the order form on 2/18, shipped the heads and got them back on 3/21 via Japan Post. Looks like they shipped on 3/12 but it took longer than usual to go through customs. Normally I get my stuff in about 7 days when using JP.

 

When they contacted me after they got the heads, they said it's around two weeks turnaround.

 

It almost didn't happen though. I get really cheap shipping to US with fedex from buyee so I went there thinking "cheap it to send it here, must be cheap to send it there, right?" WRONG. 9 heads was going to be $280! Glad USPS was so much cheaper, only around $85-90. UPS was even more than Fedex.

[LionGolfer]

7 hours ago, autronicdsm said:

Got these back from Japan. Soft black mirror with copper underneath. 

 

 

 

How much did these cost ex-shipping both ways?  How much is ther copper underlay on its own?  Did it really change the feel?  I can;t imagine the copper underlay being that thick?

 

What heads are these BTW? Shinagawa grind?  

Edited March 22 by LionGolfer