L.A.B Mezz . 1 Putter Rusting Screws

[nppr82]

I purchased a Mezz 1 from Maple Hill Golf in November of 2022 and it was directly shipped from LAB. After only 4 months the 2 middle screws are rusting. I am meticulous with my clubs. Wipe down with a towel after every shot to keep them clean and dry. I feel that this should not be happening with a premium product such as the Mezz 1. I contacted LAB and was told, “This rust is perfectly normal. It is surface rust that will have no impact on the integrity of your putter. I have attached a video to this email explaining this issue and how to correct it.” I watched the video and I am expected to use a toothbrush and apply WD40 on the screws to keep it from rusting. That is not acceptable for a near $500 putter. I have had many expensive putters and never had to do this or think it is reasonable to have to do this. Maple Hill has been trying to help but L.A.B. is holding their ground in that this is normal. Maple Hill even got a call from the CEO basically explaining that this is not a defect. They heat the screws up when building the putters and that sometimes tarnishes the finish. They gave them the WD-40 and toothbrush run down. I asked L.A.B if I could return it in exchange for the Link. 1 and pay the difference. I was told I could trade it in. 

 

I feel this is ridiculous for something they cause in their manufacturing process. I don't care how good the product is, I can't use equipment where the manufacture doesn't support its customers. Check out the pic of mine. Also saw on a recent You Tube video from the The Average Golfer. His is worse!

 

Has anyone else with the Mezz 1 or Mezz 1 Max experienced this?

 

BTW Maple Hill is the best, thank you for trying to assist.

 

Here is The Average Golfers:

 

Here is mine:

 

Here is the "Fix" video from LAB.

Surface Rust on Set Screws.mov

Edited April 11, 2023 by nppr82

[5hort5tuff]

I feel like they should a) warn people that the screws may rust b) replace them if then complain.  You paid a lot of money for a putter, hard to believe they won't spend $5 to replace them. 

 

If i was you, I would pop them out, spray paint them with some black or silver rustproof and move on. It's not even worth your time at this point.

 

I should also mention that the rusty screws wouldn't bother me personally, but to each their own.

 

 

Edited April 11, 2023 by 5hort5tuff

[Phebus]

I’m surprised that they don’t use stainless steel screws. 

[JJFWebster]

Wow. Thanks for sharing. I was considering trying a LAB but there's no way I'm dealing with something like this. 

 

[R_Swanson]

Screws are probably black oxide - I do also wonder why they use black oxide and not SS.  I'm not an engineer, but I think when threading into SS you usually avoid SS screws to avoid potential galling issues. 

 

Personally I don't care, I ordered one even though I saw some screws with patina in the used pics I perused.  

 

 

 

[Oakwoods CC]

On 4/11/2023 at 3:16 PM, nppr82 said:

I purchased a Mezz 1 from Maple Hill Golf in November of 2022 and it was directly shipped from LAB. After only 4 months the 2 middle screws are rusting. I am meticulous with my clubs. Wipe down with a towel after every shot to keep them clean and dry. I feel that this should not be happening with a premium product such as the Mezz 1. I contacted LAB and was told, “This rust is perfectly normal. It is surface rust that will have no impact on the integrity of your putter. I have attached a video to this email explaining this issue and how to correct it.” I watched the video and I am expected to use a toothbrush and apply WD40 on the screws to keep it from rusting. That is not acceptable for a near $500 putter. I have had many expensive putters and never had to do this or think it is reasonable to have to do this. Maple Hill has been trying to help but L.A.B. is holding their ground in that this is normal. Maple Hill even got a call from the CEO basically explaining that this is not a defect. They heat the screws up when building the putters and that sometimes tarnishes the finish. They gave them the WD-40 and toothbrush run down. I asked L.A.B if I could return it in exchange for the Link. 1 and pay the difference. I was told I could trade it in. 

 

I feel this is ridiculous for something they cause in their manufacturing process. I don't care how good the product is, I can't use equipment where the manufacture doesn't support its customers. Check out the pic of mine. Also saw on a recent You Tube video from the The Average Golfer. His is worse!

 

Has anyone else with the Mezz 1 or Mezz 1 Max experienced this?

 

BTW Maple Hill is the best, thank you for trying to assist.

 

Here is The Average Golfers:

 

Here is mine:

 

Here is the "Fix" video from LAB.

Surface Rust on Set Screws.mov 12.28 MB · 0 downloads

Unfortunately the Link1 has the same screws, same problems, and get the same answers from LAB. 

[Pexeter]

1 hour ago, Oakwoods CC said:

Unfortunately the Link1 has the same screws, same problems, and get the same answers from LAB. 

 

No! Very unfortunate to see the link have this issue too, I own a $800 putter that could have rusty screws.  What could we do to prevent this, some sort of protectant on the screws?  What are your thoughts on removing these screws to replace or clean, my assumption is it shouldn't do any harm and the "do not remove screws decal" is referring to the weighted screws on the body of the putter?

[bkm97]

So basically never give this company a dollar of my money. Thanks for the tip 👍

[TonyRo]

I actually am a mechanical engineer, so I can comment a smidge. The problem LAB has is that the LINK is made out of 303 Stainless, and as mentioned previously, like metals under friction/heat will tend to gall. Stainless steel fasteners would be a good choice but can be risky even when used with dissimilar metals like 6061 Aluminum - it's just a gummy metal and can lead to a ton of problems if you're not careful, all the way through the process from machining to fastening, finishing, etc. You can minimize the risk by slow installation (I am not sure if LAB uses pneumatic screwdrivers during assembly or not) and thread wax. They also have to worry about aesthetics - zinc plated screws may be possible but will probably look terrible and not hold up all that well under continued exposure to moisture and grass fertilizers either.

 

You can either buy new torx black oxide or stainless screws and risk installing them yourself (I don't know if LAB uses a thread locker - if it were me I'd use a low grade Loctite) or use the WD40 option as discussed, which will work well. 

 

FWIW, I think people are making too big a deal out of this. If golfers swore off a company that had a problem with their finish or rust on a few units, there'd be no one left. 

Edited June 7, 2023 by TonyRo

[JeRD]

I think transparency is a huge thing. I've been wanting to try a Link.1 putter. Seeing that the screws can rust does factor in on my decision now. Is it a huge deal?  No.  But again, not knowing that they could rust up until now is an issue for me. Especially when you consider the cost of the putter. L.A.B. could have easily got in front of this by letting people know that this could/would happen to the screws. Some like to see the aging and patina on clubs. Some see it as building character and a bit of personalization to a degree. Others are incredibly obsessive over keeping their investments in pristine condition. 

[MattM97]

26 minutes ago, TonyRo said:

I actually am a mechanical engineer, so I can comment a smidge. The problem LAB has is that the LINK is made out of 303 Stainless, and as mentioned previously, like metals under friction/heat will tend to gall. Stainless steel fasteners would be a good choice but can be risky even when used with dissimilar metals like 6061 Aluminum - it's just a gummy metal and can lead to a ton of problems if you're not careful, all the way through the process from machining to fastening, finishing, etc. You can minimize the risk by slow installation (I am not sure if LAB uses pneumatic screwdrivers during assembly or not) and thread wax. They also have to worry about aesthetics - zinc plated screws may be possible but will probably look terrible and not hold up all that well under continued exposure to moisture and grass fertilizers either.

 

You can either buy new torx black oxide or stainless screws and risk installing them yourself (I don't know if LAB uses a thread locker - if it were me I'd use a low grade Loctite) or use the WD40 option as discussed, which will work well. 

 

FWIW, I think people are making too big a deal out of this. If golfers swore off a company that had a problem with their finish or rust on a few units, there'd be no one left. 

 

Good response but you should see what golfers complain about. This is literally just tip of iceberg. 

[nitram]

It gives it character . . .

[TonyRo]

21 minutes ago, JeRD said:

I think transparency is a huge thing. I've been wanting to try a Link.1 putter. Seeing that the screws can rust does factor in on my decision now. Is it a huge deal?  No.  But again, not knowing that they could rust up until now is an issue for me. Especially when you consider the cost of the putter. L.A.B. could have easily got in front of this by letting people know that this could/would happen to the screws. Some like to see the aging and patina on clubs. Some see it as building character and a bit of personalization to a degree. Others are incredibly obsessive over keeping their investments in pristine condition. 

Totally - I am more of a pristine condition / OCD guy myself, but I also understand that this position will require work from me. We're talking about metal that is exposed to moisture, chemical, and savage impacts with balls and turf - it will wear, rust, etc, and if people are under the impression that stuff will never go wrong or wear, they're going to be disappointed in the long term. It's a bummer that it happened a few people straight out of the gate with LAB putters, but I understand their position as well, there isn't much they can do at this point, and the best solution really is what they told OP. 

 

16 minutes ago, MattM97 said:

 

Good response but you should see what golfers complain about. This is literally just tip of iceberg. 

Oh I'm aware, even as a relatively new lurker of GolfWRX. 😆

[ThinkingPlus]

46 minutes ago, TonyRo said:

I actually am a mechanical engineer, so I can comment a smidge. The problem LAB has is that the LINK is made out of 303 Stainless, and as mentioned previously, like metals under friction/heat will tend to gall. Stainless steel fasteners would be a good choice but can be risky even when used with dissimilar metals like 6061 Aluminum - it's just a gummy metal and can lead to a ton of problems if you're not careful, all the way through the process from machining to fastening, finishing, etc. You can minimize the risk by slow installation (I am not sure if LAB uses pneumatic screwdrivers during assembly or not) and thread wax. They also have to worry about aesthetics - zinc plated screws may be possible but will probably look terrible and not hold up all that well under continued exposure to moisture and grass fertilizers either.

 

You can either buy new torx black oxide or stainless screws and risk installing them yourself (I don't know if LAB uses a thread locker - if it were me I'd use a low grade Loctite) or use the WD40 option as discussed, which will work well. 

 

FWIW, I think people are making too big a deal out of this. If golfers swore off a company that had a problem with their finish or rust on a few units, there'd be no one left. 

The other aspect to consider is mass. Given that these are torque balanced putters, the screw mass matters. They very likely don't have free choice of material even without the galling issue.

[JeRD]

8 minutes ago, TonyRo said:

Totally - I am more of a pristine condition / OCD guy myself, but I also understand that this position will require work from me. We're talking about metal that is exposed to moisture, chemical, and savage impacts with balls and turf - it will wear, rust, etc, and if people are under the impression that stuff will never go wrong or wear, they're going to be disappointed in the long term. It's a bummer that it happened a few people straight out of the gate with LAB putters, but I understand their position as well, there isn't much they can do at this point, and the best solution really is what they told OP. 

 

Same. And you're right...keeping clubs pristine does require work on the owner. No doubt the elements will cause clubs to deteriorate over time. I think the puzzling thing with this scenario is how quickly it has happened to some. I have a putter that looks pristine that I've had for 7 years. Doesn't have screws though. Which obviously changes things. I think that is the mentality of some. They expect it to look pristine for years.  As long as they take care of it.

Edited June 7, 2023 by JeRD

[EDH1989]

Talk about much ado about nothing—the rust does not affect performance, and performance is presumably why anyone would buy a LAB.

 

If you’d watched any reviewer videos re: LAB putters before purchasing, you’d have seen some (but not all) of the screws rust. This should not have been a surprise. But if it was, and if the rust really is that big of a deal to you, put a little WD-40 on them as recommended and just enjoy making an ungodly number of putts with your putter. Swearing off LAB because of this is silly.

 

To the engineer, that was an insightful comment. But for the unwary I’ll note (a) changing out the screws yourself will void the warranty, and (b) LAB puts tungsten powder (and even sand) in with individual screws to get the balancing and swing weighting absolutely perfect. Hence these putters cost so much in the first place (that’s a time-consuming process that can only be done by hand), and hence you shouldn’t take out the weights (you’ll ruin your LAB).

 

 

[EDH1989]

On 6/7/2023 at 6:38 AM, JeRD said:

 

Same. And you're right...keeping clubs pristine does require work on the owner. No doubt the elements will cause clubs to deteriorate over time. I think the puzzling thing with this scenario is how quickly it has happened to some. I have a putter that looks pristine that I've had for 7 years. Doesn't have screws though. Which obviously changes things. I think that is the mentality of some. They expect it to look pristine for years.  As long as they take care of it.

Fair, although when you realize your method of “taking care” isn’t giving you the results you want, you may need to change your methods. Adopting those (especially easy ones recommended by the manufacturer) would be more productive than complaining about it.

[nppr82]

Ya I get it nothing stays "pristine" forever even if you take care of it. I take care of the things I buy with my hard earned money and as we all know this stuff is not cheap. The rusting so soon was something not acceptable to me.

 

In the end I was over the rusting because I liked the performance. I even went out and bought a Link 1. Low and behold on my second round using the Link 1, I noticed a buzzing/rattling sound when I taped the head of the ground. After a few holes I grabbed the head and It was loose. I was able to spin it all the way off with an easy turn. Promptly returned it and I am done with Lab.

 

2 bad experineces with product quality is enough for me. I wonder what the Mechanical Engineer of the group's expert answer to this is..... 

 

@EDH1989 - "Talk about much ado about nothing" There are a lot of people out there that want clubs that perform well, look good, and are high quality. That's one of the biggest parts of the golf industry. LAB putters look great, perform well, but are not good quality. 

 

BTW got an Evnroll and it has been performing great. Lab is overated IMHO. 

 

 

Edited December 13, 2023 by nppr82

[dinkoh]

2 minutes ago, nppr82 said:

Ya I get it nothing stays "pristine" forever even if you take care of it. I take care of the things I buy with my hard earned money and as we all know this stuff is not cheap. The rusting so soon was something not acceptable to me.

 

In the end I was over the rusting beacuse I liked the performance. I even went out and bought a Link 1. Low and behold on my second round using the Link 1, I noticed a buzzing/rattling sound when I taped the head of the ground. After a few holes I grabbed the head and It was loose. I was able to spin it all the way off with an easy turn. Promptly returned it and I am done with Lab.

 

2 bad experineces with product quality is enough for me. I wonder what the Mechanical Engineer of the group's expert answer to this is..... 

 

@EDH1989 - "Talk about much ado about nothing" There are a lot of people out there that want clubs that perform well, look good, and are high quality. That's one of the biggest parts of the golf industry. LAB putters look great, perform well, but are not good quality. 

 

BTW got an Evnroll and it has been performing great. Lab is overated IMHO. 

 

 

Rusting issue is a shame but I guess intrinsic trait with the screws. 
 

But, LAB is not overrated imho.  But I can understand why some may not like it.  

[EDH1989]

2 hours ago, nppr82 said:

Ya I get it nothing stays "pristine" forever even if you take care of it. I take care of the things I buy with my hard earned money and as we all know this stuff is not cheap. The rusting so soon was something not acceptable to me.

 

In the end I was over the rusting because I liked the performance. I even went out and bought a Link 1. Low and behold on my second round using the Link 1, I noticed a buzzing/rattling sound when I taped the head of the ground. After a few holes I grabbed the head and It was loose. I was able to spin it all the way off with an easy turn. Promptly returned it and I am done with Lab.

 

2 bad experineces with product quality is enough for me. I wonder what the Mechanical Engineer of the group's expert answer to this is..... 

 

@EDH1989 - "Talk about much ado about nothing" There are a lot of people out there that want clubs that perform well, look good, and are high quality. That's one of the biggest parts of the golf industry. LAB putters look great, perform well, but are not good quality. 

 

BTW got an Evnroll and it has been performing great. Lab is overated IMHO. 

 

 

Given your visceral reaction to the non-issue rust, and that you went out of your way to re-post this thread and trash talk LAB in other LAB-related threads, I’m not inclined to believe your putter head simply twisted off or was defective.

 

Regardless, although you’re entitled to dislike LAB putters, one lemon doesn’t make them “overrated.” They are made by hand (i.e. defects cannot be eliminated), and they have (like every other manufacturer has) a warranty and return policy for that reason. Their putters undoubtedly work too, as evidenced by the innumerable customer testimonies, their expanding presence in the professional ranks, and the fact they’ve doubled their production each of the last few years. Heck, even Hank Haney couldn’t stop talking about the DF a couple years ago.

[nppr82]

@EDH1989 must be Sam Hahn's secret Golf WRX account, sheesh...... 

Edited December 13, 2023 by nppr82

[tcbringhurst]

52 minutes ago, nppr82 said:

@EDH1989 must be Sam Hahn's secret Golf WRX account, sheesh...... 

Even if it was, what he said is true 

[Cajunfuse]

On 4/11/2023 at 2:16 PM, nppr82 said:

I purchased a Mezz 1 from Maple Hill Golf in November of 2022 and it was directly shipped from LAB. After only 4 months the 2 middle screws are rusting. I am meticulous with my clubs. Wipe down with a towel after every shot to keep them clean and dry. I feel that this should not be happening with a premium product such as the Mezz 1. I contacted LAB and was told, “This rust is perfectly normal. It is surface rust that will have no impact on the integrity of your putter. I have attached a video to this email explaining this issue and how to correct it.” I watched the video and I am expected to use a toothbrush and apply WD40 on the screws to keep it from rusting. That is not acceptable for a near $500 putter. I have had many expensive putters and never had to do this or think it is reasonable to have to do this. Maple Hill has been trying to help but L.A.B. is holding their ground in that this is normal. Maple Hill even got a call from the CEO basically explaining that this is not a defect. They heat the screws up when building the putters and that sometimes tarnishes the finish. They gave them the WD-40 and toothbrush run down. I asked L.A.B if I could return it in exchange for the Link. 1 and pay the difference. I was told I could trade it in. 

 

I feel this is ridiculous for something they cause in their manufacturing process. I don't care how good the product is, I can't use equipment where the manufacture doesn't support its customers. Check out the pic of mine. Also saw on a recent You Tube video from the The Average Golfer. His is worse!

 

Has anyone else with the Mezz 1 or Mezz 1 Max experienced this?

 

BTW Maple Hill is the best, thank you for trying to assist.

 

Here is The Average Golfers:

 

Here is mine:

 

Here is the "Fix" video from LAB.

Surface Rust on Set Screws.mov 12.28 MB · 0 downloads

The first fix once you see rust on steel screws is to treat them with Permatex Rust Treatment. This chemical encapsulates rust and replaces it with a durable black polymer coating. This product and several of this kind are used daily on offshore oil platforms, coastal regions of our country and areas susceptible to high humidity. 
I would suggest you use an auto paint touch up stick to apply the product on such a small area. 
This Permatex product is also paintable.

i will perform this on my new LAB which should arrive this week.

Thanks for the heads up.

[EDH1989]

On 12/13/2023 at 12:08 PM, nppr82 said:

@EDH1989 must be Sam Hahn's secret Golf WRX account, sheesh...... 

Just saw this and it made me laugh 😂

[5hort5tuff]

Half of the golfwrx putter section has been taken over by Lab. Every discussion is LAB fan boys vs lab haters. 

 

Yes...the screws rusting is a non issue...but its not your putter. Lab should replace these for the guy. The fact they didn't is really cheap on their end imo 

 

I wish the Mods would just open up a new forum for LAB questions and discussions. 

Edited March 29 by 5hort5tuff

[ChaosTheory]

As a new owner of a used Mezz.1, this is disappointing.  I just checked mine and the rust is starting.  I’ll use WD40 and keep it under control.  It’s a minor annoyance but if I had paid 5-6-700 for a fancy version, I would not be pleased.

 

 A sometimes damp putter inside a headcover is not a good place for carbon steel.  

[ChaosTheory]

On 12/13/2023 at 10:00 AM, EDH1989 said:

Talk about much ado about nothing—the rust does not affect performance, and performance is presumably why anyone would buy a LAB.

 

If you’d watched any reviewer videos re: LAB putters before purchasing, you’d have seen some (but not all) of the screws rust. This should not have been a surprise. But if it was, and if the rust really is that big of a deal to you, put a little WD-40 on them as recommended and just enjoy making an ungodly number of putts with your putter. Swearing off LAB because of this is silly.

 

To the engineer, that was an insightful comment. But for the unwary I’ll note (a) changing out the screws yourself will void the warranty, and (b) LAB puts tungsten powder (and even sand) in with individual screws to get the balancing and swing weighting absolutely perfect. Hence these putters cost so much in the first place (that’s a time-consuming process that can only be done by hand), and hence you shouldn’t take out the weights (you’ll ruin your LAB).

 

 

The screws in question are not weight screws.  There won’t be any powder under them.  They secure the shaft bore plate.  They are so close to the CG that carbon vs stainless steel will mean virtually nothing balance wise.

Edited March 30 by ChaosTheory

[eht8266]

My callaway flash face woods rust, as do my vokeys and rtxs.

 

I think the bigger problem are with the mezz sharp edges and ease of the paint getting nicked and scratched up. Some of the used ones at the Super Store look like they were dragged across the parking lot.

Edited March 30 by eht8266