Graphite Shaft - How to tell a deep scratch from a crack?

[nicekindtrue]

Hi,

 

Because of lack of time I didn't go to my ordinary clubmaker for a grip change - regretting it now I think...

 

0) I don't know if the defect was there before I went to the grip changer, I bought the club used.

 

A) I've got a club that an inch below to the lower part of the grip has something that looks like a rather deep scratch or a crack of the graphite shaft. Then the defect goes upwards and gets a little more shallow (if I peel up the grip a half inch...

 

I'm suspecting that it's the result of a stressed and not careful grip changer using one of those grip cutters. Since I somewhat can see that the defect is shallow at first, and then get's a little deeper. Though not very deep. Hover if it is a crack that doesn't show much depth either, since the shaft compresses the "valley". And as it is I can clearly see a "valley", a little U-formed.

 

So it probably is a scratch? What do you think?

 

B) On a second note, how deep does a scratch have to be to lead to a crack? Now I guess in this case it's on a good spot? 1 feet above the clubhead would have been worse?

 

C) Adding to this, the guy who put on the grip didn't remove Pins original grip tape, he just cut the grip open, put on new tape, and then the grip with solvent. How would you comment on this??

 

 

Thank you!

[CarloGolfer]

looks like a scratch from a regular (not hook) utility knife-blade. A crack would be in a straight line, whereas the damage to your shaft looks jagged and uneven in depth.

I think your grip changer was over-aggressive or moving too quickly and either caught the shaft on a piece of equipment or with the knife itself.

doesn't look like structural damage to me (just my 2 cents)

[turnbowm]

Looks like a cut that is the result of a sloppy regrip. You can't really blame the guy that did your regrip, since you're not sure if the problem wasn't there beforehand. IMHO, it's cosmetic but you can always examine the area with a magnifying glass to make sure that the graphite fibers are not cut.

[GolfPunk69]

There's only one true way to know. If you go and hit it, and it breaks, it was probably not a scratch.

If you're going to get a crack anywhere, it'd be where the vice clamped the shaft (about 5" south of there). From it's location and shape, I'd go with scratch too. If it was a crack, it'd be pretty well dead straight.

To answer your other questions:

B - Deeper than you could realistically get in one stroke with a knife.

C - Some people do it, I don't like it. I prefer to take the tape off and start from fresh. I was always taught to treat every repair as though it were my own, and I'd defnitely take the tape off on my own clubs. That said, diligent repair men are few and far between.

GP

[nicekindtrue]

Sorry, double posting!

[nicekindtrue]

Wow! You can't beat golfwrx.com! Hopefully a scratch! Three good answers from three persons in no time at all! Thank you!

The club had an original grip, so this was the first re-grip. The vice had rubber-softies.

Though this used-buy has some strange marks all over it... So who knows... From the marks it almost seems like they had it in a lie-loft-machine... Is it usual to try to change loft or lie on a Ping G15 hybrid?

What would these marks mean to you? Finish damaged on hosel, ferrule heavily scratched...

Otherwise the club is rather close to new condition.

[CarloGolfer]

I would say the second picture shows an attempt to fix a sloppy ferrule fitting. The ferrule is most likely a friction fit and was slid on before the clubhead was attached. The repairman could have dry fit the ferrule with a home-made device (a hole drilled into a piece of wood) or dry fit the shaft without considering the addition of a shim which will create a space between the hosel and the ferrule if not taken into consideration.

So, now that he has a gap between the hosel and ferrule he tries to pull the ferrule down with a pair of pliers thusly leaving a gouge in the ferrule. Subsequently he is unable to adequately sand the ferrule to cover the damage. If you have access to some nail polish remover you could smooth the ferrule quite easily.

OR... could be damage from a loft and lie machine.

[nicekindtrue]

[quote name='CarloGolfer' timestamp='1284563849' post='2698001']
I would say the second picture shows an attempt to fix a sloppy ferrule fitting. The ferrule is most likely a friction fit and was slid on before the clubhead was attached. The repairman could have dry fit the ferrule with a home-made device (a hole drilled into a piece of wood) or dry fit the shaft without considering the addition of a shim which will create a space between the hosel and the ferrule if not taken into consideration.

So, now that he has a gap between the hosel and ferrule he tries to pull the ferrule down with a pair of pliers thusly leaving a gouge in the ferrule. Subsequently he is unable to adequately sand the ferrule to cover the damage. If you have access to some nail polish remover you could smooth the ferrule quite easily.

OR... could be damage from a loft and lie machine.
[/quote]

Yes, strange...

Shaft is original. The club is close to new...

I hit it today, performed 100% perfect! No cracked graphite in my fingers! :-)

Thanks!