Grip Removal Tool(s): Got any good homemade ideas?

[Joe85]

Just wondering if anyone here has fashioned their own golf grip removal tool with odds and ends at the home or garage before?

 

 

I've made a couple. Recently my best homemade design - an old skinny bread knife I grinded down - broke off in a Winn I was trying to get off. Now, the Coat hanger version I made is starting to get flimsy from all the grips I have removed using it, so it's about to go.

 

I am wondering if anyone has some good ideas?

 

As some of you may know the Winns are darn near impossible and I am trying save a number of them right now; well, the coat hanger just seems to be too weak to try to manage down the grip, even with tons of solvent in there.

 

Anyone?

[ayotte2]

I just use a utility knife with a new sharp blade. Be careful not to bury the blade into the shaft below.

[fairwaymike]

utility knife with hook blade. the blades get dull fast, keep changing out for sharp ones if you want it to be easy

[hbear]

he's trying to save the grips.....

I just cut mine off....

[360_CS]

Metal coat hanger and some olive oil.

[Joe85]

Yeah, I'm trying to save them. Sharp boxcutter otherwise cuts through like butter.

I actually just gave in and went to Golfsmith and got the tool. Any other sugggestions though would be cool.

Actually the tool just poked right through this Taylormade grip I was trying to save so I'm a bit pissed about that ATM.

[PutterHo]

Tinker with the compressed air method. $9 inflator at 60lbs and the skinny tip ....

WARNING: Youtube a few videos and be careful as you will explode a few at first, a piece of pvc worked well for that contraption if $$$ is the goal.

[Go Cards!]

I have use an barbeque skewer (single tine), very similar to use a metal coathanger but stronger. Another tip is to protect the shaft around the grip opening with some tape to prevent scratches.

[ladahl]

On a side note... These work awesome... But I wish someone knew how to make one of these: as they are kind of $$y.

 

 

 

 

Better than my compressor ( I ruin about 75% of ones I've tried saving... I just cut em off now to save myself the headache

[Arnie]

On a side note... These work awesome... But I wish someone knew how to make one of these: as they are kind of $$y.

 

 

 

 

Better than my compressor ( I ruin about 75% of ones I've tried saving... I just cut em off now to save myself the headache

You can buy mine for $23 plus shipping! [email protected]

 

Grip Remover Gun W/Needle

[RookieBlue7]

[quote name='PutterHo' timestamp='1333233711' post='4620773']
Tinker with the compressed air method. $9 inflator at 60lbs and the skinny tip ....

WARNING: Youtube a few videos and be careful as you will explode a few at first, a piece of pvc worked well for that contraption if $$$ is the goal.
[/quote]

Don't use PVC, instead use utility hose (like goes on a washer/dryer) with a 1" ID. They make pipe bombs from PVC and I've seen someone, personally, explode PVC using it as a sleeve. It's not made to take that kind of pressure. The tubing will function the same but is 1,000,000 times safer. I prefer the clear tubing with fiber reinforcement (which I can get at work free but it's cheap at your local hardware store. $3 max per foot and you only need a foot.)

[RookieBlue7]

On a side note... These work awesome... But I wish someone knew how to make one of these: as they are kind of $$y.

 

 

 

 

Better than my compressor ( I ruin about 75% of ones I've tried saving... I just cut em off now to save myself the headache

 

For a cheaper version of this, use a marinade injector. They're a few bucks at anywhere that sells housewares.

[PutterHo]

Good call, now that I think about it, mine is more of a plastic tube that was slit down one side to conform closer to the shaft.
[quote name='RookieBlue7' timestamp='1333498308' post='4643439']
[quote name='PutterHo' timestamp='1333233711' post='4620773']
Tinker with the compressed air method. $9 inflator at 60lbs and the skinny tip ....

WARNING: Youtube a few videos and be careful as you will explode a few at first, a piece of pvc worked well for that contraption if $$ is the goal.
[/quote]

Don't use PVC, instead use utility hose (like goes on a washer/dryer) with a 1" ID. They make pipe bombs from PVC and I've seen someone, personally, explode PVC using it as a sleeve. It's not made to take that kind of pressure. The tubing will function the same but is 1,000,000 times safer. I prefer the clear tubing with fiber reinforcement (which I can get at work free but it's cheap at your local hardware store. $3 max per foot and you only need a foot.)
[/quote]

[ladahl]

Thanks guys! Sorry to thread jack.

 

On a side note... These work awesome... But I wish someone knew how to make one of these: as they are kind of $y.

 

 

 

 

Better than my compressor ( I ruin about 75% of ones I've tried saving... I just cut em off now to save myself the headache

 

For a cheaper version of this, use a marinade injector. They're a few bucks at anywhere that sells housewares.

 

 

 

[Vintage1976]

[quote name='Go Cards!' timestamp='1333467191' post='4638833']
I have use an barbeque skewer (single tine), very similar to use a metal coathanger but stronger. Another tip is to protect the shaft around the grip opening with some tape to prevent scratches.
[/quote]

I use an old rifle cleaning kit and grip solvent. I push the cleaning rod down a few inches at a time, then use my thumbs to work it around the shaft and break the seal. It takes about a minute total.

Not Winn grips though. that under listing is tough to work with, I cut them off.

[rlc323]

I found that to make one that works well you need stiffer wire than what is used in coat hangers. Farm supply store fence wire is small enough diameter but stiff. Bend and grind the tip a little on the business end so it slides better.

Winn grips = get a knife

[Joe85]

Thanks for all the responses.

Regards.

Joe

[wolfpack]

I used a BBQ skewer yesterday as suggested above, worked great, best thing i have tried.

[Joe85]

[quote name='wolfpack' timestamp='1333831616' post='4672476']
I used a BBQ skewer yesterday as suggested above, worked great, best thing i have tried.
[/quote]

That sounds like it might be the ticket but I went out and bought the tool.

[hendersnb]

I use the hanger method, but I like to use the ones that have the cardboard tube to hang slacks on. when you take the cardboard out and straighten the wires out, not only do you have a nice channel for the solvent to run down, but the hooks on the other end are useful "finger holds" when you stick the hanger in too far and it sticks. I have a 100% save rate with this method.

[attachment=1327015:hanger.gif]

[jabroni23]

The golfworks one works perfectly if you use it right. Dip it in grip solvent, slip it in until it hits the grip tape, and angle the handle out away from the shaft and drip more solvent in. As you drip a little more in, you can easily slide the tool in a little more each time. Easiest way is to put your shaft in a vice with a shaft holder, while keeping the grip below 180* so gravity keeps the solvent going towards to the butt end of the grip. It takes like 30 seconds, but if you try and muscle it in without the solvent getting a chance to dissolve the seal with the tape, you'll go through the grip.

[avgjoe]

the keys to using those tools are lots of solvent, and being slow and careful/not too agressive... even winns can be saved, without poking a hole in them. a bore cleaning tool is also useful

[chappy1]

Compressor with removal gun is the easiest method, this can be complicated if the grips have been installed with double sided tape or rubber cement (either of which I do not understand why people continue to persist with).

You will need an appropriately sized piece of pvc pipe (this should be wide enough to go over the grip end with only a little room to spare and long enough to cover the entire grip).

If the grips have only been blown on with compressed air, then you will have all of them off in no time. If they on via either glue or double sided tape, it's a lottery with compressed air and you might need to use the needle and bottle. I persoanlly think using any method to remove grips, other than compressed air is a lot of work for a few grips.

Do yourself a favour and get youself a cheap compressor (if you don't already have one) and the grip gun. You will be glad you did. And steer clear of DS tape and rubber cement

[Joe85]

I've always used double sided tape. Other than that would I just lube it up with hairspray or something? This is the first anyone has ever told me to stay away from DS tape.

[Harry Longshanks]

I have the golfsmith one - "spring rod" I think they call it. Paid $19 and it has paid for itself several times over. I've fixed friends botched gripping jobs and regripped a full set of wedges with new OEM grips for free because the owner wanted different grips and I caught him before he cut them off. It also let's me test out a new grip on one club before I regrip a whole set. And when I'm done, I just put the previous grip right back on.

I can get a grip off in less than 2 minutes. Haven't torn one yet or been unable to get one off.

And there is nothing wrong with double sided grip tape. There are a lot of outspoken proponents here for blowing grips on and off. And that's fine - whatever floats your boat. But I'll keep my tape, thank you. It's easy, portable, cheap, can be found almost anywhere. Same with solvent. So I can regrip almost anytime, anywhere.

[KjBowen]

I have tried a lot of things..
But this seems like a lot of work to save 14.98 for the tool.

I think 14.98 is well worth it for this job

[RookieBlue7]

[quote name='chappy1' timestamp='1346720639' post='5581217']
Compressor with removal gun is the easiest method, this can be complicated if the grips have been installed with double sided tape or rubber cement (either of which I do not understand why people continue to persist with).

You will need an appropriately sized piece of pvc pipe (this should be wide enough to go over the grip end with only a little room to spare and long enough to cover the entire grip).

If the grips have only been blown on with compressed air, then you will have all of them off in no time. If they on via either glue or double sided tape, it's a lottery with compressed air and you might need to use the needle and bottle. I persoanlly think using any method to remove grips, other than compressed air is a lot of work for a few grips.

Do yourself a favour and get youself a cheap compressor (if you don't already have one) and the grip gun. You will be glad you did. And steer clear of DS tape and rubber cement
[/quote]

I'd advise against using PVC. Why? I've seen the aftermath of someone using PVC and exploding it. The ER was involved in removing the shards of plastic from their face and arms. Much safer to use a piece of rubber hose instead.

[1player]

[quote name='PutterHo' timestamp='1333233711' post='4620773']
Tinker with the compressed air method. $9 inflator at 60lbs and the skinny tip ....

WARNING: Youtube a few videos and be careful as you will explode a few at first, a piece of pvc worked well for that contraption if $$$ is the goal.
[/quote]

yep compressed air was how a clubfitter took off a putter grip on a putter I had cut down
The tool blew air and oil into the grip and it slid right off
it looked made for the job tho, not home made

[Nessism]

I'd much rather use mineral spirits or grip solvent instead of oil which will make a mess and affect the grip tape next time around.

Hobby and better hardware stores sell music wire in various diameters. A piece of 3/16" metal rod, flattened on one end, works great as a cheap grip removal tool. Work the rod under the grip and squirt solvent in along side as you work deeper. I usually use a combination of this method AND air to get the grip off. Using air alone often requires a lot of air pressure and sometimes damages the grip, even if you use a tube over the outside.

[Joe85]

I have been using the Golfsmith tool now since after I started this thread. I reckon I saved dozens so far and destroyed a few (was pissed to destroy my like-new Pingman blackout though, that sucked.)