Graphite Shaft Removal
By Jeff Jackson, Mitchell Golf

Removing graphite shafts is a very common procedure in most clubmaking operations. The key is to successfully remove the shaft so that it may be used again. Doing that with a regular amount of success is something that takes the right equipment and a lot of patience. There are a number of factors that must be considered when trying to remove a graphite shaft successfully. The first one is that there is no 100% guarantee that a graphite shaft can be removed and saved every time, regardless of skill level or experience.

Key Considerations

Many common shafting epoxies have shear strengths exceeding 4000 psi and it take approximately 250 degrees Fahrenheit to break their bond between shaft clubhead. The epoxies and resins used to hold most graphite shafts together break down at about 300 degrees F, allowing a window of about 50 degrees F with which to work. Heating just a bit too much or too long might mean not being able to save a shaft successfully. There are even higher strength epoxies that require more heat to break the shaft loose from the head than the shaft itself can handle, meaning that you would never have a chance of saving the shaft. (The epoxy holding the shaft together would fail before the epoxy holding the shaft to the head would fail.) There are also epoxies that have a shear strength that is less then 4000 psi that take less then 250 degrees to break their bond. The use of these epoxies certainly makes it easier and more likely that the shaft can be removed successfully, but a key problem is you don't know for sure which type of epoxy was used to bond the head and the shaft together, making it difficult to judge how much heat is needed to take them apart.

In any event, a shaft puller of some type is a requirement when successfully removing graphite shafts. Some pullers have success rates approaching 100%; without any puller, success rates are well below 10%. A shaft puller can be something as simple and inexpensive as a pry bar or can be as expensive as industrial pullers exceeding $500.00. Any type of shaft puller works by clamping the shaft and forcing or pulling the head from the shaft; they work on both woods and irons.

When removing any graphite shaft from a club head the first rule is to remove the ferrule from the shaft. Any graphite shaft puller works by applying pressure to the top edge of the hosel of the club head. Thus the ferrule needs to be removed prior to using a shaft puller. Use a Hyde or a utility knife and carefully cut and peel away the ferrule. Be very careful not to damage the shaft. Heating the ferrule lightly with a propane torch will make it easier to remove the ferrule.

When using the pry bar, place the graphite shaft in a vise clamp held in a bench vise leaving just enough room between the edge of your bench vise and the top of the hosel so that the pry bar will fit into this space. Pushing against the bench vise provides the leverage that you need to force the club head straight off the shaft. One more tip here; when prying the club head from the shaft caution is key. At some point when prying, the shaft tip will start to bend. Either place some type of block between the bench vise and the pry bar and continue to pry the club head straight off, or loosen the shaft in the vise and move the club head closer to the bench vise and continue to pry the club head straight off the shaft. Bending the shaft tip when the shaft is still warm from heating could result in the shaft staying bent. This either renders the shaft unusable or will affect the lie angle or face angle of the club when you attempt to reinstall the shaft into a new head.

When mechanical or industrial shaft pullers are used, the shaft is clamped into the device's fixture and the head is pulled or pushed from the shaft. These pullers provide much more pulling (or pushing) pressure than can be applied when using the pry bar. Additionally, they provide a uniform pressure, eliminating the chance of shaft tip damage. The moment the epoxy bond is broken between head and shaft, the shaft comes off the head; this virtually eliminates heat damage to the shaft, making it usable in another club head.

Heating Methods

There are a number of acceptable methods of heating the club head in order to remove it form the shaft. A heat gun, propane torch or a "sand pot" can be used effectively. Remember, it will take approximately 250 degrees Fahrenheit to remove the club head from the shaft; any of these heating methods can achieve that temperature.

When applying heat directly to a club head, heat only the backside of the hosel of the club head. This eliminates any visible finish damage should any damage occur. Clubs with painted or polyurethane finishes must be heated cautiously to avoid heat marks. One key advantage of a strong puller is that as soon as the epoxy bond is broken, the head is removed, reducing the potential for overheating and finish damage.

When using a heat gun, heat in intervals of one minute at a time and wait one minute between heat applications. After heating for one minute, try to remove the club head. If the head will not come off, again heat for one minute, starting one minute after heating the first time. Proceed in this manner until the club head can be removed. When using a propane torch, heat only the backside of the club head for the same reasons mentioned in the previous example. Apply heat for 15-second intervals. Again allow one minute between heating intervals. When using the pry bar, quite often heat will need to be applied more than once to remove the club head. When using a graphite shaft puller that provides more leverage, seldom is more than 15 seconds of heat needed to remove the club head from the shaft. The 15 seconds of heat applies to both woods and irons.

When using sand to remove a shaft, a Fry Daddy french fry fryer is employed. Fill it with enough sand to cover the hosel of the club head to a spot just below the top of the hosel. No part of the shaft should be touching the sand or the deep fryer. Also make certain that no part of the club head directly touches the walls of the deep fryer, otherwise damage to the finish may occur. Heat the sand to 250 degrees and then place the club head under the sand. A thermometer in the sand keeps track of the temperature. Leave the club head in the sand for 15 minutes. Remove the club head, mount it into a graphite shaft puller and remove the shaft. If the shaft does not come out of the club head, put the club back into the sand and heat for another 5 minutes and continue in that manner. As when using the propane torch, a graphite shaft puller that provides substantial leverage generally eliminates the need for additional heating . This sand pot method is the best method for removing shafts without doing damage to the finish of the club head. Whether it be painted finishes on metal woods, tumbled finishes on irons, or any other type of finish that direct heat could damage, this method provides great results.

After the club head is removed from the shaft, clean the hosel bore of excess epoxy as quickly as possible. Use a drill bit for removing any epoxy that would be at the bottom of the bore. Follow this with a hosel cleaning brush to remove soft epoxy from the hosel. Also use a counter sink to finish the top of the hosel to make sure that the existing counter sink in the club head is clean and has no remaining epoxy in it. If this is done while the old epoxy is still warm it makes it much easier to remove. The same thing applies when cleaning the shaft. Any epoxy that is on the shaft tip can be carefully scraped off the tip of the shaft. Epoxy that is inside the tip end of the shaft can easily be removed by drilling with a 1/8" drill bit, or smaller, if the hole in the tip end of the shaft is smaller than 1/8". Again, if this is done while the old epoxy is still warm it makes it much easier.

If the shaft is going to be reused, do a visual inspection of the tip end of the shaft. Look for any frayed fibers. Pay special attention to the area that would be right at the top edge of the hosel along the counter sink of the head. This would be the area where the greatest amount of epoxy would be; it takes a little more heat to break that area loose from the club head. Usually shaft failure seems to occur in this area. To test shaft strength, place the shaft tip on the floor and push down from the butt end of the shaft to make sure that the shaft tip holds up to this pressure. Obviously if the shaft tip gives way to this pressure it is not usable for future installation.

There will be times when heat marks occur to the club head during shaft removal. Heat marks on high polish or satin finish irons can be removed using a couple of different methods. Chrome cleaner or Semichrome Polish removes the marks easily. Put some on a cloth and work it around on the hosel; it will clean and remove the heat marks. A cleanser called "Bar Keepers' Friend" can be sprinkled on a moist cloth and rotated around the hosel to remove the discolorations from the heat. Stitched buffing wheels and white polishing compound can also be used to buff heat marks from the club head

Removing heat marks from irons and metal woods that have a tumbled finish is something that requires a little more skill and caution. Often a club head that has a tumbled finish has some type of finish coat over the tumbled finish. That finish can be easily removed when trying to remove heat marks. Using the chrome cleaner or the Bar Keepers' Friend and applying light pressure should give you a good result. Another method that can be used with some success is to polish the hosel using unstitched buffing wheels and Glanz Wach. When buffing with Glanz Wach, keep the motor speed to 1000 rpm's or slightly less for best results.

When reinstalling the graphite shaft into a new club head, lightly abrade or sand the tip of the shaft, being careful to just remove any excess epoxy that might remain on the tip of the shaft. When reinstalling the shaft into a new club head you might notice a little more play than normal between the shaft tip and the hosel of the club head. This would be a good time to use shafting beads to fill that space and insure that the shaft will stay center in the bore of the club head when it is set aside to cure.

It's difficult to analyze all the different situations that might be encountered when removing graphite shafts from club heads. When removing and attempting to save graphite shafts for future installation, patience is a key. The proper tools, when combined with proper technique, make the job much easier and more foolproof. Remember, regardless of skill and tools, graphite shafts cannot always be saved. But, by following the steps above, much more often than not, graphite shaft removal will be successful and the shaft will be saved for play another day!