Need some help

[GolfTravelDude]

I picked up a set of shafts. They are the rapid taper ones. They are stiff but I play Regular. No instructions came with regard to tip trimming. Any insight as to whether I can tip trim these less such that they would play more regular than stiff? The general guideline I could come up with advised tip trim 4 inches for wedges down to 1/2 inch for 4 iron. My thought process was no trim at 5 as that will be first down to 2 inches on wedges. Appreciate any guideance from those who know better.

 

[Jimmy3864]

@Popeye ….I know you are a huge resource as I have enjoyed your sharing of technical aspects as well as the up and downs with the brand.

 

[Popeye]

I picked up a set of shafts. They are the rapid taper ones. They are stiff but I play Regular. No instructions came with regard to tip trimming. Any insight as to whether I can tip trim these less such that they would play more regular than stiff? The general guideline I could come up with advised tip trim 4 inches for wedges down to 1/2 inch for 4 iron. My thought process was no trim at 5 as that will be first down to 2 inches on wedges. Appreciate any guideance from those who know better.

These will soft step fairly well but I'll recommend you try one head first. Before you commit to the entire set.
What weight are the shafts?

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[drb1956]

I would not tip trim if they are already stiff. Tip trimming will make it stiffer. Butt trim to the spec length for the club you are reshafting. Even with butt trimming, being stiff could make the shaft even "firmer". I bow to someone with greater knowledge...

 

[Popeye]

I would not tip trim if they are already stiff. Tip trimming will make it stiffer. Butt trim to the spec length for the club you are reshafting. Even with butt trimming, being stiff could make the shaft even "firmer". I bow to someone with greater knowledge...

A little bit of knowledge is certainly dangerous.

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[drb1956]

A little bit of knowledge is certainly dangerous.

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Ok. So, enlighten me. Am I telling him the wrong info. They ARE already stiff, and he generally plays reg. flex. Is tip trimming a stiff going to make it firmer, when he is used to playing reg. flex?

 

[Popeye]

Ok. So, enlighten me. Am I telling him the wrong info. They ARE already stiff, and he generally plays reg. flex. Is tip trimming a stiff going to make it firmer, when he is used to playing reg. flex?

Your statement could not be any more wrong. They are a .370 shaft. They come uncut. You tip trim according to the head that the shaft is intended for. He wants to get them as soft as possible. So he is asking to soft step twice. Which is the only way to get them close to an R flex.
Then they are butt trim to length.
Butt trimming has an absolute minimum effect on flex.

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[drb1956]

Ok, point well taken. I know that shafts come uncut, just thinking a little outside the box, and I understand tip trimming according to the club. But, saying that he plays reg. flex, I just thought that not tip trimming at all would maintain a more flexible tip for any club. Ok, so I stand corrected. I do know about tip trimming to specs for the club being reshafted. I have built, and reshafted a couple of fairway woods, and a few hybrids, and tip trim accordingly. I also understand that playing a "heavier" shaft tends to make it "firmer" as you get north of 70 grams, or if you butt trim excessively. Swing weights get conflicted when trimming to much. A lot of grips now have "counter weight" ports built in. I have this on my putter. I can appreciate your knowledge on this subject.

 

[GolfTravelDude]

These will soft step fairly well but I'll recommend you try one head first. Before you commit to the entire set.
What weight are the shafts?

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[Popeye]

Then he should be able to get away with the double soft step. Still I would do a test club.

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[GolfTravelDude]

Your statement could not be any more wrong. They are a .370 shaft. They come uncut. You tip trim according to the head that the shaft is intended for. He wants to get them as soft as possible. So he is asking to soft step twice. Which is the only way to get them close to an R flex.
Then they are butt trim to length.
Butt trimming has an absolute minimum effect on flex.

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Soft step twice? Please explain.

 

[CTRosarian]

Soft stepping once is tipping trimming for a 4 iron with a 5 iron head.
Soft stepping twice is tip trimming for a 3 iron with a 5 iron head.

The longer shaft after less tip trimming means that there will be more butt trimming to the final length.

 

[GolfTravelDude]

These will soft step fairly well but I'll recommend you try one head first. Before you commit to the entire set.
What weight are the shafts?

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These are the 85 shafts.

 

[Popeye]

Soft step twice? Please explain.

So the trim code calls for the 4 iron shaft to be trimmed .5" a 6iron would be 1.5". So you want these S flex shafts to play as soft as possible to be closer to R. Putting the 4 iron shaft in the 5 iron will have it play 1/3 flex less. Then you trim the 5 iron to overall playing length. That is soft stepped for a .370 shaft. Install the 4 iron shaft that's been tip trimmed .5" into the 6 iron head and that's soft stepped twice. Don't try three. Then the 6 iron is butt trimmed to final playing length.
So when starting with a new blank shaft, whatever your trim code is. You are taking 1" less off of each shaft tip. If you reverse this, you are hardstepping. Each hardstep will increase flex by 1/3.
This is a rough guide line, but Testing on a CPM meter does show a decrease in flex. Some shafts more, some less.
Taper tips are obviously not tip trimmed and just swapped right into the head. A 4 iron shaft into a 6 iron head. Then butt trimmed to final length. Soft stepped twice.

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[GolfTravelDude]

So the trim code calls for the 4 iron shaft to be trimmed .5" a 6iron would be 1.5". So you want these S flex shafts to play as soft as possible to be closer to R. Putting the 4 iron shaft in the 5 iron will have it play 1/3 flex less. Then you trim the 5 iron to overall playing length. That is soft stepped for a .370 shaft. Install the 4 iron shaft that's been tip trimmed .5" into the 6 iron head and that's soft stepped twice. Don't try three. Then the 6 iron is butt trimmed to final playing length.
So when starting with a new blank shaft, whatever your trim code is. You are taking 1" less off of each shaft tip. If you reverse this, you are hardstepping. Each hardstep will increase flex by 1/3.
This is a rough guide line, but Testing on a CPM meter does show a decrease in flex. Some shafts more, some less.
Taper tips are obviously not tip trimmed and just swapped right into the head. A 4 iron shaft into a 6 iron head. Then butt trimmed to final length. Soft stepped twice.

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Appreciate that. So two step should put the S flex 2/3 of way to an R flex. I'll give the 7i a try before doing full set.

 

[drb1956]

So the trim code calls for the 4 iron shaft to be trimmed .5" a 6iron would be 1.5". So you want these S flex shafts to play as soft as possible to be closer to R. Putting the 4 iron shaft in the 5 iron will have it play 1/3 flex less. Then you trim the 5 iron to overall playing length. That is soft stepped for a .370 shaft. Install the 4 iron shaft that's been tip trimmed .5" into the 6 iron head and that's soft stepped twice. Don't try three. Then the 6 iron is butt trimmed to final playing length.
So when starting with a new blank shaft, whatever your trim code is. You are taking 1" less off of each shaft tip. If you reverse this, you are hardstepping. Each hardstep will increase flex by 1/3.
This is a rough guide line, but Testing on a CPM meter does show a decrease in flex. Some shafts more, some less.
Taper tips are obviously not tip trimmed and just swapped right into the head. A 4 iron shaft into a 6 iron head. Then butt trimmed to final length. Soft stepped twice.

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I understand now. Really have to pay attention to what club head you are shafting, and how much you are tip trimming to achieve the desired result.

 

[Popeye]

Appreciate that. So two step should put the S flex 2/3 of way to an R flex. I'll give the 7i a try before doing full set.

Also make sure you swing weight to a D2 at least. More swing weight will keep them playing softer.

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[ohioglfr]

So, since you state these are taper tipped Xcaliber shafts you don't tip trim at all. Soft step by putting, say, the 4 iron shaft in your 6 iron, for example. Then, butt trim to the correct club length. You may find by the time you get to the wedges you'd be a couple of shafts short, unless you use different wedge shafts.