How To Install a Putter Grip

@Canadan Whats the safest way to remove the grip? In college, we were always told not to regrip anything ourselves as some kid sliced his hand open with an exacto knife. Thanks!

I set my air compressor on full blast and blast away through the hole in the butt of the grip. That usually completely destroys it to the point where removing the remains is easy.

If air compressor is not an option, I have cut about an inch or two up with scissors from the bottom of the grip then peeled it apart and up the rest of the way.

I play all graphite shafts so don't like taking a razor blade to it.
 
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@Canadan Whats the safest way to remove the grip? In college, we were always told not to regrip anything ourselves as some kid sliced his hand open with an exacto knife. Thanks!
I use a hook blade utility knife. Seems way safer.

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@Canadan is right a hook blade makes it pretty easy. Thanks for the video!
 
My timing is impeccable, as usual - I just installed that exact SS grip on my SeeMore 3 or 4 days ago. :LOL: Great video, and that's pretty much exactly how I did it, although my work station is nowhere near that fancy - just a bench vise with a shaft adapter/holder and a paint drip tray on the workbench. The only things I could add (one of which is addressed in the thread) is that a hook blade makes grip removal a little safer (and much better for graphite shafts!), and a heat gun is the way to go if the old tape is hard to remove. Otherwise, removing the old tape is the most difficult and time consuming part of doing a regrip.

I'm Team @JB on the tape, always start on top and leave the seam on the bottom - and as @Canadan said, I'm meticulous about getting the tape on smoothly with no wrinkles. No way I'd feel it under a SuperStroke grip, but under a regular grip it would drive me nuts if I could feel a wrinkle/seam. It only takes a few extra seconds to take my time and get it on there smooth.

Also agree that there's no such thing as 'too much solvent' when installing a SS grip. On my first attempt, mine got stuck about 1/3 of the way on, and luckily I was able to pull it back off and start over. I completely saturated the shaft and inside of the grip with solvent, and it slid on perfectly on the second attempt. I aligned the grip with the club face while it was still in the vise, then put it in address position on the ground and tweaked it until it was perfect.
 
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I am glad I am not the only crazy when it comes to full commit on the tape stick hahaha - I know it takes longer but I don't mind.
 
This is basically my process. I use the flat side of the putter grip and the sight line or a straight edge of the putter to make sure it is straight.
Exactly how I do putters.
 
You should never just eyeball to line up the putter face to the flat side of the grip, it's almost impossible to get it straight and tests have shown that just 1 degree or more off can cause putts to be over an inch off. I use a regular vise with a steel and rubber insert and a plastic tub to catch as save the fluid.
When you get the putter in the vise, gently place a level on the face, to make sure that it is straight up and down. Then once the grip is on, use the level on the flat part of the grip to make sure that it is parallel to the ground, by checking along 3 or more spots along the grip. More rigid grip are easier to line up, but softer more rubbery ones can be tough, because the upper part of the grip can get several degrees different then the lower or even middle part of the grip. It's not easy, but it's very important. More rigid grips with a more defined flat section, like the super stroke in the video are easier to do for those reasons. The importance of getting the grip lined up properly and the difficulty in doing it is why many people like Dave Edel suggest round grips.
 
My process is similar to yours @Canadan, though I put the tape on the top. I'm also pretty meticulous about getting the tape smoothed down. On most clubs I'll twist the excess and push it into the shaft. Only time I don't do that is if it's a SuperStroke Counter Core. I do the solvent in the grip bit as well. I have a shaft vice that mounts into a regular vice on my workbench. I'll use a small level to get the face vertical, then put the grip on and adjust like you do. Never flipped it over though. That's an interesting step that I'll have to give a try next time.

When installing SuperStrokes, there is no such thing as too much solvent!
 
An online tip I got from Steve Elkington, is to push a tee into the butt end of the grip before
using the solvent. It keeps the solvent inside the grip and creates air pressure
when sliding over the shaft... giving a little more time to adjust in place.
Grip in proper position, stand back before you pull the tee, as solvent will shoot out, due to the air pressure.
 
I've always installed all of my grips, however recently, with the price of some of the oversize putter grips, I get those installed by Dick's. Its worth it to me to pay the extra $2/$3 to get the grip installed correctly. I'd hate to get a $25+ grip halfway onto the shaft only to have it "stick."
 
One more look down the line on this classic

 
Love it, great station.
 
Looks great!
 
Definitely a level guy like @glenk69. Easiest way I’ve found to remove grips is to roll it back from the front, make a little slice, roll a little more, another slice, then it usually splits in half.

I’ve been messing around with puting solvent into the “grip hole” and then the air compressor. Idea is that the pressure pushes the solvent into the butt end and tries to blow it out the front. You have to hold it vertical. It does want to spray out the back though. I’ve only done it twice blowing off SS grips on a couple used putters.

Anyhoo…always tinkering.
 
Looks great and glad to see that station didn’t rip out of the floor.
 
Definitely a level guy like @glenk69. Easiest way I’ve found to remove grips is to roll it back from the front, make a little slice, roll a little more, another slice, then it usually splits in half.

I’ve been messing around with puting solvent into the “grip hole” and then the air compressor. Idea is that the pressure pushes the solvent into the butt end and tries to blow it out the front. You have to hold it vertical. It does want to spray out the back though. I’ve only done it twice blowing off SS grips on a couple used putters.

Anyhoo…always tinkering.
Don’t put solvent in the grip hole. Only going to go down the shaft. If you’re not trying to save the grip then use the hook blade carpet knife as mentioned above.
 
Not when you go vertical. It’s messy but works.
 
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