Grip Tape Difficulties - Old Adhesive?

GraniteRoost

Flying Rocks
Albatross 2023 Club Albatross 2024 Club
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I just tried to regrip a club and after hosing down the tape and grip with my usual solvent, I couldn't get the grip on. When pushing on, all of the adhesive rolled / pilled up under the grip and wouldn;t stay in place. This roll of tape is a few years old - I'm thinking maybe expired. Anyone else run into this?
 
Only difficulty I’ve had like this is when solvent or the like is on the shaft before the tape, usually just a quick wipe with acetone to clean it off does the trick.
 
Only difficulty I’ve had like this is when solvent or the like is on the shaft before the tape, usually just a quick wipe with acetone to clean it off does the trick.

I wiped down the shaft with IPA and it was clean and dry. The tape stuck to the shaft fine, but the adhesive layer facing the grip just disintegrated when the solvent hit it. The tape was also pretty cold, like 40 degrees in the garage...
 
I wiped down the shaft with IPA and it was clean and dry. The tape stuck to the shaft fine, but the adhesive layer facing the grip just disintegrated when the solvent hit it. The tape was also pretty cold, like 40 degrees in the garage...
That might be the hiccup as I’ve always had my room 70ish to avoid temp changes on the epoxy or electronics in the equipment.
 
I've regripped at 50 many times in my garage. your use case sounds like me trying to install a .600 grip on a butt with .63 diameter. I got it on by it was a mother and I knew it was going to be before I started. Lots of extra solvent
 
I have had tape or solvent go bad on me once, I just can’t remember which. Could only get on 2-3 inches. Went to buddies place and borrowed both his tape and solvent and that solved the problem. It was like 15 years ago and I can’t recall if I isolated the culprit as I think I threw out both and bought new.
 
I let the roll of tape warm up (and solvent somewhat), and things went realtively smooth on the second go. Maybe everything was too cold first time around 🤷‍♂️
 
I’ve had tape go bad before. Usually it’s been left in a garage for a couple years then it looses its tackiness
 
I've regripped at 50 many times in my garage. your use case sounds like me trying to install a .600 grip on a butt with .63 diameter. I got it on by it was a mother and I knew it was going to be before I started. Lots of extra solvent

This was a good suggestion - in this case it was a 58R going on a .600. Went on firm in the end but not terrible.
 
I let the roll of tape warm-up (and solvent somewhat), and things went relatively smooth on the second go. Maybe everything was too cold first time around 🤷‍♂️

This exactly. 40* is way too cold for tape adhesives to perform normally and age can change the tape as well although I'm regripping recently with tape that is more than 3 years old.
 
OK. Last night I tried another and failed miserably. Today I have placed the solvent in a hot water bath, clubs in the house till the last second. I am using a heat gun to warm the shaft and tape after application in still somewhat cold garage, then pour warm solvent on the situation. Have had one go one smooth as butter, and another fine but a bit more force required. The hotter I keep things the easier it goes, so there is a general tip for anyone having trouble with a grip going on hard.

More effort than I'd like fiddling with the hot water bath and heat gun, but I'm regripping in much better fashion now.
 
Different rubber (especially cord grips) compounds expand differently at cool temps.

Yes, these are 580 cord going on 600 shafts so I need all the help I can get.
 
Take an old steel shaft and heat 10" of the tip with a propane torch for about 8/10 seconds. Insert the tip into the grip. Grab hold with both hands and squeeze for about 10 seconds so the heat will transfer to the grip. It'll slip on easily then.
Oh, btw, don't touch the tip of the steel shaft.
 
I do my club work in my basement, which is colder than hell in the winter time. I have learned to use a heat gun for 15-30 seconds before removing grips,
installing grips, etc., etc. It just makes the job that much easier. FWIW....
 
Are you shooting a bunch of solvent into the grip with your finger on the hole and shaking the grip vigorously to get thorough coverage inside the grip?
 
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