RookieBlue7

I use a lime green sharpie.

Didn't feel like I played very well today at all. The greens are still slow as molasses and I didn't 3 putt but wow did you have to really rap the ball to get it to the hole. Ended up +11 points on my quota and should win a little for that as well as get a skin for a birdie on the hardest par 3 on the course (stuffed it to 8 inches).

Played bad. Greens treacherously slow. Drank 3 beers and 7 waters and 1.5 hours post round and still haven't gone to restroom. Hot and humid. Went through 4 gloves and 2 towels.

Matrix does have an exceptional warranty.... But I doubt they'd cover that. Sorry for your loss.

So much for my epiphany. I hit my driver a bunch on the range and just couldn't get a reliable flight. I'm honestly thinking about hacking it from 44 7/8 down to 44 1/2 and trying that. I cut my 3 wood at 43" (shorter than most standards) and I can hit it up a gnat's ass. I'm going to video my swing face on, DTL and a few other views and if I don't see what's causing the erratic directionality, I'm going to post them here and see what comes up. It's killing me not to hit it well because my driver is my most reliable club, or used to be. I'm fine playing 3 wood 265 and if I need to a low boring draw that runs out to 275, but on the longer par 5's it makes it tough to get home in 2, and that's where I gain strokes on the course. I can still pound the driver 295-300 but have no clue where it's going.

Played this morning and played fairly well. Should've broke par were it not for a few tough breaks. It was 93 degrees when I arrived at the range at 8:00 to get loose. I hit everything on the range terribly and thought to myself I was in for a long day. Wasn't the case at all. I shot one of my best rounds in a few weeks and did it by staying away from the driver, which has been giving me FITS lately. I hit it 4 times all day, 3 on par 5's, 1 on a very reachable par 4 on a tough CC course and hit my 13 degree 3 wood the rest of the holes (including 1 par 5). I missed 3 of 4 fairways with the driver, I missed 1 of 10 of the remaining holes I hit the 3 wood on. That's 10 of 14 fairways hit, which is really revealing when I look back at the scorecard. They're in the process of growing the rough up for their club championship in a few weeks, so it's really penal right now. Round started with a bang. First hole is a 400 yard par 4 that dogleg's left. Normally, here, I'd have taken a driver and cut the corner and left myself with a chip shot in. Today, I decided I was going to play with a strategy of only hitting driver on the par 5's (save the very reachable par 4, #10). I grab the trusty 3 wood (which at this point is almost point and shoot for me) and rip a low boring draw around the corner. I hit this club on average of 265 and can stretch it to 275 if I hit this low boring runner. I had a gap wedge left to the green. Pin was in the back on the right side. I decided to hit it to the back 3rd, in the center of the green and executed the shot flawlessly. Hit it to 15 feet and run the putt in for a birdie (didn't hit a practice putt all morning, was busy trying to iron out the swing). Good start. The next 2 holes were drive to the center of the fairway, hit PW, 2 putt par. Next one was miss par 3 long (ball was carrying like crazy today in the high heat and humidity). Chipped it to a foot and made the par putt. Next hole, I hit the 3 wood and miss left (only miss all day with it). Punched out of the woods back through the fairway and hit the approach to the worst possibly place within 5 feet. On the slope behind it and it plugged because they were watering. Normally, it spins back there, not with it wet. So I unplug it, repair the mark, and putt the ball (I say putt, I touched it and let it roll). Roll it did, 8 feet past the pin. Putted that one and lipped it out, and ended up taking a double bogey 6. Next hole, hit the green 15 feet right, 2 putt par. Bogeyed the par 5 on the next hole (first time I hit my driver all day and missed left.) Chopped my 3 wood out absolutely murdered to 50 yards short of the green (it's a 535 yard par 5 that plays all uphill, I can get there, but not with where I drove the ball because it hit and died, nestling down in the now thicker rough. Not a bad miss normally, but today it was because they are growing the rough up). Ground was wet and I hit the chip fat. Chipped it to 10 feet from there and 2 putt bogeyed. Bogeyed the next hole by hitting my approach in the sand and then it was PACKED and I tried to chip it out instead of splashing (because the sand is hard and you can't splash it). Caught it a little thin and it went over the green (they're rolling at a 12 right now there, and it came out lower than I wanted and when it hit it had zero spin so it kept rolling and rolling). Rolled 5 feet off the green, and into a little ditch like depression. Couldn't putt, even though I'm in the fairway 5 feet from the green. Chip it to 2 feet and make the bogey putt. Parred the next hole with a drive to the center of the fairway approach to 12 feet and 2 putt par. 9 is a par 5 that doglegs 90 degrees right and it 75 feet uphill from that bend. I hit the 3 wood here to perfect position 215 yards from the green right next to the creek at the dogleg. I hit my 5 wood a touch higher than intended and it landed at the little hill right in front of the green that they keep watered and it plugged. Chipped to 6 feet and had a downhill sweeper that lipped out costing me a birdie. Finish the side at +3, 39. No biggie, I score better on the back usually anyway. 10 in a drivable par 4, but there's little margin for error, there's 3 bunkers green side and 2 are between the tee box and green. Hit a high cut like intended (this hole plays 313 yardage wise, but it's 279 to the front edge of the green with the slope accounted for (same one you came up going to 9, you go back down to 10, I've eagled and birdied this hole a bunch). I was timid because I was hitting driver, which I'd only done once at this point in the round because I've been hitting it poorly. At this point, I'm not real worried because the onyl trouble is a creek short that wraps around waaaay right of the green. I line up 25 yards left and am trying to hit a real high cut and let it ride the left to right wind. Hit the cut and it's tracking beautifully. Right until the wind stops and it stops cutting hard. Lands in the bunker long (which is the best bunker to miss in on this hole with the hole location, as it was back right, so I've got nearly the whole green to work with). Bunker is again PACKED. I try to chip, but this time with the 60 instead of the 56. Catch it a hair thin again and it doesn't check until the second bound, right at the back edge and it trickles off down the hill 10 feet off the green in the rough. Chip up to a foot and make the par. 11, par 5, hit driver and hit the fairway (only one I hit). Left side of the fairway, open look at the green from 215 yards. Flat and framed nicely by the two front bunkers that have a gap between them. I smoke the 4/21 hybrid and it hits the front edge, releases, tracking right at the pin, and disappears. I'm thinking double eagle because we can't see it. Get to the green and it rolled right past and behind the pin and stops at 6 inches. Kick in eagle, and at -2 on the side so far. I'm thinking okay, still a good chance at getting back to even par. Go par, par, par hitting 2 fairways, hitting it to 15 feet and 2 putting, and hitting the longer par 3 on the course to 17 feet and lipping out the birdie. Bogey 15 because I hit it in the left side of the fairway and it's blocked by trees to the green, have to try to hit a big Bubba type hook, pull it off, but the wind keeps if from hooking back to the green. Hit a decent, but not great chip that checks DEAD at 12 feet, 2 putt bogey. Par 3, stuffed to 6 feet and lip out the downhiller. Par 4, miss the green left from 130 yards with a W in my hand(pulled it) and it kicks dead left off the hill there down into the edge of the woods and is sitting up on a pile of leaves. Take several practice swings in the leaves near it to try and decide on the shot. Forgot that I was on a sidehill and hit it exactly like I want. Sidehill lie created a little sidespin and it spun right of the flag to 10 feet. Leave the putt hanging on the lip, hop, skip, jump, put my shadow over the hole(not really, sounds good though), nothing makes it drop. Tap in the bogey. Par 5 18, almost miss the ball with my driver and hit it in the fairway, it bounds like it's on concrete to the first cut left of the fairway. Hit the 5 wood and hit a pull draw left of the green (uphill par 5, wanted it left right on front of the green for an easy chip to a back right pin placement. Instead, pull it with a draw and end up getting a hop off a sprinkler head that bounds it back to pin high left in what's nearly long enough to pass as deep rough. Ball settles down and I decided (after changing clubs 3 different times) I'm going to hack at it with the 64 and hope it lands soft enough to stop. It comes out high out of the lie (wasn't expecting that at all) and it lands as soft as you please, rolling to 12 feet short. 2 putt par (lipping out another birdie) to finish at even for the side, and +3 75. Won money though, especially since they wanted to play a 3 putt game on top of the dollar skins with all trash. I didn't 3 putt when it was on me, hadn't gotten to me yet. I got it the hole after the 1 three putt I had and didn't 3 putt again, keeping it and winning the $5 for that bet. Ended up making $45 on 2 guys (the 4th quit after 5 holes because they'd driven all day yesterday coming home from vacation and his back was bothering).

Quick question, as I believe I stumbled onto something while mowing my grass (weird, I know). As I was riding around in the heat, cutting grass, I started thinking about how poorly I've been driving the ball as of late (my last round, I teed off primarily with my 13* 3 wood on every hole save the par 5's and 1 par 4). I outdrove my cousin, who's going to college on a golf scholly on most holes even doing this, as I can murder this 3 wood, and we're normally side by side on our drives. But I couldn't hit my driver a reliable direction. Anyway, as I was riding around, I began thinking what could be causing my troubles. I mentally went through my setup, and swing and couldn't think of anything. After mowing, I came in and showered. It began raining, so I was still thinking about it. After the rain (thankful for it, it's been 100+ for a week here), I went outside with my driver and went through everything. I found that my shoulders were aligned about well right of my target (right handed golfer). I opened them up to a comfortable position and took some swings. It felt better. So I went and got a few balls out of my practice bag and hit them out through the pasture behind my house. Every one produced a nice booming draw that was close to the 5 yard draw I used to play. So, my question for the pro is, where should one's shoulders align in relation to the hips and feet? Same line, slightly open or slightly closed? I felt with mine opened to around 5 yards left of my target felt the best for me, and allowed me to feel like my shoulders were clearing on the backswing and were free and cleared easily on the downswing. So where should the shoulders point?

Haven't seen a post of this type on here so I figured I'd start one. Giving us a place to post stories from our rounds. I played this morning with my cousin, who's just recently signed a golf scholarship, and had a lot of fun as well as saw two things I've never seen before. The first isn't related to golf, really, but course maintenance. They are now foaming the fairways at the local course. I have no clue what it's for, but it's got pink dye in it and they're putting decent sized drops about 4 feet apart and two stripes 10 feet apart, all the way across the fairway. I thought they'd had some vandals come in and TP the fairway when I was pulling in. Never saw that before and I have no clue what chemical is in the foam. The other is related to golf. I played so-so and shot a 79 on a tough CC where I didn't drive the ball very well at all. My cousin, on the other hand, had the feat I've never seen before. He was +1 going to #9, and he hits 3 wood to the apex of the dogleg. Lays up to 52 yards out(I was the GPS guy, his rangefinder died). The second shot it straight uphill. It adds close to 25 yards to the shot from the apex of the dogleg. I smoked my drive with my 3 wood as well and was inside him by 15 yards. He laid up (I've never seen him go for this green, if you're short, it's not running up because they keep the hill in front of the green moist so it's slow and eats balls. The only option is to play for the back half of the green if going for it or slam it into the bank and hope it pops up onto the green, especially if it's a front pin.) I went for it from 210 actual distance (played 230) with my 4/21 hybrid. I delofted it and hit a stinger. Pin was up front. I absolutely nutted it and it slammed into the front bank... and stopped, it was that moist. Nearly a plug, rolled a few inches out of its pitch mark. He lays up to 52. He hits after I walk over and give him the distance and we're both telling it to bite. Get to the green and go to chip and his is nowhere to be found. I chip to 6" and we walk up and he's dunked it for eagle (can't see the green even from 50 yards out, just the back half). Okay, I birdie. Get to 10, we both try to drive the severely downhill green. He's in the front bunker and I'm pin high right off the slope (you're playing another dogleg here and it's back down that steep hill you just played up on 9. The smart play is a hybrid or 5 wood to the apex of the dogleg where you have 80 yards. We both went for it. We both par. Get to 11, and he kills a drive to the left first cut on this par 5. I'm 10 yards past him and under a tree further left. There's two bunkers up front with a 9 yard wide gap between them. Pin was front third, right side. He again lays up (this time to 40 yards). I go for it again, tick a low hanging branch and finish between the bunkers 5 yards off the green. I give him a distance again and he hits the shot. Hits a nipper he thinks he's overcooked a little and yells for it to bite again. It responds, checking a little on the second bounce. Rolls out, hangs for a second on the lip and falls in. Second eagle in 3 holes, both chip ins. We just die laughing. I chip up nd take another birdie. Next hole, he hits to short of the lake and a bit far right in the rough. I miss the same place virtually(just slightly more right). I nut a 7 iron out of the rough and expect it to shut the face some and make it turn left. It comes out and goes dead straight. He proceeds to dunk 2 in the water and takes a 7. He ended up shooting a +1 73. I, on the other hand, shoot 79. Regardless I've never seen someone chip in twice in a round in person, much less from that far out and definitely not for eagle. His reply after the second? "guess buying that new 60 degree wedge was worth it huh?" lol

I like Miller Lite aluminum bottles on the course. That way if someone hits a bump in the cart there's no risk of spilling any beer lol.

By changing the weights around, you're altering the toe hang of the putter, which alters the type of stroke it fits. SAM Lab studies have proven that different types of toe hang fit different stroke types as it allows the putter to open/close to fit the stroke. A putter with a 6:00 toe hang will work for a person with an inside to inside path better than any other stroke type. Proven again and again in SAM lab, as it allows that person to deliver the putter square in the critical 2 inches the easiest. Face balanced, conversely, will fit a person that has a straight back and straight through stroke better than anything else and they'll consistently deliver it through the impact zone square more often. Slight toe hang putters, by definition, will fit those with a slight arc better than anything else out there, as they return it to square more often. Can different stroke types use different toe hang types? Sure, but if you got them on a SAM, their results would prove which works best for them based on toe hang. I'd recommend going through a SAM fitting and figuring out your stroke type and then adjusting or buying a new putter to fit instead of just guessing at it by changing weights.

I did a quick DIY a LOOOOONG while ago that's on here(somewhere... I think, can't remember if I posted it here or not). It was a rush job, and honestly, while it looked fairly decent, I wasn't real proud of it because I did have to rush. This one, I had more time to refinish. I always tell people I'll take their projects on with these things because the putters are beautiful putters and I just can't seem to say no, even though I often find myself questioning, repeatedly and with a lot of anger at myself why I keep taking these TeI3's on. They're a pain in the butt because of all of the refined pieces that are in these things, and the time consuming nature. With that said, let's get on with it. I actually forgot to snap pictures of how this putter looked when I got it. I took some after stripping the rust and elastomer out of it, and hopefully you can still tell that it was in decent shape, but there were some problems with it. The largest problem was that the topline was crushed down onto the insert. I've done some that were worse than this one, but it wasn't a cake walk. The main problem when it's crushed like this is that the insert doesn't want to come out easily like it would if it weren't crushed. I eventually coaxed it out with a few subtle tricks (I ground an automotive pick down to a very fine point and worked it at the topline while simultaneously pushing from the back with a push rod I'd made from an old pin punch I had lying around). Here's how it looked after stripping, beadblasting and removing the elastomer and removing the insert (sorry, thought I took pics of it crushed down and I didn't. This is after I'd worked it just a little, not much as it's still sitting on the insert at this point): This is with the insert out at the same point, you can hopefully see that the topline is still crushed at this point: Next comes the most painstaking part of these putters when the topline is crushed, and that's straightening them out. I mark the low spots by putting the insert back into the putter dry fitted with a Sharpie. Once that's done, I use one of several straight edged automotive body work tools and a piece of flat bar stock with a piece of old leather belt sandwiched between the putter head and the anvil portion of my vice. Once I have everything ready, I gently heat with a torch by moving rapidly across the topline in increments of 25 seconds at a time, place the metal bar or body work tool in and lightly tap it into place for 10 seconds then resume heating. This allows the metal to warm up and develop just enough elasticity so it'll move and not crack while not discoloring it from the heat. Oh, and I use welding gloves on the hand I hold the putter with. This is after I'd gotten it pretty straight (almost finished straightening, I let it cool to relax the metal after I get it 75% of the way there to see where it settles before resuming. Most of the time it doesn't move, but it has at times relaxed a hair too far and isn't straight like I like to see). From here, I finish straightening the topline. Once that's complete, I begin working the entire putter over by a combination of filing where I can and hand sanding the rest. Here's the initial filing to get dings out: Then, I begin polishing with differing grits of sandpaper, progressively getting finer until I get the level of polish desired (prep work is key prior to putting the finish on, the higher polish the raw metal, the higher polish the finished product will be and vice versa). Here's after some more prep work is done: At this point, I'm about 50% done polishing. Fast forward to being finished polishing. From there, I had a choice to make. I'd told the person originally I'd do a cold black ox, as I don't have a hot black ox process due to cost, licensing, etc. But, on a whim, I contacted a few places that do black oxide dips and finally got one to answer me. Once I got a quote, I decided I was going with a hot process as it yields a much better finished product. So I box it up and ship it off to have the hot black ox applied. Fast forward a week later and I get it back like this: From here, it's reassembly time, which is just a reverse of the disassembly(put the insert back in, secure with the allen screws that go in it, then redo the elastomer, squigee excess off and let dry to a tack and then wet wipe the smudges, then let completely dry and remove any remaining excess, paintfill, clean up and then apply eezox oil to it). Here's the finished product, ready for the shaft to be reinstalled(there's a speck of dust on one of the letters in the paintfill. I didn't retake pics because I've got another project going that I have to work on): Any questions, comments, etc are appreciated. If any of you have one of these you want to do, take your time and do the prep work carefully and cleanly and you'll be surprised at how well your finished product is. As always if there are any questions, don't hesitate to ask. If I can help someone else refinish one of these and never touch another one, I won't be mad at all. LOL Hopefully this is in the right section, if not feel free to move it to putters.

Rev, I think we are going to go ahead and stay till Tuesday. I'll know something tomorrow or the next day. If we do, I'm bringing my LD scramble club, and I may bring it either way, because if I hit my driver like I hit it this past Saturday, I at least will have some fun.

He is a preacher. I've known him for a while. Don't think he'll have a problem with it. If so, I won't drink.

Just a question. Today, I played and drank zero beers. I've played rounds where I've drank a beer a hole. I try to restrict my drinking and playing to temps below 85 degrees. If its above I usually will stick with water. Sure exceptions are made, matter of fact when I go to Tampa in a few weeks I'll likely drink a few while I play with Rev. But that withstanding, my break even outside temp is 85. I wear pants a lot of times when I play and sweat more than most because of that, so I want to make sure I stay hydrated. I've found that there's no real way to say if I play better or worse. I've shot par drinking and I've blown past 90. But theres no regularity to my scores while drinking. So do you or don't you drink while playing and why or why not? Just curious if others observe the temperature rule. I'm sure we have some that don't drink at all, while on the course or off.

iPhone double post

Rev it's not looking too promising right now. The sis-in-law has to have the BF out of town (he's supposed to be going on a fishing trip, that got cancelled because the friend's boat they were going out on has had a major failure. They're trying to plan another trip though). We'll be coming to Tampa sometime because she lives there now but it's not a condo renting trip according to my wife (she's frugal lol). I'll let you know when we head that way though, and it'll be in advance. As far as my son goes, no, he's not there yet, but I did build him a 7 iron because he always wants my clubs and they're waaaaaaay too long. Wedge is next, just waiting on the right time. It'll be a raw blank I'll cut down and grind for him.

The sound slot is stock on that putter (hence the Beach name). It's a prototype never released to retail. The pink is a nailpolish I found at Target. I had Mr. Color paint I bought at hobby town, but that paint was terrible. Saw this pink and it looked intriguing, so I bought it (don't worry, my wise was buying make-up is why I was even there).

I knew it was reader submitted. Just offering some tips to those that may be reading as I've refinished those putters a BUNCH

This looks like the one I posted a long time ago on another forum, except I did mine in white polymer. Same color scheme though (I've redone that SeeMore more times that I can count). A few tips so you don't have to sand nearly as much? Use Tal-Strip II aircraft grade coating stripper. This will melt the powdercoating on those putters in 5 minutes then all you have to do is rinse and dry and then scuff the bare metal so it'll give the paint surface to adhere to. Paintfill on that one is a tad sloppy and I'd recommend a needle tipped bottle where you can squirt paint into the stampings and let it fill itself up, getting rid of the sloppiness. Also, for those that live in bright sunny areas, I'd recommend using a matte paint instead of gloss as it'll create glare issues where the matte diffuses it. Pretty good DIY, but I prefer a few different methods in some steps for cleaner finishes and easier, less labor intensive work in prep and such.

Gotta update the rest with pics (I'll list the bag though), but I just redid the paintfill on the flatstick again (was bored). (Before you read, my setup and specs are quirky, but they're what works for me and I'm picky about my builds so I do all of my own work) Driver: -TMag RBZ Tour 9 degree cranked to the most open setting (lower) on an R11 tip (1 degree tip, not 1.5) w/ Talamonti PD70 Tour X flex tipped 1.25" and built at 44.75" Fairways (alternate depending on course): -TMag R11S 15.5 degree w/ Talamonti PD80 Tour X tipped 1.75" and built at 43" cranked lower 1.5 degrees -Nike SasQuatch 13 degree w/ Aldila NV 85X tipped 1.25" and built at 43.25" (ghosted this one in white polymer) bent 1* open -Nike SqII Monorail 18 degree w/ Talamonti PD80 Tour X Tipped 2" and built at 41.75" (ghosted in white polymer)bent 1.25* open Hybrid: -TMag Rescue11 4/21 degree w/ Talamonti H100 Tour X tipped 1" and built to 39.75" Irons: (normally use 5 iron down, sometimes throw in 4 iron and remove hybrid or a wedge) -Tour Issued Adams A4 Tour Black w/ DG Tour Issue S300 hardstepped once and built off of a 38 5/8" 5 iron with 1/2" deviations through the set (have 3-PW, don't use 3 iron ever, use 4 iron occasionally, generally carry 5-PW). Bent 2 degrees upright Wedges: -Ping Eye2 W bent to 51 degrees w/ TiSandvik Titanium shaft (don't remember flex, it was the stock shaft and I've never changed it since I picked it up a dozen or so years ago) built to 35.75" -Tour Department Scratch 56* and 60* conforming wedges w/ DG Spinners build to 35.5" -Callaway X-Forged Vintage 64 degree w/ Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 8iron shaft built to 35.25" ALL CLUBS ABOVE: Built to D4 swingweight, irons and wedges are blueprinted, spined and FLO'd as well. Talamonti shafts are all MOI OPtimized in the playing position and the SasQuatch was Spined and FLO'd. Grips: -GolfPride New Decade MCC midsize on driver and fairways w/ 4 wraps under right hand, 1 under left -Lamkin R.E.L 3gen midsize w/ 3 wraps under right hand, none under left hand on irons and GW -Lamkin Performance Plus 3gen midsize w/ 4 wraps under right hand, 1 under left and grip stretched down 1/2" Putters: -Scotty Cameron Studio Stainless Newport Beach 2 Prototype Centershaft w/ Scotty Pistolero grip w/ 2 wraps under right hand (gotta redo the leadtape I had on the sole because I finally removed it and did the paintfill there) -TMag Itsy Bitsy Spider Japan CS (disassembled and ghosted head and shaft as well as added 25 grams to cavity under soleplate). Has red urethane AGSI face off the tour van and Iomic Lime Green Large grip -SeeMore FGP Brass that I ghosted and added 45 grams to the headweight via the cavity. Has Iomic White Large Headcovers vary on the Scotty and SeeMore, I have 4 or 5, including 2 customs by Delilah. Bag: TMag TMX standbag Balls: TMag Penta TP5 or Titleist ProV1X or TMag TP Red w/ LDP (when I can find them and stock up) or Srixon Zstar X Diamond Pics of the putter after the new paintfill (I'll try to remember to snap some pics of the rest of the bag, it's about time to redo paintfill anyway)

Decisions decisions

Didn't update yet because I have 3 drivers arriving this week. 1 arrived yesterday and 2 more tomorrow or Friday.

New update coming soon... Needs updating bigtime

Tips for the finish? Buy a quality chemical to do it with. I like either Caswell's kits or the kit offered by Shooters Solutions. Both have a sealer that's vital for a lasting finish in a cold bluing. The higher polish prior to applying the bluing solution, the higher luster the final product. I'd take into consideration the conditions you play in. If its sunny a lot, you don't want high polish unless you don't mind glare issues. The snow on the example putter would help diffuse some of the glare. Degrease everything very well prior to applying the solution. This will prevent you from having fingerprint issues in your finish. Prep work is integral in a quality finished product. The better your prep work, the better the finished product.

You're not going to remove the chrome and nickel plating at home without using an acid to etch it. Bleach works, if it's plastic coated in chrome. But it doesn't work on electroplated metals. The only acid you can really get your hands on to etch chrome at home is muratic acid, and it's highly caustic, needs to be done outside, and is very dangerous. To top that off, you need a hazmat license to dispose of the waste. Why? Ever heard of Erin Brockovich? The chemical produced is what made her famous, and that's hexavalent chromium. It's nasty stuff, and it can kill you inhaling it. You're better off finding a local chrome plater and paying them $5 to deplate it. They have the appropriate licenses and take all of the risks, and they have the electro-plating system to remove it. Why a chrome plater? Because if they can put chrome on, they can also take it off, they have to be able to. Once it's raw, you can cold blue it (really black oxide), do a plum brown treatment, etc. They're all forms of controlled rust. Or, you could do a hot salts black oxide on it, which you can find recipes for online (again, need a respirator, etc). Or, you could pay someone like LaMont Mann(of Mannkrafted golf, golfluvzme is his username here), Kevin Colbert of Putter Plating, Tom Slighter of Slighter Golf, BOS Golf, etc to do it and save all of the headache and spend close to the same money. I do my own work as a hobby, and I do some work for other friends locally and a few that are in other states, and I do it for the enjoyment, not to make money. Mine is a hobby, which I happen to practice a lot and take pride in, but alas, it's a hobby as I have a full time job.