Shaft Rust

[GolfSpy_APH]

I'll post some photos likely tomorrow sometime, however will do my best to explain. 

I purchased some Ping ie1 irons off the local buy and sell. They were super cheap. 4-UW for $80. I don't intend to put them in play often, but these irons have a soft spot for me as I've scored my best ever round using them. The photos in the ad looked okay, worn, but okay. I even thought well if the heads are great I'll pull the shafts from them and maybe use them in a set of heads I may get down the road. 

So get home from my trip and the box is there and open it up and the heads are in great shape compared to the shafts. There are spots of rust all over them, stickers are pretty scratched as well. The shafts are the nippon 105 S which is one I've always enjoyed using... again part or big reason why I wanted these. Grips are in good shape too surprisingly. 

Again I know I need photos to help, but having little experience with shafts that are in this condition what are your thoughts? Should they just be pulled and tossed? Can it be cleaned up (I was thinking some steelwool and well wd40 as its what we do with our blades at work for rust.) It doesn't look as though it is large patches, just spots here and there speckled all around the shafts. I honestly don't even know how this could happen other then true neglect. 

As disappointed as I am I'm not, again the likelihood of me playing these was slim, but at the very least I still want to clean them up and have them as a good backup set or travel set. 

[GolfSpy_APH]

Photos as promised.

[03trdblack]

I'd just go with some CLR and/or WD40 on a course rag and scrub the rust spots well. I'd think steel wool would scratch the chrome which you don't want. 

[Golf2Much]

I was fumbling around and found a couple of articles around cleaning rust of steel shafts.  Both recommend against any kind of abrasive medium as it will likely scratch the shaft finish.  One technique involves vinegar and the other lemon juice.  Both are fairly acidic.  Just Goggle these two:

How To Remove Rust From Golf Club Shafts (Step-by-Step Guide) (golfcartreport.com)

How to Remove Rust Spots From Golf Shafts | Golfweek (usatoday.com)

I'm sure there are several techniques.  Good luck!

[tommc23]

Jamie if you use some abrasive you will definitely take the chrome look away but if you do that and make it uniform you could have a nice matte shaft. If you do that use a scotch brite pad 

[EasyPutter]

Reminds me of the kind of tarnish that Brasso would remove using a soft cloth while helping dad with his '57 Plymouth Belvedere bumpers (couldn't reach anything higher).  If the end result is less than appealing it would be a great opportunity to try air brushing and make them look hotter than hot.  Better than not playing them IMHO because who would want to paint a good looking shaft anyway?

[Bobbers]

20 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

I'll post some photos likely tomorrow sometime, however will do my best to explain. 

I purchased some Ping ie1 irons off the local buy and sell. They were super cheap. 4-UW for $80. I don't intend to put them in play often, but these irons have a soft spot for me as I've scored my best ever round using them. The photos in the ad looked okay, worn, but okay. I even thought well if the heads are great I'll pull the shafts from them and maybe use them in a set of heads I may get down the road. 

So get home from my trip and the box is there and open it up and the heads are in great shape compared to the shafts. There are spots of rust all over them, stickers are pretty scratched as well. The shafts are the nippon 105 S which is one I've always enjoyed using... again part or big reason why I wanted these. Grips are in good shape too surprisingly. 

Again I know I need photos to help, but having little experience with shafts that are in this condition what are your thoughts? Should they just be pulled and tossed? Can it be cleaned up (I was thinking some steelwool and well wd40 as its what we do with our blades at work for rust.) It doesn't look as though it is large patches, just spots here and there speckled all around the shafts. I honestly don't even know how this could happen other then true neglect. 

As disappointed as I am I'm not, again the likelihood of me playing these was slim, but at the very least I still want to clean them up and have them as a good backup set or travel set. 

I've had good luck with 0000 steel wool, it's so fine it won't scratch or remove the plating left on the shafts.  I've also had luck with Flitz, applied and left to dry, use the 0000 steel wool to remove the Flitz, wipe down with a damp rag.

[TR1PTIK]

I had the exact same issue with some irons I purchased from the MGS classifieds (though it was clearly explained and depicted). I read somewhere that you could use a balled-up bit of aluminum foil and rub out the rust spots using WD40 as a lubricant. It worked pretty well for me except for the 5-iron which was in much worse shape than the rest of the set. For that one, I used my Dremel with an abrasive wheel (finest grit I had) at low speed. Worked well but I did sit on one spot for too long and rubbed it down to the nickel plating underneath.

I've done of good job of maintaining the clubs since then and haven't had any rust re-emerge and the clubs perform perfectly.

[MacTourney]

Looks like maybe car chrome polish-wax with a little elbow grease followed by a power buffer might work.  It worked on old chrome car bumpers pretty good as I recall.     The vinegar option should work too, dab some on with Q-tip and let set is what I would try, then wax it out.  Boiling water softens the rust too, pour some on.     I watched some guy cleaning an old completely rusted out Russian pistol with 'synthetic' vinegar to like new condition.  I have no idea what it is beyond just being white vinegar, I am planning on checking it out when I have more time. 

 

[GolfSpy_APH]

Did a quick finish on them and used steel wool then wiped down with a rag and WD-40 then dried. Looks much better, still some work to do, but a good start!

 

 

[sirchunksalot]

I used Barkeepers Friend and 0000 steel wool on the shafts of the Wilson's I bought at the thrift store on the heads and shafts. I put in on, rubbed the rust off, then buffed it out. It worked pretty good on taking care of the problem.

 

[McGolf]

I'm a nippon 105 fan too., Too clean them up the simple steel wool or bar keepers friend will do the trick. Then apply a coat of wax to seal them even if temporarily.

When the rust breaks through it is a sign of an ultimate failure. when there the million dollar question.  If we can remember back to chrome bumpers on vehicles.  tough as nails, looks good until the first rust spot shows up. A quick clean and everything is good until the next one and the next one and so on.  the bumper still works just looks bad. until you need it.... Do i think it will collapse in a year, no but if not kept clean and out of the environments maybe sometime after.