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Brett_Morrissy

  • Karma: +0/-0
How to clean up hickory irons.
« on: May 19, 2013, 09:40:10 PM »
Having just seen a pic of Jim's hickories, I was admiring their nice clean silver appearance.

I acquired mine with rust, etc - looking for some tips on how to clean them up so they look as though someone loves them... :)
@theflatsticker

Colin Macqueen

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Re: How to clean up hickory irons.
« Reply #1 on: May 20, 2013, 02:39:57 AM »
Brett,

I haven't done this for a long time but I used to by Coca-Cola in bulk, tip the contents into a bucket and let the clubs sit in this overnight! It was a good start and one of the best uses of Coke I ever found!
Try it out on one club and see what you think.  I suppose it is the acidity of the Coke that is the active ingredient. Don't know what it does to your gut lining though ....... I'm not advocating drinking the stuff after putting it to such good use mind!!

Cheers Colin
"Golf, thou art a gentle sprite, I owe thee much"
The Hielander

Rich Goodale

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: How to clean up hickory irons.
« Reply #2 on: May 20, 2013, 05:12:18 AM »
Colin

Would not the coke disintegrate the hickory (as it does ones gut)

Rich
Life is good.

Any afterlife is unlikely and/or dodgy.

Jean-Paul Parodi

Steve Wilson

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: How to clean up hickory irons.
« Reply #3 on: May 20, 2013, 06:57:09 AM »
I hope he's just cleaning the heads.  You don't want Coca-Cola or bottled water on the shafts.  You shoud check with the Louisville Golf site, or Tad Moore's site or for that matter the late Raph Livingston's site if it's still up.  It is: http://www.hickorygolf.com/
Some days you play golf, some days you find things.

I'm not really registered, but I couldn't find a symbol for certifiable.

"Every good drive by a high handicapper will be punished..."  Garland Bailey at the BUDA in sharing with me what the better player should always remember.

Tom Dunne

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: How to clean up hickory irons.
« Reply #4 on: May 20, 2013, 07:47:29 AM »
A brass buffing wheel should do the job. You can get the little felt heads for a rotary tool like the Dremel.

Chris_Hufnagel

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: How to clean up hickory irons.
« Reply #5 on: May 20, 2013, 08:21:36 AM »
...the late Raph Livingston's site if it's still up.  It is: http://www.hickorygolf.com/

+1 to checking out Ralph's site – I acquired a set of T. Stewarts over the winter and followed his directions for the heads, shafts, and grips – very happy with the results. All of the cleaners/pads that Ralph recommends are readily available on amazon.com as well...

One interesting point to note – Randy Jensen, a legend in hickory golf – actually prefers the rusted heads as he believes it provides him a little more "bite" on the irons.  I didn't know this until I read his book and had already thoroughly cleaned mine.  I do prefer the clean look however and I doubt my shaky game would notice the difference...

I played my first round ever with the Stewarts at Rolling Rock Club a few weekends back and will have them with me this weekend up at Kingsley – if you haven't tried it, I really recommend giving hickory golf a chance...

Pete Blaisdell

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: How to clean up hickory irons.
« Reply #6 on: May 20, 2013, 11:47:30 AM »
  CLR --HALF AND HALF WITH WATER --let sit for 48 hours and let 'em dry natural. Don't dry 'em with a cloth. After a week , use Wrights Silver Cream to polish.

  I've had good results, if it's alot of rust, results will be minimal.
' Golf courses are like wives and the prom queen doesn't always make for the best wife "

Terry Lavin

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: How to clean up hickory irons.
« Reply #7 on: May 20, 2013, 12:00:42 PM »
Don't use them.  They'll do just fine if kept in a dry, dark basement or garage!   ;D
Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American people.  H.L. Mencken

Jim Colton

Re: How to clean up hickory irons.
« Reply #8 on: May 20, 2013, 12:18:25 PM »
As Brett mentioned, I just got lefty hickories and tried them for the first time this past weekend. As a typical bomb and gouger, I resisted trying hickories until a close friend finally convinced me to give it a shot.

I found it to be great fun, a nice walk from forward tees with a lighter bag, providing even greater shotmaking challenges than before. Hazards that I rarely thought about before suddenly became terrifying things that I had to navigate around. In some ways, I felt like a beginning golfer again, where back-to-back pars was a cause for celebration.

In the end, I think it will be good for late afternoon rounds, rounds with my kids and/or wife where we can play the same tees, and I have this crazy notion that it might actually help my golf game in the long run. I was actually pretty encouraged that I only hit one absolute foozle in nine holes, so my golf swing must not be *that* bad.




Chris_Hufnagel

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: How to clean up hickory irons.
« Reply #9 on: May 20, 2013, 12:35:54 PM »
As Brett mentioned, I just got lefty hickories and tried them for the first time this past weekend. As a typical bomb and gouger, I resisted trying hickories until a close friend finally convinced me to give it a shot.

I found it to be great fun, a nice walk from forward tees with a lighter bag, providing even greater shotmaking challenges than before. Hazards that I rarely thought about before suddenly became terrifying things that I had to navigate around. In some ways, I felt like a beginning golfer again, where back-to-back pars was a cause for celebration.

In the end, I think it will be good for late afternoon rounds, rounds with my kids and/or wife where we can play the same tees, and I have this crazy notion that it might actually help my golf game in the long run. I was actually pretty encouraged that I only hit one absolute foozle in nine holes, so my golf swing must not be *that* bad.

Very cool Jim, Ballyneal has to be one of the best places in the U.S. for an afternoon round with hickories...

I plan on using mine for a round of two this year for the HHH – I know Andrew Lewis used his exclusively last year and I believe Matt Schmidt also used his for a couple of rounds. 

Would love to see some pictures of yours if you have the time...

Jim Colton

Re: How to clean up hickory irons.
« Reply #10 on: May 20, 2013, 01:31:57 PM »
As Brett mentioned, I just got lefty hickories and tried them for the first time this past weekend. As a typical bomb and gouger, I resisted trying hickories until a close friend finally convinced me to give it a shot.

I found it to be great fun, a nice walk from forward tees with a lighter bag, providing even greater shotmaking challenges than before. Hazards that I rarely thought about before suddenly became terrifying things that I had to navigate around. In some ways, I felt like a beginning golfer again, where back-to-back pars was a cause for celebration.

In the end, I think it will be good for late afternoon rounds, rounds with my kids and/or wife where we can play the same tees, and I have this crazy notion that it might actually help my golf game in the long run. I was actually pretty encouraged that I only hit one absolute foozle in nine holes, so my golf swing must not be *that* bad.

Very cool Jim, Ballyneal has to be one of the best places in the U.S. for an afternoon round with hickories...

I plan on using mine for a round of two this year for the HHH – I know Andrew Lewis used his exclusively last year and I believe Matt Schmidt also used his for a couple of rounds. 

Would love to see some pictures of yours if you have the time...




Brett_Morrissy

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: How to clean up hickory irons.
« Reply #11 on: May 20, 2013, 07:04:11 PM »
  CLR --HALF AND HALF WITH WATER --let sit for 48 hours and let 'em dry natural. Don't dry 'em with a cloth. After a week , use Wrights Silver Cream to polish.

  I've had good results, if it's alot of rust, results will be minimal.

Pete, what is CLR?
@theflatsticker