club repair

Pros and Cons of sanding a graphite shaft to fit a taper tip hosel

From time to time, I get the question from a clubmaker or hobbyist if it is alright to sand down the tip of a 0.370" parallel tip graphite shaft to fit into a 0.355" taper tip iron or wedge.  Before I answer the question and show what the pros and cons are, I first must mention the liability issue.  Anything you build or repair, you are liable for what happens.  Therefore, it is always the best practice to put in the shaft size that corresponds to the inside hosel diameter.

Why would you need to sand the shaft?

The number 1 reason why clubmakers ask is due to the lack of taper tip graphite iron shaft offerings.  Of the models that are available also tend to be on the more expensive side and likely a special order, requiring additional time to fix or retrofit a customer's club.

One task a clubmaker will encounter is replacing a shaft into a club which has an adjustable shaft adapter sleeve whether it is to replace a broken shaft or upgrade to a shaft that better fits the customer. Most name brand drivers as well as many fairways and hybrids will offer this feature to be able to change the lie, face angle and "effective loft" of the club.  While there is an extra piece involved, the basic principles of re-shafting remain the same with only a few exceptions.