Guide: how to change a racket handle

Discussion in 'Grip' started by Mark A, Feb 6, 2015.

  1. Mark A

    Mark A Regular Member

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    Been toying with this for a while, but a handle change for a mate finally gave me the excuse:).

    Some general pointers:

    *use hand tools wherever possible - you need the feel and control (especially when cutting near the racket shaft);
    *have all the correct materials before you start - nothing worse than chopping a handle off and realizing the one you want to put on is the wrong size/not there. I used

    -junior hacksaw
    -sharp chisel, and hammer
    -Stanely/utility knife
    -rubbing alcohol
    -water
    -Gorilla Glue
    -1.5 mm drill bit
    -superglue
    -panel pin
    -Dremel

    If you're changing handles for size reasons - and not swapping out a broken one - record the weight and balance of the racket with the bare old handle, as you may want to recover it with the new handle. Don't secure the buttcap until the very end - you might need to mess with the balance weights.

    Part 1: getting the old handle off

    a) If there's a screw securing the handle - or remnant thereof - take it out with a jeweller's screwdriver and put it somewhere safe. Cut the handle (by hand) at the halfway point - this should be low enough to miss the racket shaft inside:
    DSC03574.jpg

    b) Staying away from the middle, chisel the handle along the grain:
    DSC03575.jpg

    Go all the way around - you'll end up with something like this:
    DSC03576.jpg

    c) When you start seeing black, you're near the racket shaft. Switch to a paring-type tool (utility knife, or something) and slice the rest of the wood away. When you get down to the bare shaft, with all traces of wood and glue removed, give it a clean with acetone/rubbing alcohol:
    DSC03578.jpg

    OPTIONAL - cone

    If you want to keep the current cone, you'll have to chase all the wood out of it without splitting it - this is probably the most difficult bit of the job. You can use a Dremel with a burr attachment. If you're changing cones, you can just cut the old one off and bash the underlying wood away with a chisel as before.

    Part 2: prep

    a) Make sure the new handle is a good (tight sliding) fit to the shaft; it should "pop" when pulled out sharply. Then, put the cone back on the shaft and slide it up out of the way.

    b) If you're using water-curing polyurethane glue (and IMO, you should be:)), run some water into the cone-end of the new handle, and wet the racket shaft.

    Part 3: getting the new handle on

    a) Put roughly 1 cc of glue into the new handle, and spread a thin layer on the shaft - about halfway up to where the paint starts:
    DSC03579.jpg

    b) Push the racket shaft into the handle, taking it through a complete turn on the way down. Stop when you're about 4-5 cm from where the paint starts - you're going to check the length.

    c) Measure the length to the butt cap - better to start long and push in than start short and pull out; the latter brings glue out of the joint:
    DSC03581.jpg

    d) When the length is correct, press the racket and handle down on a flat surface - this ensures that the handle facets are parallel to the racket face (note the cone already on the shaft):
    DSC03583.jpg

    e) Once everything's right, put the racket down flat and leave it somewhere out of the way, preferably overnight. Once it's dry, pull the glue foam off the top of the handle, stick the cone to the handle - make sure it's lined up properly - and job done.

    OPTIONAL - screw/pin

    For a stronger joint, you can re-install the screw, or use a panel pin. Drill a 1-1.5 mm hole smack in the middle of the handle where it first reaches its full width - a hand-drill is ideal, and it's a good idea to mark the handle with a pin punch first - and stop when you see the black dust, as you've reached the shaft:
    DSC03584.jpg

    If you're reusing the screw, screw it in; if you're using a pin, put a few drops of superglue in the drilled hole and knock the panel pin in - it will stop pretty suddenly when it gets into the graphite:
    DSC03585.jpg

    Once it's in, let the glue dry, then buzz the top off and grind it flat:
    DSC03586.jpg

    Dry-fit the butt cap and check the weight/balance - if you need to move it, bust out the lead tape. Once it's right, glue or staple the buttcap, and you're off to the races.
     
    s_mair, gunner93 and yf19-sama like this.
  2. Hoyas

    Hoyas Regular Member

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    Nice guide!
     
  3. edlui888

    edlui888 Regular Member

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    Mark, thanks for nice guides. BTW, did you manage solving the quadratic equation in the 2nd photos?
     
  4. visor

    visor Regular Member

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  5. Mark A

    Mark A Regular Member

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    I was trying to get a rational function into a form that would clue me in on the asymptotes;).
     
  6. Mark A

    Mark A Regular Member

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  7. visor

    visor Regular Member

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    Yes, and this type of major racket surgery is not for the faint of heart or shaky of hands.
     
  8. TigerSmash

    TigerSmash Regular Member

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    What's water curing polyurethane glue? I used epoxy glue when I did mine
     
  9. Mark A

    Mark A Regular Member

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    PU glue foams up as it sets - swells to fill any gaps.

    I've tried Araldite a few times, but it never had the grab of this stuff.
     
  10. Rimano

    Rimano Regular Member

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    Nice.

    I'm in the process of doing this and have taken the handle and cone off. My handle split near the screw, so luckily I didn't need to chisel like you did.

    The cone was quite difficult to get off. I used my stringing tools, (nose pliers and awl) to slowly take out bits of the wood inside, until eventually the cone slid free. What I didn't do, was to clean the shaft beforehand, so the cone just got stuck further down. :crying:

    Was the handle from MBS?
     
    #10 Rimano, Feb 24, 2015
    Last edited: Feb 24, 2015
  11. Mark A

    Mark A Regular Member

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    Aye, this is the annoying bit.

    Yes - only place I can find G5. If only they did G6...
     
  12. TigerSmash

    TigerSmash Regular Member

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    IMO the wood in the cone is the hardest part, took a lot of patience to get all the wood out. you'll most likely have half a serial lol
     
  13. Gollum

    Gollum Regular Member

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    Hardcore, Mark. Super hardcore. :D
     
  14. R20190

    R20190 Regular Member

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    I did this for my BS11 last year. You're right, the part that was the most difficult and gave the most pain-in-the-back-side is definitely getting the wood out of the cone without damaging it.

    I didn't use the dremel as the shaft was still attached to it and it was just too small to get access, plus I didn't want to accidentally nick the carbon. So I used a small pen knife to pick at the wood a bit at a time - took 3 evenings to get it all out!

    I've got a lot of different glues and I find that gorilla glue too soft for something like this. I went for epoxy resin to glue the shaft and the cone back in.

    Going slightly off topic... One thing I discovered from doing this is that in the base of Victor racquets, there is a deep hole. Inside this hole, there is a small dense foam plug.

    I have no idea what this plug does, but I have a strong suspicion that it is used to fine tune the balance point of the racquet. If this is the case, then it pretty much renders BP largely meaningless as I suspect that adjusting the position of this plug would have a notable effect on the BP. And it would also explain why two racquets with the same spec and BP could feel like one is head-heavier than the other.

    Sorry for digressing! :p
     
  15. Gollum

    Gollum Regular Member

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    Yep!

    Balance point is almost useless, because you're measuring the wrong moment.

    Unless you hold the racket at the balance point when you play, it doesn't tell you much!
     
  16. TigerSmash

    TigerSmash Regular Member

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    That foam plug can change the bp? I thought usually its just a plastic cap haha never taken the cap off a victor racket though so I wouldn't know.

    Another problem is if you haven't entirely taken all the wood off the shaft. When you insert it into the handle, the top part of the handle (where the cone sits) can be prone to splitting.
     
  17. R20190

    R20190 Regular Member

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    If the manufacturing of racquet handles can be standardised such that the dimensions, weight, materials and construction etc are the same then the BP will give some indication of the head weight.

    But if this "plug" is actually used to "tune" the BP without altering the overall weight, then to me, this is just fiddling the numbers to get it within spec.

    For example, if we had two of the same racquets except one is head heavier than the other, I could adjust the position of this plug to make the BP identical, without altering the overall weight. But when I come to swing them, one would still feel head heavier than the other despite having the same BP.
     
    #17 R20190, Feb 24, 2015
    Last edited: Feb 24, 2015
  18. R20190

    R20190 Regular Member

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    Well, there was one in my BS11 not sure if there is one in all Victors though. I've got a photo somewhere, might dig it out if anyone is interested.

    And yes, you have to take all the wood off the shaft and smooth it with very fine sand paper. You don't want to sand too much, just to take the bumps off. I used P1200 wet and dry.

    The other thing that helps with the wood splitting is if you get the cone back on tight to the wood. By using epoxy (which has less elasticity) the cone is able to "reinforce" this part of the wood to help stop the wood from splitting.
     
  19. visor

    visor Regular Member

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    That's why measuring head weight or swing weight is more accurate than a simple bp... ;)
     
  20. R20190

    R20190 Regular Member

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    Yep! Agreed... But only if the racquet hasn't been modified.

    The trouble is, BP is far easier to measure so I guess the likes of RKEP, E78 and MBS are unlikely to measure head weight for you... :(
     

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