Bridgestone J36 blades- stock swing weight messed with

GuitarsGolfKY · January 31, 2020

I bought a set of Bridgestone j36 blades on eBay. They’ve got precision labeled stepless shafts. I got a great deal on them and they are amazing heads. Paintfill on back was removed making them look awesome. Then the stepless shafts without a project x logo. And white golf pride grips. They look amazing and feel even better. They are super heavy. And I’ve realized why. Stock these clubs come with a 37.75” 5 iron at a D3 swing weight. The shafts have been soft stepped I believe as the 4 iron under the grip had a 3 on it and the 5 had a 4. They are also 38.5” long with 1/4” extensions.

so now they are heavy. I don’t know how much the 1/4” extensions and 55g grips counter balance but the overall weight is up a good 15g at least I’d imagine. Probably like D6+ swing weight right?

i do absolutely smash them when I can get around on them. I mean it just rockets off with the most piercing high trajectory I’ve ever gotten. Im thinking I really am doing well with the supposed project x 6.0 soft stepped. I’ve had flighted project x 6.0 before and they were way too stiff though. Being as these are not heavy shafts. Would getting any lighter shafts really help with the overall heavy feel? Or should I try something else. I do like the length. I could probably pull the extensions to take out some weight. But I’m thinking these are just heavy heads to come stock swing weight at d3 and 37.75” 5 iron. Or are old precision projects tip heavy?

Golfrnut · January 31, 2020

They could just be tip weighted, but would have to be torn down to know. Same for the rest of the build as you can't always assume they even started from a stock swingweight before adding the extensions. Most head weights start in a fairly standard range unless they are designated to be heavy/light.

IMO, always better to tear them down and build them up the way they are the best for you. Can't speak for your commitment to investing in them though.

GuitarsGolfKY · February 1, 2020

I just got em apart tonight. Sorry should have started with that.

4 iron

head=248.5

5g tip weight installed

shaft=37” and 111g (after extensions pulled)

shaft extension=1/2” and 10g

grip was a white tour wrap at 56g

what I don’t get is (the shaft labels are missing and they’re supposedly project x 6.0) but Ive thought some project x 6.0 flightedz were way too stiff and I couldn’t get the ball up at all. I was thinking they were maybe soft stepped or 5.5 or soft stepped 5.5 but the numbers prettt much point to 6.0 rifles and I hit these with plenty of height granted absolutey not ballooning (and they’re blades which I couldn’t get them up with cavity backs) and they don’t feel too stiff- a bit stiff maybe- I typically hit my 34-35* 7 iron about 155 carry - though I’ve been carrying range balls in the cold that far with these (granted it was a 37.25” 7 iron)

how could I find out what flex these shafts are?

and will taking off the extra weight of the extension 10g and tip weight- 5g and maybe a regular 50g grip Make these feel any lighter? I do need the 37.25” 7 iron (measures like 37.4” to end of grip) so I was thinking of soft stepping them. Will all that make a difference? In total weight feel? 16g out of the butt and 5g our the head?

thanks

GuitarsGolfKY · February 1, 2020

So it seems from the online swing weight calculator they were d3 to start (supposedly) and all those adjustments according to calculator the weight of grip extension and tip weight. Put it at d3 swing weight.

im wondering- could that extra tip weight made the shaft launch higher? How does the extra total weight affect ball flight. Because again I’m trying to justify how I’m hitting these traditional lofted traditional designed blades so far and high with such a penetrating flight. They aren’t getting height from over spinning either- these clubs game stock with project x flighted shafts. Which again I’ve played and thought they were WAY too stiff on a set of Bridgestone j38 dual pocket cavities actually which would be a bit higher launching lower cog club head

im baffled. I guess I should just try to get someone to test it out. I’d like to maintain the same ball flight but getting it a little lighter would be great just worried about changing that powerful feel and result

Golfrnut · February 1, 2020

Removing the weight will drop the heft weight (total weight) of the club for obvious reasons. Dropping the added length and the head weight should give them less of a “head heavy” feel. How many of any/all of that you actually feel or notice is going to be personal perception, which no one is really going to be able to quantify for you.

To your send part about flight, I think you might be overthinking it a little bit. It potentially comes down to not how the extra weight effects the club, same for staff stiffness, but more so how all of that effects you, and your reaction to a club you are uncomfortable with.

Golfrnut · February 1, 2020

If you want my advice, build up only one club for now and test. You may find it becomes too light and you need to add weight somewhere. Better to only have to do it to one and spec the rest of the set from that than to have to redo them all.

GuitarsGolfKY · February 1, 2020

thanks For that. I just discovered the shaft extension looks like this (picture below) it’s like a double tube- and it weighs 12.9g. The outer tube didn’t extend past the end of the shaft. Is that part of the shaft by some chance of just an extension with counter balancing?

swinging the rest of the clubs when holding the head they feel extremely heavy. Like nothing I’ve ever felt before.

being 12.9g all at the very end of the shaft and not distributed throughout a heavy grip that goes down the club and below the hands. That has to affect the counter balancing differently right? Also the grip is a 56g grip. For an idea the total club weight on the 6 iron is 455g. That’s pretty heavy isn’t it considering the shaft alone probably only weighs like 110g

my real question. ;does the power I feel when I make good contact With these clubs have anything to do with the extra weight. They definitely Look like they launch differently and they’re definitely going farther than typical. which is why I’m so interested in this. When I hit it I absolutely pummel it. It’s not like it’s a hot face it’s a blade barely even a muscle back- made of 1020 steel.