Once your clubs start to feel slippery or wonky in the hand, it’s probably time to regrip them. You’d be amazed by how much of a difference this can make if you’ve never done it before. If you’re trying to save a buck or two, can you use lighter fluid to regrip your golf clubs?
Buying purpose-made products can offer some welcome peace of mind, but they don’t exactly come cheap! If you’ve already got some lighter fluid lying around the house, it can be tempting to use it as your solvent to save some money along the way.
On this page, we’ll be discussing the various solvents you can use when regripping your golf clubs. We’ll be focusing on lighter fluid in particular.
What’s Usually Used When Regripping?
Most official regripping guidance calls for purpose-made regripping solvent. In most cases, this has been designed specifically with golf clubs in mind. This means you shouldn’t have to worry too much about damaging your clubs or messing up the process.
Most solvents aren’t crazy expensive, but they definitely cost more than some of the alternatives.
Why Do You Need a Solvent?
The specific solvent you use depends on the type of regripping tape you choose (water soluble VS double-sided). When adding a new grip to your club, you’ll need to slide it over the shaft and into the right position on your handle.
To do this, you’ll need to temporarily disable the adhesive on the tape that you’re using to secure your grip in place. Your solvent is how you do this. Alcoholic solvents will evaporate after a short while and allow your epoxy and tape to take hold.
When installed correctly, a fresh grip can last for several months or even a year or two depending on how often you play and how well you store your clubs.
Can You Use Lighter Fluid to Regrip Golf Clubs?
You can absolutely use lighter fluid to regrip golf clubs! It’s a common alternative and countless users online report success using it. While it’s far more flammable and toxic than some other options, it can be an effective solvent if you know what you’re doing.
You just need to make sure that you’re taking the right safety precautions. We explore some of these a bit further down this page.
What Else Can You Use in a Pinch?
This list is far from exhaustive, but the following can also be used as solvents when regripping your clubs:
- Water (if using water-soluble tape)
- Acetone
- Mineral Spirits
- Nail polish remover
- Denatured alcohol
You essentially want to use something that will:
- Effectively deactivate your tape but then
- evaporate to allow the tape to regain its adhesion.
Using Lighter Fluid – Things to Consider
Lighter fluid can be an effective solvent in the regripping process if you use it correctly. The tips below are designed to help keep you safe when working, check them out.
It’s Super Flammable
The clue is in the name here – lighter fluid is super flammable, by design. It goes without saying that you should only use it somewhere clear from sources of ignition and in a room with a moderate temperature.
Once you’ve successfully installed your grip, it’s best to keep your club somewhere safe until you’re confident that your lighter fluid has fully evaporated.
It’s Quite Toxic
Don’t use your lighter fluid near pets, pregnant people, or children – it can be quite toxic. Wash your hands thoroughly after use and make sure you’re working in a well ventilated area. If it’s a dry, sunny day, you could even do your regripping outside in the garden.
If you have any cuts on your hands or have sensitive skin, we recommend wearing gloves if at all possible. If any lighter fluid gets in your eyes, immediately flush them with clean running water and follow any guidance on the product’s packaging.
You Won’t Have a Huge Adjustment Window
The main advantage of solvents like lighter fluid is something of a double-edged sword. The fluid should evaporate quite quickly and allow your tape to take a firm hold once more. This means that you won’t have a ton of time to slide your grip onto the shaft.
Our advice is to use more solvent than you think you need – it’s definitely better to use too much than not enough in our opinion.
Lighter Fluid for Regripping – Final Thoughts
In short, lighter fluid is a suitable solvent that can work well when regripping your clubs. You just need to make sure you work swiftly and safely. Whichever products you use to regrip your clubs, we hope your han
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