Revitalizing Rusty Vokey Wedges

Bringing old tools back to life is easier than you might think

I recently gave up my entire set of irons in trade for a set of Sub-70’s. It was a good trade, but I also had to give up my fairly new Cobra MIM wedges. I gave those up with no complaints. I never liked them, especially around the greens, where they are supposed to rule. They were so bad I had, on many occasions, been tempted to pull them from the bag before a round and replace them with my old, rusty Vokeys.

Now I have no choice but to do so. I’m in a pickle or sorts, mostly because I am in the middle of a competition series and don’t want to buy new wedges unless they are Sub-70’s, which are on back order until the new year, at least. As you can see below the rusty wedges presented an odd fit with the new blades. They threw off the whole ensemble.

Forgotten and rusty. Life in the PNW.

I don’t know where the inspiration came from, but the other night I started researching how to refurbish a Vokey wedge. I learned that with little effort and hardly any equipment you can make your wedge serviceable again. Even pretty. You can go much further than I did by grinding, sandblasting and adding custom finishes to the club too. That route, however, requires a lot of equipment and a good deal of club building experience, of which I have neither.

Just how easy was the route I chose? Do you have white vinegar? Salt? Steel wool (a 100 grit sanding sponge is good too, but steel wool does most of the dirty work)? How about something to clean your grooves with?

1. Soak wedges overnight in a vinegar/salt solution
2. Wipe your wedge clean and attack the remaining rust with a piece of steel wool. Wipe clean and repeat.
3. Once your wedge is free of the rust, attack the grooves with a groove cleaner, if you have one, or a utility knife. Wipe clean.
4. Sand with 100 grit sanding sponge. Wipe clean.
5. Wipe with Silicon Cloth and let sit overnight.
6. Wipe to remove any oil, paint your logos with oil paint, and let dry.

I need to add a 2nd coat and clean it up at tad, but I’m happy with this.

I am stoked about the results. It is a look that will entice me to hit them well, and since I already know how they play around the greens with that 8* bounce.

Googling, ‘how to refurbish Vokey wedges’ and then taking on the minimal challenge to do it was smartest golf club decision I’ve made in years. I may buy those Sub 70 wedges at some point, but for the moment I am going to hold serve on that and appreciate what I have had all along.