Cracked Racquets

[Roger Wawrinka]

Hey guys, a customer gave me a racquet to string today and it has a crack in it at about 11 o'clock. I carefully lifted the bumper guard up to see that the crack stretches almost the whole way across the beam.

My question is should I go ahead and string it for him (as some of you may know I have a Prince neos 1500) with my two-point mounting system or should I tell him that there is a risk of causing more damage to the frame by stringing it?




R.W

[drakulie]

Let him know it has a crack before doing anything. Let him decide.

Personally, I wouldn't string it.

[Tennishacker]

Roger, don't even think about it.

I'm glad that you inspected the frame and found the crack. Most times people don't check the racquets for cracks, bad grommets or even the worn bumper guards.

For those that string for others, I would do a quick check of the frame for cracks with/when the customer drops off the racquet.

[Dags]

I've only once been handed a cracked racquet. If it still had strings in it, I would have suggested he leave it as was. In this instance he'd broken a string, so effectively the racquet was useless to him in the current state. Before starting, we agreed:

- I would not be liable for any further damage done
- I would be paid regardless of the outcome
- We would use a low tension

It's worth noting that in my case it was someone I knew pretty well, and so I sympathised more with him. Had it been a stranger, I probably would have declined.

I also decided I should wear some form of eye protection just in case. Only time I've ever strung in sunglasses.

[cluckcluck]

Give it back to him and say it's unstringable. Imagine if the racquet broke under the pressure when pulling tension? The customer will likely blame you. Don't risk it.

[MAX PLY]

Would not string it at all, even with consent. Just not worth the risk or hassle.

[Roger Wawrinka]

Thanks everyone I will not string it.

Tennishacker, Yes, I think that is one good characteristic of mine, I do always inspect a frame before stringing it. I never string racquets with cracked grommets, or bad grommets for that matter. They are always replaced.


Dags, Those are very good points about stringing cracked racquets. hahaha I like the theory of stringing with sunglasses too


Thanks also, to MAX PLY, Cluckcluck, and Drakulie. It's always great to hear from some of the best posters in the stringing forum.

[zapvor]

one time guy brings in a 6.2 and the frame is cracked so deep you can see into teh graphite where its hollow and he demands i string it at 60lbs. so in the end i had to string it up....the racket survived but i was sweating the entire time.

[Roger Wawrinka]

Originally Posted by zapvor

one time guy brings in a 6.2 and the frame is cracked so deep you can see into teh graphite where its hollow and he demands i string it at 60lbs. so in the end i had to string it up....the racket survived but i was sweating the entire time.

Wow! I know I would be sweating by the time that I was done with that. It must have been hard string job to bear.

[zapvor]

definitely i was afraid when i pulled tension the graphite was going to snap and splinter everywhere and stab me in the flesh

[Roger Wawrinka]

I feel you, what were you stringing on?

[Peppershaker]

Probably because I didn't know better at first but in the 3 years I've been stringing have probably strung up at least a half-dozen broken frames. Many came to me from people who were turned down elsewhere but wanted to keep their favorite racquets. Have always stated can't guarantee anything, but then also offered to just charge them for the strings. Some I caught as I cleaned them prior to stringing. In these cases I will take a couple of photos send them and explain the risk and offered to try at the cost of the strings only.

Have had some crack further, but none ever broke. Some the individuals used for many weeks, some are still playing, and a couple I've restrung more than once. I will probably continue, but taping the frames and maybe some safety googles over my glasses may be a good idea.

Has anyone ever actually had a racquet fly into pieces? Can see one breaking or cracking, but shattering into pieces?

[mad dog1]

Originally Posted by Peppershaker

Probably because I didn't know better at first but in the 3 years I've been stringing have probably strung up at least a half-dozen broken frames. Many came to me from people who were turned down elsewhere but wanted to keep their favorite racquets. Have always stated can't guarantee anything, but then also offered to just charge them for the strings. Some I caught as I cleaned them prior to stringing. In these cases I will take a couple of photos send them and explain the risk and offered to try at the cost of the strings only.

Have had some crack further, but none ever broke. Some the individuals used for many weeks, some are still playing, and a couple I've restrung more than once. I will probably continue, but taping the frames and maybe some safety googles over my glasses may be a good idea.

Has anyone ever actually had a racquet fly into pieces? Can see one breaking or cracking, but shattering into pieces?

i've had 2 rackets crack but never shatter during hitting. a pog mid and a pk 5g. both just cracked when i hit a forehand and when they cracked, they both made a horribly loud snapping sound.

i'm surprised your clients continue to play w/ the cracked sticks. both of mine felt gutless after they cracked. no power and very dead feeling.

[zapvor]

Originally Posted by Roger Wawrinka

I feel you, what were you stringing on?

gamma 5800

[BoomstickTPH]

Then I think it's time for my ti s6 to see the garbage man...

[zapvor]

i have had 2 frames crack on me. first one was a head crossbow. when i went to pull the mains the frame just snapped where the crossbow was, cracking all the way through. definitely bad day

2nd time was a wilson. good news is i am only at 2.

[Virtua Tennis]

I strung a cheap aluminum racquet that folded on me like a cheap suit. To this day I don't do cheap aluminum racquets cause if it's not perfectly round or even if there's a slight dent it can fold on you.

Also I turn down all cracked and worn out racquets I refuse to string them. Its just not worth my time. Also how bad are you to wear down a racquet till i'm able to stick my finger tip inside the frame.

[zapvor]

Originally Posted by Virtua Tennis

I strung a cheap aluminum racquet that folded on me like a cheap suit. To this day I don't do cheap aluminum racquets cause if it's not perfectly round or even if there's a slight dent it can fold on you.

Also I turn down all cracked and worn out racquets I refuse to string them. Its just not worth my time. Also how bad are you to wear down a racquet till i'm able to stick my finger tip inside the frame.

finger tip? the frame i did you could stick 3 fingers in!

[10s99]

I string cracked rackets with appropriate warnings / safety precautions. If it is worth their time, I'll give it a try. . . I've never had one fail but know that time will come.

[fortun8son]

I get a lot of cracked racquets. Especially racquetball.
Look closely at every paint chip.

If it's not life-threatening, I'll string it with a signed disclaimer, being very careful to observe and listen closely as I pull tension.
That's one of the few situations where I prefer the Neos over the Prince 5000.
Some, I'll reject outright.

I'm actually more afraid of bad grommets on the outer two mains, or even good grommets where the main is close to a cross and the hole is worn.
I've had a couple of catastrophic failures where the string just eats into the space between.

I remember one Head racquet that had been repeatedly strung one-piece.
It survived, but I sweated that one.