Anyone use screws to secure a loose squeaky butt-cap?

[SoBad]

One of the pair of my main racquets had been squeaking louder and louder recently and the end of the handle feeling slightly loose in the palm. I removed the original grip and found that the butt-cap is a little loose on the handle, apparently because of the wear in the butt-cap plastic around the staples.

I don’t know anything about racquets, but do I really need to remove the existing staples, buy a staple gun, and staple the butt-cap onto the handle anew? I want to just put in two or three screws, but I don’t want to cause irreparable damage to the handle.

Has anyone used screws successfully for this purpose? The racquet is a Tecnifibre T-Fight 320 (2007 or 2008 model) with mileage.

Thank you la!

 

[CrispyFritters]

You could try jamming some pieces of overgrip between the cap and the handle. They should fill up the gaps and stop the squeaking.

I've done this for the rattling trap doors, but I imagine it would work for the entire butt-cap as well.

 

[pshulam]

Use duct tape. It works fine.

 

[SoBad]

You could try jamming some pieces of overgrip between the cap and the handle. They should fill up the gaps and stop the squeaking.

I've done this for the rattling trap doors, but I imagine it would work for the entire butt-cap as well.

Use duct tape. It works fine.

Thanks to both of you for chiming in. My immediate quick solution was putting in heavy-duty duct tape to prevent the up-and-down movement. It worked to stop the up and down, but there is still rotational looseness in the butt-cap with some continued squeaking. Crispy, the space around the staples is still fairly tight, while the looseness appears to be further up on the handle, so jamming wouldn't be easy to do here. What's wrong with screws - would they ruin the handle?

 

[CrispyFritters]

I've never used a screw....I'm guessing that screwing through a plastic pallet might crack the pallet. If it's foam, I guess you could try it. Either way, you will have a lumpy screw sticking out.

 

[movdqa]

I've used brads (small nails) to secure butt caps before. Could you replace the pallets/buttcap with a new set? Sometimes pallets shrink a little over time due to hand pressure.

 

[SoBad]

I definitely wouldn’t have screws sticking out, as I would be sure to use appropriately small screws. I have no idea about the composition or other aspects of the design of the handle, which is why I am hesitant to proceed with the screws. My thinking is that a handle that can take staples can also take screws, but I’d like to see some arguments to the contrary before taking the risk.

 

[SoBad]

I've used brads (small nails) to secure butt caps before. Could you replace the pallets/buttcap with a new set? Sometimes pallets shrink a little over time due to hand pressure.

Thanks – how did the nail job work out for you? Yes, I could replace or just re-staple, but I guess I am looking for a shortcut here. Also, I have been keen to try a smaller grip size, so the wear doesn’t bother me and I was quite happy to remove the original grip for that matter, aha!

 

[movdqa]

Brads worked fine for me. I've actually used them before in the old days of wooden racquets to secure the grip along with glue and double-stick tape.