Can I use a hand planer to shave down a 4 3/8? Wilson or Head.

2ndServe

Hall of Fame
Will that work? I know head has pallets but it’s going to take a few weeks for the pallet to arrive. And I don’t mind the 4 3/8 flared buttcap but want the grip to be smaller.
 

esgee48

G.O.A.T.
Foam, yes. Plastic, no.

Why not order extra thin replacement grips. Those can reduce grip size by half to full size smaller. If you screw up bevels or symmetry of foam handles, you’re screwed.
 

2ndServe

Hall of Fame
Foam, yes. Plastic, no.

Why not order extra thin replacement grips. Those can reduce grip size by half to full size smaller. If you screw up bevels or symmetry of foam handles, you’re screwed.
It would make for sense to use a thinner grip. I'm just so used to the head hydrosorb. But imo that grip makes things almost a full size bigger on a wilson
 

fritzhimself

Professional
Yes, you can use the tool. o_O
It is best if you set a millimeter depth right away, then you don't have to plane the same spot twice. (y)
 

stapletonj

Hall of Fame
I tried this once by hand with a rasp on an old racket. rounded off right away. I mounted it on a stringing machine and even the little bit of wobble threw things off.

Might find another old racket to try this on, but this time try a hand planer and use a wood working vise on a sold work bench.
 

Irvin

Talk Tennis Guru
Will that work? I know head has pallets but it’s going to take a few weeks for the pallet to arrive. And I don’t mind the 4 3/8 flared buttcap but want the grip to be smaller.
It would work but you will need a new butt cap. You could take the grip off, wrap with hockey tape, then place and over wrap on top of hockey tape. If you don’t like that you could go back to your original option. Shaving off the 8 bevels on the pallet could be easier said than done, and you may massacre the pallet.

EDIT: Another option is to sell the racket any buy another with the grip size you like. The hockey tape smooths out the transition from the butt cap to the pallet.
 
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fritzhimself

Professional
I hope you recognized my post as "sarcasm".
Please never use a hand plane on a handle, that's nonsense to the power of 3.
Please consult a specialist if you don't want to destroy your play equipment.
 

MAX PLY

Hall of Fame
I like Irvin's suggestion--you could also consider painter's tape as it is easier to get off--you may need two layers to replicate the 1/4. There is no "science" to reducing a grip--it's basically sanding and guessing--when I have done it--I've used a manual fine sanding sponge and simply to the same number of stokes on each bevel and measure after sanding every bevel 10 times. Takes patience.
 

om panda

Rookie
Try using thinner replacement grip. Kimony have leather grip at 1mm, Tourna 1.25mm grip, or Wilson Featherthin.

Just for your info, recently i just changed grip on my racket. The factory grip is 1.6mm, and i installed 1.4mm Price resi thin.

After the change, grip size is going down by half size. From 3 4/8 into 3 3.5/8.
 

codonnell

Semi-Pro
I hope you recognized my post as "sarcasm".
Please never use a hand plane on a handle, that's nonsense to the power of 3.
Please consult a specialist if you don't want to destroy your play equipment.
I agree, there are people out there that will do it for you professionally and it’s well worth the price (not terrible) if it’s that important.
 

smboogie

Semi-Pro
Likely won't be correct and the butt cap also won't fit.
Best solution would be to replace grip with a thinner one to drop it maybe an 1/8 or so.
 
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