Trimming grommet / headguard material : How much swingweight can you take off?

[monologuist]

For anyone that has experience trimming grommet strips and bumperguards on Prestiges, Volkls, Vantages, what have you : About how much swingweight can you shave off by doing this?

I want to trim the grommets on my Vantages, which are similar to CAP grommets that protect the frame all the way down the sides. There are 3 strips, one on top that is pretty much the bumperguard, then one on each side which is also raised like the bumperguard, so I could sacrifice a little frame protection on the sides and trim the side strips, or if that doesn't do enough, trim the headguard strip that is at the top of the frame.

 

[louis netman]

I don't know exactly how much SW, but leaving enough material on the racket similar to a stock C10 (around grommet #13) takes off about 10 to 13 gms on Volkl T10 series MP rackets...

 

[monologuist]

I don't know exactly how much SW, but leaving enough material on the racket similar to a stock C10 (around grommet #13) takes off about 10 to 13 gms on Volkl T10 series MP rackets...

I'm not familiar with the grommets on the Volkls...is that essentailly trimming off all the excess material on the sides and leaving the headguard?

 

[monologuist]

Also, how else does trimming the grommet strips on a racquet affect the play other than lowering the swingweight? Does it change the feel?

 

[nViATi]

with a lower swingweight it will probably feel flimsy-er and less stable / solid

 

[monologuist]

so removing, say 10 grams of gromet material from 3 and 9 on the racquet would be like if you originally had 10 grams of lead tape at those spots and you took it off?

I have always wondered wherther a frame that has 10 grams more of graphite integrated into its structure in the hoop will play differently from a frame that has 10 grams of some other material added on, whether it be grommet plastic or lead tape.

 

[Honestlybad]

I cut off the whole thing off off my i.prestiges and just use some protection tape. I really like the additional head speed I can generate. The plastic I took off was 14 grams and I use about 4 grams of protective tape so the racquet is 10 grams lighter. I'm not sure how much lower the swingweight is but it's definitely much more head light. I'm really happy with the result, it makes spin much easier to generate.