Wilson Butt Caps: Differences and Fitting TK82S?

VoodooBoot

VoodooBoot

Semi-Pro
Hello!

Now that I have found a racquet that I like and am happy with it, I desperately need another thing to tinker with (as if lead tape isn't enough)...

My 315's currently have L5 TK82 pallets with size 5 Head butt caps.

I'd like to try TK82S on them (because I have been hating the rectangular shape recently). Now, I also want to try going a size or two down and am about to order an L3 and L4 TK82S.

I have two questions:
  1. Would a Wilson butt cap fit on the TK82S. I stumbled upon a few posts where people claimed it should, but can anyone confirm? Would the size be the same, i.e. L3 butt cap on an L3 pallet?
  2. What is the difference between the different Wilson butt caps? I like flare on my grips (currently use hockey tape for that) and have always enjoyed the nice flare stock Wilson handles have.

    TWE currently offers the following models:

Cheers!
 
C

counterpuncher

Hall of Fame
The butt cap will fit on the TK82S pallet of the same size as I change them on all Head racquets that I like.

The flare on the butt caps are slightly different but I don't have all of those to compare. Maybe got to a Wilson store and try them out or post a question in the TW section or just choose one as they don't differ by that much.
 
VoodooBoot

VoodooBoot

Semi-Pro
counterpuncher said:
The butt cap will fit on the TK82S pallet of the same size as I change them on all Head racquets that I like.

The flare on the butt caps are slightly different but I don't have all of those to compare. Maybe got to a Wilson store and try them out or post a question in the TW section or just choose one as they don't differ by that much.
Click to expand...

Cheers for confirming the butt caps fit.

The local shops will only have the current Wilson models, whose butt caps won't necessarily correspond to what TWE has (in stock).
 
J

juan carzola

Banned
Wilson butt caps b) and d) definitely fit as I've fitted them previously. I assume the other Wilson ones will also fit but I haven't tried them personally.

One thing to bear in mind is that that the Wilson butt caps are slightly lighter than the Head ones, so you may want to correct with a small amount of lead.
 
VoodooBoot

VoodooBoot

Semi-Pro
juan carzola said:
Wilson butt caps b) and d) definitely fit as I've fitted them previously. I assume the other Wilson ones will also fit but I haven't tried them personally.

One thing to bear in mind is that that the Wilson butt caps are slightly lighter than the Head ones, so you may want to correct with a small amount of lead.
Click to expand...

Would you say that b) and d) have less flare (my impression from the pictures) than a) and c)?

Thanks!
 
J

juan carzola

Banned
The main difference between the Wilson butt caps that you've listed is that b) and d) have a sharper edge at the base, a bit like the base of a pyramid ie it ends sharply. a) and c) have a sightly rounder edge at the base ie they don't end so sharply and there is a slightly curvature at the end of it where you start your grip.
 
J

juan carzola

Banned
VoodooBoot said:
Would you say that b) and d) have less flare (my impression from the pictures) than a) and c)?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I'm doing this from memory (though I do have some spare ones at home somewhere) but what I can remember, I'd say b) and d) have a fraction more flare because the butt cap taper extends right to the bottom of the butt cap whereas a) and c) has a curvature at the bottom.
 
T

TNT34

Rookie
I can't comment on whether Wilson butt caps fit Head racquets, but I can confirm that the Wilson "rounded" but caps (like a and c in your photos) are just slightly more flared (i.e., slightly bigger on the outside) than the "squared" butt caps (like b and d in your photos) of the same size. The difference is negligible, but measurable with calipers. That being said, I wrap tape on the outside to get an even more pronounced flare, and the "squared" butt cap shape lets me do that closer to the handle end, which I like. Both work, but the "squared" shape works better IMO.

I also use a butt cap that's a size or two larger than the grip size, so the butt cap itself does more of the flare and I have to add a layer less tape on the outside. I wrap a layer of tape on the handle end under the butt cap, and a 1/2 size cap fits just fine on my 3/8 size handles. I've even used a 5/8 cap on a 3/8 handle, with a bit more tape.

Butt caps are cheap, so just buy some in varying sizes and shapes and play with them. What else do you have to do anyway?

Cheers,

T.
 
J

juan carzola

Banned
TNT34 said:
I can't comment on whether Wilson butt caps fit Head racquets, but I can confirm that the Wilson "rounded" but caps (like a and c in your photos) are just slightly more flared (i.e., slightly bigger on the outside) than the "squared" butt caps (like b and d in your photos) of the same size.
Click to expand...

I don't agree with you on that.

The angle of the tape is exactly the same on all of them but because the squared ones ie b) and d) taper right down to the bottom of the butt cap, they essentially flare more.

a) and c) are rounded off at the bottom so they don't flare as much at the bottom as the squared off ones.

Here's a picture of the squared off ones. As you can see it tapers down to virtually the end of the butt cap. When playing with it, it feels as if its flared more in the base of your palm which is what you'd expect based on the picture.

H5m0ehl.jpg


The rounded ones, are curved off at the bottom. In the hand they do not feel as if they are as flared as the squared off ones. I've lost count of the number of Six.Ones I've owned and I would have never have described the stock butt cap (ie the rounded one) as a particularly flared butt cap.

HKxqkkw.jpg
 
VoodooBoot

VoodooBoot

Semi-Pro
Thanks for the help, guys!

Unfortunately, these butt caps are not only hard to find, but also expensive (considering what they are): they end up costing approx. £10/piece, whether I order from TWE or from a local shop/*Bay.

I am going to give the square ones (Pro Staff?) a shot, but will follow TNT34's suggestion and get a size or two larger butt cap. Thinking about this, my L5 Head butt caps may end up giving an L3/L4 TK82S quite a bit of flare, too.
 
C

counterpuncher

Hall of Fame
VoodooBoot said:
Unfortunately, these butt caps are not only hard to find, but also expensive (considering what they are): they end up costing approx. £10/piece, whether I order from TWE or from a local shop/*Bay.
Click to expand...

Living down under and having the same issue with cost as yourself, I have been down this cost path and my adviceis buy them here on the TW US site. They have a world mail option for small item orders (grips, butt caps, strings, etc.) of about up to US$50 that come to US$10 to Oz. So I'm sure it'll be around the same to the UK. I usually stock up on a few at a time.
 
J

juan carzola

Banned
VoodooBoot said:
Unfortunately, these butt caps are not only hard to find, but also expensive (considering what they are): they end up costing approx. £10/piece, whether I order from TWE or from a local shop/*Bay.
Click to expand...

Where in London are you based? My man in London should be able to get you some cheaper than £10 and if you live near him, you can pick them up and avoid postage costs.
 
ChicagoJack

ChicagoJack

Hall of Fame
I'm confused. I like the rectangular HEAD grip shape, but I'd like to get more flare. Which Wilson butt caps have the most flare?
 
T

TNT34

Rookie
juan carzola said:
I don't agree with you on that.

The angle of the tape is exactly the same on all of them but because the squared ones ie b) and d) taper right down to the bottom of the butt cap, they essentially flare more.

a) and c) are rounded off at the bottom so they don't flare as much at the bottom as the squared off ones.

Here's a picture of the squared off ones. As you can see it tapers down to virtually the end of the butt cap. When playing with it, it feels as if its flared more in the base of your palm which is what you'd expect based on the picture.

H5m0ehl.jpg



The rounded ones, are curved off at the bottom. In the hand they do not feel as if they are as flared as the squared off ones. I've lost count of the number of Six.Ones I've owned and I would have never have described the stock butt cap (ie the rounded one) as a particularly flared butt cap.

HKxqkkw.jpg
Click to expand...




Juan Carzola,

Maybe we're using different definitions of the word "flared." I took "more flared" to mean bigger in size at the widest point, and when I measured several butt caps with calipers i was surprised to find that the rounded ones were just a bit wider side-to-side and top-to-bottom (when viewed from the end) than the squared ones of the comparable grip size. If you measured them and found differently that may be due to differences in batches, or something else, but I measured each type in three sizes (3/8, 1/2, and 5/8), and got consistent results. The rounded version always measured just a bit wider than the squared version at its widest point. As you note though, the widest point is closer to the racquet end for the squared version.

I can't comment on how a particular butt caps feels to anyone else since I think we all feel them differently. I'd agree though that I don't consider the Wilson butt caps to be particularly flared, which is why I add some tape at the end to get more flare. Not a Gasquet amount, but a few layers.

Always enjoy hearing others' opinions though.

Cheers.

T.
 
VoodooBoot

VoodooBoot

Semi-Pro
Thanks for the comments, everyone.

I have TK82S pallets and L4 butt caps of both styles on order. Will post pictures and share my experience (in about 2 weeks as I am travelling on Friday).
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

snoopy
Will a Yonex butt cap fit on a Wilson handle?
Replies
0
Views
616
snoopy
snoopy
R
Head butt cap / pallet question TK82S (Head i.prestige)
Replies
2
Views
558
ProRadTour
P
C
Old/vintage Wilson butt caps same design inside?
Replies
1
Views
573
corners
C
Craig Sheppard
Need a bigger butt.....cap
Replies
5
Views
3K
rich s
R
B
NON-FLARED butt cap for my Wilson Shift?
Replies
3
Views
264
BodegaBay
B
Top