Test results are in! For those who have missed it there was a big controversy about Scratch Golf’s advertising claims that spanned across multiple forum’s and blog websites. Here were the claims I made against Scratch Golf last week:
1. It was my opinion that they did not use 1018 carbon steel for their Irons & Wedges
2. Scratch Golf claims Forged by Ishihara-Shoten yet Ishihara-Shoten doesn’t forge golf clubs
3. ( TSG ) wedge was not Ishihara Forged or made of 1018 as we were led to believe
4. Scratch is using Open Model Blanks dispite claiming their products are Original Designs
Let’s get right to it with the Test Results! I sent in 6 sample heads to METL. Metals Engineering and Testing Laboratory based out of Phoenix, Arizona. Here is a short blurb on what they do for their customers…
(Metals Engineering and Testing Laboratory) customer base includes major aerospace and defense contractors, both the fossil and nuclear power utilities, the fastener industry, the automotive industry, insurance companies, attorneys, construction, manufacturers, and metal processors such as heat treaters, coating and plating shops, weld shops, foundries, forge shops, extrusion plants and machine shops. Our metallurgical testing laboratory serves as a valuable resource for a number of smaller companies who use the laboratory for in-depth metallurgical engineering and testing support.
We submitted sample heads from popular brands like Mizuno, Epon, Miura Giken, Geotech and Scratch Golf. Click “Read More” to continue on for the test results…
We submitted 2 heads in total from Scratch Golf, one 1018 wedge and one EZ-1 cavity back iron. From Epon we sent in the AF-Tour, Mizuno MP-67, and Miura Giken the CB2006 model.
In regards to testing, heat treatment and plating make no difference at all in the test results as the testing finds the chemical and mineral balance deep inside the head. The above are UNS standards not JIS, the difference between the two is that JIS standards hold tighter tolerance on the minerals and chemicals. The carbon rating is not the only thing to look at, there is a range of other minerals that need to fall into a tolorence allowing METL to come to the conclusion as stated at the bottom of the test.
There is no room for question due to any overlap’s in minerals. If it says 1020 it’s 1020 by UNS Standards. If it says 1010 it’s 1010 by UNS standards.
When cross referencing the UNS results with JIS, The 1020 UNS in the the EZ-1 iron falls near the minimum requirements of JIS S25C. While the UNS rated 1010 doesn’t have the acceptable tolerance to meet JIS standards. By both UNS & JIS standards of the two Scratch Samples sent in none of them are using 1018 steel.
But why that 1010 conclusion on the 1018 wedge? It would have to be an EXTREMELY poor quality piece of metal skipping from 1018 past 1017, 1015, 1012 into the 1010 range. I don’t know if this is a freak wedge but it doesn’t meet any countries standards if it’s supposed to be 1018. It’s 4 carbon metal designations apart from what it was advertised to be. That is surprisingly bad if it was supposed to be 1018 even by China’s metal standards.
In regards to the Mizuno, Miura Giken, and Epon product checkout the chart below…
When looking at JIS standards the Mizuno and Miura Giken are right on the edge of S20/S25C which makes complete sense as this is what they advertise and the Epon AF-Tour is right where it should be for S20C like Epon advertises.
The Scratch EZ-1 Iron also fell pretty close to being able to fit into the S25C category. The only surprise out all of these heads was the 1010 Scratch Wedge head. I will let you guy’s draw your on conclusions on the test results… Whatever the case I now know for a fact that of both Scratch Golf heads submitted for metallurgy testing none of them are 1018.
I requested the destroyed heads returned to us so we could take pictures. The results just got back to us today via Email we also have the data listed next to the picture of the club head via METL for those who want to question the test.
doesn’t surprise me at all.
Nice call Chris.
You got ’em by the ballz, buddy! Scratch had been LYING, flat out. Somebody at the BBB should ring them up. Well done. Really well done. I am very pleased to see these results. You have done a wonderful thing. Now lets see whether Scratch will cough it up and own up and man up.
Finally, you get to the bottom of this. Well done.
Thank you for standing up and getting to the bottom of this, when a manufacturer throws a BS out there, someone needs to call out on it. Get this word out quick, before you get bombarded by their lawyers… get a feeling Scratch will not take this like a man.
Does this mean that Mizuno is also misleading customers? As they advertise their irons as 1025 carbon steel rather than 1020…
Can I ask a simple question? Why did you decide to start this fight? Is your motive to ruin the company’s business? Why now? Just curious
You’ve raised interesting points, and I hope that the truth finally comes out. However, I really question your motives. Your points are getting lost in the anger and venom that you have spewed on some of the other message boards. Calling Scratch fans “nuthuggers” really reflects poorly on your message, your business, and you. This shows a certain amount of resentment, possibly because of their success? Disclosure: I do not play any Scratch clubs, nor do I consider myself a Scratch fanboy. I think Mizuno makes a better product.
Hi Garth, Here is the thing, Mizuno’s main selling point isnt S25C “the softest metal in all of golf” or Chuo Forged while Scratch always uses the same line of “1018 the softest metal in all of golf and Ishihara Forged”. none of which are true and publications are putting it into print. Also I think that for the most part Mizuno is spot on both S25C & S20C are what forged clubs are supposed to be made from. Other mizuno heads come out to .23 to .25 carbon which is inline with what they promote.
I don’t consider my first blog post starting a fight and here are the reasons… 1. It’s true, 2. Its a blog/my opinion and 3 this thing really grew legs when Ari came out in public and attacked me on a personal level. Only THEN we had a BIG problem because in my post I actually stuck to the points and praised him as an individual. He used attacking me on a personal level as his leg to stand on. If he was in the right he could stick to the facts and stay away from saying personal things that were untrue.
Hi Mike, I do think I am aggressive but again we were not the ones to go to personal attacks. My points and opinions have been clearly written. Ari has said things to mislead the consumer. Me stating that those who wish death upon me for uncovering the truth are nuthuggers is not really the point here, I could have chosen better words no doubt.
Many only want to pick sides instead of find out if they have been mislead.
If a brand is going to be out in the majority of public forums making claims and putting themselves out in front for all to see they should at the very least tell the truth.
1. Ishihara & Ishihara-Shoten doesn’t forge golf clubs
2. Mr. Ishihara (MOZ) passed on & Ari did in fact attempt to affiliate himself with MOZ on multiple occasions
3. The heads are indeed open model dispite Ari saying they are original. (only now he admits it)
4. Our TSG wedge was not 1018 Ishihara Forged and we marketed and sold it on those points.
5. Test results proove that their irons are right around 1025 not 1018 as advertised
On top of that the test results they posted don’t come out to 1018, they come out to 1015 or S25C.
What have I lied about?
on top of that you can catch him contridicting his own words saying that Scratch & Miura purchased their raw heads somewhere other than Ishihara. When I wrote the first blog Ari attacked me saying that what I said about Miura not forging their own heads in house was rediculous. Yet Ari was actually the first person to state this to the public back in 2006.
and their “we dont pay for play” statement…. Marketing they dont pay their players anything and when getting called on it adding the word’s “upfront”.
Most of their selling points were not true, you can say shady at best but in the end i made a blog post exposing it, When i was attacked, i hit back harder and held my ground. I offered to apologize, retract, and clear anything up if I was wrong.
If a company is gonna put themselves out there in the public’s eye to spread a message for profit and sales they beter make sure that message is honest and true.
Your Message WELL DONE IM GLAD U STOOD UP AND PUT THEM IN THEIR PLACE, I SHOULDVE KNOWN IVE BEEN USING THEIR CLUBS FR 2 YRS NOW AND I NEVER LIKED EM, THE WEDGE FELT CHEAP FR ONE THING,IT HAD NO CRISP FEEL AT ALL. THEIR IRONS NEVER HAD ANY RESPONSE TO EM, PLUS THEY MADE ME WAIT 3 FRIGIN MONTHS TO GET THEM WHAT A DAM JOKE THAT IS TO BEGIN WITH,THAT SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME SOMETHING RIGHT THERE NOT TO MENTION THE LENGTHS OF SHAFTS WERNT RIGHT. SO I WAITED 3 MONTHS FR CLUBS THAT WERNT EVEN THE RIGHT LENGTH .
In Ari’s tests from MSI the results don’t show 1018 they show 1015 or S15C. What’s odd is we have never heard the term “American 1018” used by Scratch.
S15C is JIS grade material so in those tests he may be using something of a higher quality than 1018. If that’s the case he should run with that because 1018 is a clear downgrade over S15C.
Then again this 1018 thing was just my hunch. Based on both Ari’s MSi test and our METL test still nothing came in at 1018 as Scratch advertises. That still doesn’t explain the 1010 rating we had in the METL test.
I still can’t find 1018 being offered by any foundry in Japan. It is highly unlikely that Scratch has been purchasing 1018 from the USA or China and shipping it to Japan because thats a huge extra expense they have to pay to use inferior metal.
Importing 1018 from the USA or China and using a middle company like Ishihara-Shoten would in theory add a lot to the products wholesale cost. Their margins are too good for that.
I doubt they were sourcing 1018 from the USA and shipping it to Japan when things first started. What would prove me wrong is severa past invoices dated from the American foundry showing that 1018 heads were shipped to the factory in Japan.
I can however find S15C in Japan similar to what Miura has used for wedges in the past. It’s about the same price as S25C and available from a couple of factories. It just so happens that one of the two factories that supply S15C is the same one that Ari claimed supplies Scratch & Miura back in 2006. Both of those factories do not supply 1018.
S15C is no longer used by wedge companies in Japan because the hardness rating becomes the same as S20C and S25C after heat treatment. S15C is able to be forged using lower heat and a less pressured press. Golf Engineers still do not suggest S15C for golf club use over S20C & S25C.
Ari’s MSi tests show 1015 or S15C not 1018. His own evidence goes against his claim of 1018.
I didn’t think the public would get held up on the 1018 thing as much as they did. I thought that Ishihara not being a foundry was the big deal.
Unfortunately your motives are to sell more products like any other retailer. Your “investigative reporting” is just another way to steer sheep to your selection of clubs.
“Scratch and Miura are telling lies, so buy an Epon from me.” Is that what you meant to say?
If you are so ethical and knowledgable, please do a thorough investigation into how Taylormade and other products you sell are manufactured. I will be very interested to see your story of how the Taylormade R9 Japanese version you sell for $700 is made right next to another brand that retails for $200.
@Brad:
Brad,
What the f**K is wrong with you? “your motives are to sell more products”. Nothing wrong with that. He got bills to pay as well. As least he does his homework and wants to inform others. My proshop just wants to push what he can sell.
He is not saying
“Scratch and Miura are telling lies, so buy an Epon from me”. You are. Cut this sh*t.
Why don’t u do something useful and run some tests against Taylormade. yeah I didn’t think so.
Well done Chris. What people are not catching here is this. the faithful to Scratch, and I don’t know why, will continue to play his product. Nothing wrong with that. All you did was to inform the consumer that the company is full of lies. Nothing wrong with that. Comendable on my part. What will be interesting here is reading Ari response. I got the same email he sent to you, I’ve submitted my clubs for testing in Chicago. Ill keep you posted. In the read between the lines, I have to work on a statement thusly stating how I was tricked by overseas manufacturers. They lied to me. Then he will issue an apology stating he product is this and will search for the best foundry to make his prduct.
That said, I did play his irons recently, and to be honest, they felt nice.
Would I game them, Sure…. Not for the price he is asking for. The problem I see here is this. One cant offer any constructive criticism to anyone w/o them breathing down a neck. Real class to those people. Like nothing is better than the product your playing. Here you are, Im sure there is better product than my 710MB, but for now, that is what I’m gmaing. however, the big issue here is I keep an open eye to a possibility of better equipment.
Just my 2 cents