What You'll Need
- Acrylic or enamel paint — hobby/model paint (Testors, Tamiya, Humbrol)
- Toothpicks — better than brushes or needle bottles for precision
- Acetone — for cleanup and removing existing paint
- Q-tips and lint-free paper towels (blue shop towels work well)
- Latex or nitrile gloves
- Safety glasses
- Club cleaning brush and warm soapy water
Choosing Your Paint
This matters more than most builders realize:
- Acrylic paint — best for putters, wedges, and cosmetic fills. Water-cleanup, non-toxic, larger color range, dries fast, won't react with putter oils. Acrylic does not hold up to heavy turf impact, so it's not ideal for iron face stamps.
- Enamel paint (Testors) — best for irons. Harder cure, more durable in impact zones, more chip-resistant. Dries slower (which actually helps with cleanup).
Don't use enamel on putters. Many putter finishes are oiled to prevent rust, and the oil can break down enamel paint.
Step 1 — Clean the Club
Wash the area with warm soapy water and a soft brush to remove dirt, grass, and oils. Dry completely.
Step 2 — Strip Old Paint Fill
Soak a Q-tip in acetone, wring out the excess, and rub the existing paint fill in a circular motion. Acetone evaporates fast — work in passes.
For stubborn fills (especially factory paint on Vokeys, Scotty Camerons, and modern irons), submerge the clubhead in a small dish of acetone for 5–10 minutes, then scrub with a brass-bristle brush or pick out residue with a toothpick or safety pin.
Old paint must be 100% removed. Any residue prevents the new fill from adhering properly.
Step 3 — Apply the Paint
- Dip a toothpick into the paint and apply it directly into the engraved letters/numbers/logo.
- Apply generously — overfill is fine; excess will be cleaned in Step 5. Underfill is harder to fix.
- Work from the middle outward if filling multiple areas — this prevents you from wiping fresh paint into already-finished sections during cleanup.
- Pop any air bubbles by drawing the toothpick through the engraving in a smooth sweep.
For multiple colors, complete one color fully before moving to the next.
Step 4 — Let the Paint Set
This is the timing window most beginners get wrong:
- Acrylic: 20–30 minutes before cleanup
- Enamel: 30–60 minutes before cleanup
You want the paint inside the engraving to be set but not fully cured. The excess on the surface should still wipe off easily; the fill inside the recess should be firm enough that acetone won't pull it out.
If you wait too long, the excess hardens and removal becomes a nightmare. If you don't wait long enough, the cleanup pad will pull the fill right out of the engraving.
Step 5 — Wipe the Excess
- Dip a clean Q-tip or paper towel corner in acetone. Wring it out — too much acetone is the #1 cause of ruined paint fills.
- Wipe the surface with light, single-direction strokes. Use a clean section of the pad for each pass.
- Do not scrub or apply pressure. Let the acetone do the work.
- For tight areas around small letters, use the corner of a folded paper towel.
If you accidentally pull paint out of an engraving, just let the area dry, re-fill with the toothpick, and repeat the wait/cleanup process for that section.
Step 6 — Cure
Let the club fully cure before play:
- Acrylic: 6 hours
- Enamel: 24 hours
Cure at room temperature with low humidity. Avoid direct sunlight while curing — UV can change some pigment colors slightly.
Important Notes
- Multiple coats may be needed for opaque coverage, especially on light colors over dark engravings. Repeat Steps 3–5 for each coat after the previous coat has cured.
- Metallic and pearlescent paints are thinner. Plan on 2–3 coats minimum, and be extra careful with cleanup pressure — they smudge easily.
- A clear-coat top layer extends durability for clubs hit on full shots. Apply once final color coats are fully cured.
- If a fill doesn't last on an iron face, the issue is usually paint type (acrylic instead of enamel) or surface prep (not enough acetone cleaning before paint went down). The repair is to strip and redo with proper materials.
- This is the most forgiving customization there is. If a fill looks wrong, soak it in acetone, start over. Customers shouldn't be afraid to experiment.