Broken Cone :X

[leetfeet]

so basically i was playing doubles and i set my racket down to tie my shoe my partner was behind me and he was steping back then put his full weight on the shaft on my racket. looking at my cone the part where the shaft connects to the cone has paint chips and i can hear the noise when you shake your racket, now is my racket just going to head downhill untill it shatters or can a racket survive with a broken cone?

[jhirata]

This is the clicking-cone mystery again.

This happens quite commonly with Armortec racquets, those which only have the cones' tip connecting with the shaft.

I have this same problem happening with all my racquets, they're all clicking. My MP40, AT700 and Cab8. ( dropping while spinning them ).
There's nothing wrong with them, they play normal but they just make a little clicking sound when i swing it fast.

You can try shifting the cone up the shaft, put some super-glue or something on the wood/cone and slide it back to place. Usually the sound goes away after doing that.

[phandrew]

The clicking noise can be the cone or wood handle being broken somewhere.

[jhirata]

If the procedure I suggested does not work, then it is likely that the handle is cracked as phandrew said.

[the_oro]

what's the safest way to remove the cone?

[the_oro]

well after some trial and error i figured out a way to take off the cone without much damage to it

what you need is a flat-head screwdriver, wd40 and an optional hammer and nail

first thing you have to do is use the hammer and nail to poke some holes under the cone so you can fit the screwdriver in it, if you can already fit the screwdriver under the cone you don't REALLY have to do this, but i'd still recommend it

once you've done that spray the wd40 in the holes - you should see it sink into the cone. spray lots, it's hella sticky under there

now the tough part and it'll be the most dangerous to the condition of the cone..
you're gonna have to stick the screwdriver all the way through the cone and wiggle it side to side in all corners and sides. if you do this in the wrong way A LOT of paint will chip off

after you've done this for a while the cone should get really loose and it should be easy to pull or hit off (i used a hammer and a golf tee)

when the cone finally came off i saw a lot of damage to the wood (the problem was a severe clicking in the cone)
however you feel you can fix your racket is up to you, what i've done so far is i wrapped it in rubber cement and later i'll properly glue the cone back on

hopefully the clicking will be gone

edit: i just realized that if you put tape around the cone it could prevent some of the chipping when prying it off