Dwight Boyden received a U.S. patent (No. 1,642,294) dated September 13. 1927, that covered the Boyden shafts in this set of 10 irons. According to his patent, Boyden believed there were inherent problems with both hickory and cane shafts. To solve the problems he perceived in both hickory and bamboo shafts, Boyden devised a shaft having an upper bamboo section that fit into a “channel” or “tapering slot” in the lower wood section.

Boyden designed long tapering slots in order to provide a great deal of surface area to glue the wood and cane together, he also called for forming the upper bamboo portion of the shaft from three or more strips of bamboo laminated together. Boyden believed the net result of his compound, joined shaft would be distance and durability:

The story of Boyden and his compound shafts is told in The Clubmakers Art vol 2 page 648, where the very set offered here is pictured and documented.  This set last sold at the 2007 Sotheby’s Jeffery B Ellis Antique Golf Club auction in New York City. The auction tags are still attached.

These Boyden shafts are installed in a set of George Nicoll “Recorder” irons consisting of a 1 iron through a 10 iron, which is a putter. The lower portion of the shaft is solid wood to which five or six pieces of laminated cane, visible at the grip end of the shaft shown directly above, are spliced. The shafts are stamped “Boyden Shaft \ 1,642,294.” Small file marks on the hosels and pins indicate that the owner reshafted these irons with Boyden shafts.