The iron shafts are longer as the loft decreases. Putting a 7 iron shaft in an 8 iron and trimming from the tip to the stock 8 iron length is a shaft that has lost more of the flexible tipping and will be a hard step. Putting a 9 iron shaft in the 8 iron and trimming less of the tip to maintain the 8 iron length will result in more of the flexible tip in place. That's soft stepping. Basically starting with stock R flex shafts, the hard step be between the flex of R & S flex shafts and soft step will be between the flex of R and A flex shafts.

Titleist fitters generally recommend using the iron shaft in wedges you use routinely for full shot. At the other end Vokey recommends a heavier shaft and feel for controlled pitches/chips. Can't say enough to let a qualified fitter work with you on how you use the clubs to set you up better than random strangers offering what works for them. If you can find a Titleist Thursday in your area under Fittings on the web page, they have the expertise to get it right the first time.

Random strangers?.... I did stay in a Holiday Inn Express once. :)

Actually, the recommended shaft flex for wedges is one flex softer than your irons flex. This has always been what Bob Vokey has said and how I generally fit players.

...Generally. For the record, with light graphite R flex iron shafts, I definitely prefer DG S200 shafts in wedges for control and feel. I rarely use them for full swings. The Vokey team at a Pinehurst TT event recommended that. It was against my opinion but I went with it. As I replace other wedges, they're going with Bob's favorite shaft now.

That's why general advice here can't substitute for professional assistance.

Titlist shafts are all .355 taper-each iron # comes in its own designated length and is not intended to be tip trimmed but rather should be butt trimmed to final club length. Soft stepping is simply installing a lower numbered shaft than the shaft designated for a specific iron. For your C-Taper Lite shaft putting an 8 iron shaft in your 9 iron or pitching wedge would be soft stepping 1 X i.e. on time. Putting an 7 iron shaft 9 iron or pitching wedge would be soft stepping 2X i.e. two times. The idea here is to soften the flex- 1X being 1/3 flex softer, 2X being 2/3 flex softer.

Parallel shafts come in one length per model and these you do tip trim to match the required flex for each specific iron- the shaft manufacturer provides trimming instructions to vary the flex designation for each iron. For a parallel shaft If you wanted to soft step from stiff you would take the trimming instructions for stiff flex and tip trim less than specified for each iron. As an example if for a 7 iron the trimming instructions for stiff called for a 4" trim you would trim the shaft 3.5" for a 1X soft step and 3" for 2X soft step.

Hopefully, this clears up any confusion.

Soft stepping is putting a longer club shaft into a shorter club and trimming the butt to length. 1” is one flex. Taking an 8 iron S300 shaft to a PW would effectively make it R300.

1/2” yields an in between flex.

Since the C Taper Lite shaft for the 9 iron and PW are the same shaft putting the 8 iron shaft in the PW (or 9 iron) will only soft step once (1X)- although it may not apply to all shafts generally soft stepped once is 1/3 flex. Also they have a lighter HI-REV 2.0 wedge shaft coming out which may suit your needs. If you -mail KBS at support@kbsgolfshafts.com I am sure they will give you the best advice.