Composite shaft having integrally molded functional feature and helical grooves

An apparatus comprising:

• a mechanical component;
• and
• a shaft assembly including an elongated member, said elongated member having at least a portion which is tubular, shell like having an inside surface defining a shaft core and an outside surface defining a shaft functional surface, and including at least one molding aperture gate extending through said elongated member from said inside surface to said outside surface, said shaft core being filled with a hardened, moldable material, said shaft functional surface having at least one functional feature thereon, which is of hardened moldable material integrally molded with the hardened, moldable material in said shaft core and connected thereto by hardened, moldable material in said molding gate, said tubular shell like member having a helical pattern cut through from the outside surface to the inside surface in that portion adjacent said at least one aperture gate and underneath said at least one functional feature to enable said portion to be flexible and deformable when placed under pressure against a surface, said shaft assembly operably associated with said mechanical component so as to be capable of performing at least one operation requiring the use of said shaft assembly.