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From: ?????????????????????????
Pipes Digest #10 - May 1, 1989
In the pipeline:
- Elias Mazur comments on loose stems, and a favorite place to repair
a pipe;
- Bill Thacker comments on loose stems, and on corncobs as a source
of supplemental income :-)
- Norm Carpenter comments on loose stems;
- Phil comments on cobs, clays, and good smokes for the outdoors;
- and your moderator runs across a source of pipe arcana.
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From: ??????????????????????? (Elias Mazur)
Subject: Stems.
Steve wrote:
>Now on to stems: I have a couple of pipes (a Savinelli and an "Amphora"
>special - both have been around since my _first_ stint in college!) whose
>stems have loosened. On the theory that the stems might be thermoplastic,
>I've tried using hot water to soften them - no luck. If anyone has some good
>tricks for tightening stems, please write in!
I don't know any trick for tightening stems, but I can suggest that you
contact a good pipe store owner, who can fix your stems, or even put on a new
one. I know of a pipe shop in Utica (I mentioned in previous mails), whose
owner, Mr Bob Smith, is an expert on the subject. He has a large quantity of
new stems, and the know-how. Every time I go to his pipe shop, I take a pipe
with me, so that he can clean the stem. It looks like new ! Anyway, I'm going
to pass you his address and phone number, and you can contact him. I'm sure
you'll be pleased to do business with him.
Pipes Unlimited
Bob Smith, Tabacconist
19 Auburn Avenue
Utica, NY 13501
(315) 735-2588
Good luck !!
Smoke in peace ~\U
Elias Mazur
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>From: cbema!wbt (thacker,w b)
Steve Masticola writes:
>[I can't really describe how a mango tastes - it's somewhere in between a
>peach and a melon,[...] My broker says that with the
>money I saved buying a corncob instead of a Dunhill, I can get about 150 of
>them. :-) -S.]
Oh, yes, I forgot to mention the tremendous investment potential of
corncob pipes ! 8-)
norm writes:
>Based on the news from this group I have tried a more English style
>of tobacco. The Tinder Box chain here has a brand called Sherlock's
>Choice. I can't remember the mixture except that is has some Latakia.
>When I know I will make a better statement, but so far I am enjoying it
>more than the sweetened brands.
Deja vu ! Just yesterday, I went to the TB (the only pipe store in
East Columbus open on Sundays...) to try some latakia. I turned my
nose up at Sherlock's, and picked Connoisseur, which sits right next
to it.
I got two ounces and promised myself not to make a decision until I'd
smoked it all (to make sure the my pipe cake picks up the full flavor,
after years of smoking flavored cavendish), but my initial impression is
underwhelming. There is a certain plain, woodsy flavor, which is
pleasant, but that's offset by the smell, which is certainly no crowd
pleaser. We'll give it a while, yet.
Steve Masticola writes:
>Now on to stems: I have a couple of pipes (a Savinelli and an "Amphora"
>special - both have been around since my _first_ stint in college!) whose
>stems have loosened. On the theory that the stems might be thermoplastic,
>I've tried using hot water to soften them - no luck. If anyone has some good
>tricks for tightening stems, please write in!
You need to sand down the stem a little, then it should fit fine. If not,
sand off a little more.
Some stems are too far gone to be recovered, I'm told, so you may find
after a few sandings that the stem literally falls out of the pipe. In
that case, you'll need a replacment stem.
8-) 8-) sorry, couldn't resist.
A couple of my hard rubber stems, and one lucite, did the same thing,
giving me to presume that the pipe itself has expanded, as opposed to
the stem loosening. Anyway, my quick fix (which has been in place for
a year or two now 8-) was to wrap a small bit of thin paper around the
tip of the stem, to act as a shim. Experiment with the exact thickness you
need, but one turn is usually sufficient. Scotch tape works even better,
so long as you carfully clean the stem first.
My greatest pipe repair to date was on a favorite old deep bend (the sort
that bumps your chin as you smoke). Managed to drop this one, splitting
the pipe neck in half and breaking off the top half:
-----------
/ \ /\
| | / x\
| | xxx /
| \_/ /
\ /
\_______________/
where everyinging above and to the left of the x's was broken off. As the
pipe was a fine smoker, I refused to give up so easily. I put the too
half back in place (it fitted perfectly, no chips were lost), and
tightly wound that broken area of the neck with wire. Then, I placed
a bit of heat-shrink tubing over the wire wrap, and with a heat gun,
shrunk it tightly into place.
Sure, it looks funny, but by God, it's held up for over 2 years now !
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Bill Thacker att!cbema!wbt ??????????????????
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From: ???????????????????????????? (Norm Carpenter)
Subject: Tightening a stem.
When I first started smoking a pipe I was fortunate to find a
person in a pipe shop who helped me a great deal and would spend
a lot of time answering my questions. As much as "Phil of the
Bay Area" hates malls, the Bruyere Shoppe at the local mall was
the best store going. Anyway, back to the reason for posting.
As a newcommer to pipe smoking I tended to smoke the pipe fast
and hot (still do sometimes, but I'm working on it) and this
would cause the shank to expand compressing the stem. If it did
not crack the shank eventually, the stem would get loose. The
gentleman that I spoke of showed me how to fix this with the
statement, "The first time I'll show you for free, after that
there is a charge". This works for the vulcanized, black,
bowling ball style stems, I don't know about the acrylic.
What he did was to cram as many pipe cleaners into the stem as
would fit. Usually two, but I've found that three are needed
sometimes and in other stems only one. Once the pipe cleaners
are in place and positioned so that they are right against the
opening in the tenon, you take a match or lighter and heat up the
tenon. This makes the tenon soft. Be sure not to hold the flame
so that it touches the stem as this might start the stem burning.
When the tenon of the stem is hot and becomes soft, push the
tenon against the side of a counter or another flat surface at
the same time keeping the tenon as perpendicular to the surface
as possible. This will cause the tenon to bulge just a little,
the pipe cleaners keep the hole open. As you use this technique
often, you learn just how much pressure you can use to get a
tight fit without giving up much tenon length. When the stem has
cooled so that it is no longer soft, remove the pipe cleaners and
sand the tenon down, a little at a time, checking the fit to the
pipe. To sand, wrap the sandpaper (about 120 grit) around the
tenon and turn the stem so that you are removing material evenly
around the tenon. When the tenon just fits into the shank,
remove it and cover the tenon surface with graphite by rubbing
with pencil lead (this allows the tenon to slide into the shank
easier).
You can do this three or four times, and then it is time to buy a
new stem.
Norm Carpenter
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From: ????????????????
Subject: Cobs and Clays
As several folks have pointed out, corncob and clay pipes are entertaining
bargains. Both of them start out porous enough that they need little or
no breakin, both are light and easy to carry, both are easy to break or
char, and both are cheap enough so you don't care.
I find the cobs best for pocket pipes to smoke at outdoor sports, on safe spots
on trails (e. g. big rocks), and general casual al fresco adventures. I
haven't had a clay for a long time and would probably reserve one for St.
Paddy's day.
(Other excellent outdoor smokes include Connecticutt Valley cigars. These
are all-tobacco with fine wrappers and a fairly heavy taste. Judges Cave
is one brand. I tend to think of them as "cigars ordinaire", the rolled
equivalent of a decent jug red.)
phil
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From: ?????????????????????????
Re: With Pipe and Book
I've received a few back issues of "The Pipe Smoker's Ephemeris" from
Tom Dunn, one of which mentioned a store in Lake Placid, NY called,
"With Pipe and Book." They carry a variety of pipe books, including
some which are rather difficult to find, and which I've wished for for
years (Carl Ehwa's book on pipes and tobaccos, Ben Rappaport's book on
collecting, several Dunhill books, and about 50 or 60 more!) Their
address, for those who are also curious, is:
With Pipe and Book
Breck & Julia Turner, Proprietors
91 Main St.
Lake Placid, NY 12946
The store's name comes from a poem which they print in their pamphlet,
and which I quote here, for those who hack at close of day.
With Pipe and Book at close of day,
Oh what is sweeter, mortal, say?
It matters not what book on knee,
Old Izaak or the Odyssey,
It matters not meerschaum or clay.
And though one's eyes will dream astray,
And lips forget to sue or sway,
It is "enough to merely be"
With Pipe and Book.
What though our modern skies be gray,
As bards aver, I will not pray
For "soothing Death" to succor me,
But ask this much, O Fate, of thee,
A little longer yet to stay
With Pipe and Book.
- Richard de Gallienne.
Smoke in peace,
~\U Steve.
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) * * )
( Pipe smokers will rule the world! * ?????????????????????? (
) (if they don't run out of matches...) * Steve Masticola, moderator )
( * * (
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- Subject: Stems.
- Subject: Tightening a stem.
- Subject: Cobs and Clays
