Charatan Supreme "Auxiliary Stem" Project

[georged]

Yup. Sanded to level when re-stemmed, and then attempted to stain the un-stainable (meaning color match).
The main problem now is that leveled area---think pencil sharpener grind---on the end of the shank jacked the lines. If the original line is extended the wood will drop away at the face of the new stem exposing it; if the original line is extended starting where the pencil grind ends, there will be a sudden step down/kink in the new line; and if the new line follows the pencil grind angle, the new stem would be comically short and weird looking.
And in no case can the color be set right. Charatan used a proprietary recipe of the "vinegar and rust" method used for centuries by furniture makers. Besides the shade being unique, it also imparted a degree of chatoyancy that's distinctive.
Wish I had better news.

 

[snagstangl]

No worries, I guess I will just finish cleaning it up smoke it. I had to look up chatoyancy. I am sure I have never heard that word before, and I don't think I quite understand it. Thanks for the evaluation.

 

[brian64]

I had to look up chatoyancy. I am sure I have never heard that word before, and I don't think I quite understand it.

I'm pretty sure it has something to do with that margarita video he posted.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Georged, I'm speechless seeing on how you work on stems, absolutely beautiful

 

[fredhanna]

I confess to being the owner of this now greatly enhanced Charatan Supreme. I agree with you all in your praise of George and I believe unequivocally that George's new stem for this circa 1963 Supreme is nothing short of a masterpiece. This pipe is such a great smoker that it was tragic to have it so out of balance due to the poor stem. But that was never enough to get me to part with it. So when George did such an incredible job with my Charatan Coronation (see a different thread), I thought that it would be great if he did the same with this old Supreme that I have owned for 20 years. And he did! I smoked the pipe on Saturday and it is a completely different pipe in terms of balance and fit and beauty, and I am happy to say it is every bit as tasty as it ever was if not more so.

But I thought I might share another George Stem Story with you all...

On another occasion back in 2016, I had a L'Anatra 3 egg Fiamatta (highest grade) with spectacular straight grain but a butt-ugly original stem. It was so ugly that the goose in the stem actually kept trying to fly away! In any case, I sent it to George and asked him to make a new stem of his own design and you can see what he came up with in the photos attached. This L'Anatra pipe is another fantastic smoker that I could not stand to part with. In his new stem, George actually rescued the long suffering goose from the original butt-ugly stem and placed it on the new stem that he made. Check it out in the photos attached. In my opinion, George made another masterpiece of a stem. I daresay that the improvement in this pipe due to the new stem is even more dramatic than in the 2 Charatans.

Thank you George. I honestly believe that you are the best in the world at what you do.

Comments?

Fred H.

 

[mingc]

Fantastic! I'm just amazed at what George can do.