Received a new Stanwell a few days ago. The pipe is a shape 11 Rondo. I've been putting it through it's paces and it smokes just fine. Now.
Although that wasn't the case when I first got it. The problem wasn't the size, or shape, or any defects per se, or the usual things that can make a pipe a poor smoker. It was the damn filter. I just couldn't get it to smoke well. About half the time the draw was very constricted. The other half it was only average. I don't know why this was happening. I tried inserting the filter one way, then the other. Didn't seem to matter. Went through about half a dozen. I finally took the filter out and tried it, as this has worked with other filter pipes that I have, but this particular pipe's draw without the filter inserted was almost non-existent.
It uses a 9mm charcoal filter. I didn't have a 9mm adapter for it. I know that you can buy one to convert it to a filterless pipe, but looking at them, they all seemed too short to fit all the way into the shank and down to the draft hole. I wanted to keep any fluid coming up from the bowl, out of the shank area if possible, since it was 10mm wide and 20mm deep. I don't like the idea of that area always being wet and collecting gunk.
The opening in the tenon was 9mm wide and 32mm long, so the filter could fit in it. I don't have any measuring equipment to measure the actual draft hole size, but from the bowl to the beginning of the mortise, and from the lip to the start of the filter area seemed to be about 3mm or 4mm wide.
To get to the point, I made my own adapter. I went to the hardware store and found some stiff plastic tubing. Bought a one foot for 98 cents. The closest I could get was 8mm wide with a 5mm opening. A little large according to most accepted opinions, but that's what I had to work with.
After measuring the exact length from the start of the filter area in the stem, to the draft hole at the end of the mortise,
I cut a piece of tubing and fit it into the area where the filter should go.
Now the pipe smokes great. The opening could stand to be a little smaller I guess. Say 4mm, but I found that I can control the draw by using a tamper as needed. Tighter draw, tamp a little heavier, looser draw, a little lighter.
I have had quite a few bowls from it now, and am really happy with the results. It doesn't gurgle at all, the taste is not affected, and it is an easy smoker. I use the extra absorbent pipe cleaners with it since they are thicker.
The only other thing I noticed that I will keep an eye on is that some of the staining has been coming off on my hands. When I finish a bowl, there is a reddish stain on my fingers. I have only had one other pipe do this, and that was many years ago. It was a Ferndown, and it also left stain on the fingers for a while. It eventually stopped doing this, so I hope that this Stanwell will also.
I really like the pipe and how it smokes now. It seems to be well made and I haven't found any fills on the bowl. The shape 11 is a pot shape, but with a danish flair. Really a nice looking pipe. I only have two other pots, but have always liked they way they smoke. Photos below:
hard to see because of the lighting, but red stain on fingers from a warm bowl.
Although that wasn't the case when I first got it. The problem wasn't the size, or shape, or any defects per se, or the usual things that can make a pipe a poor smoker. It was the damn filter. I just couldn't get it to smoke well. About half the time the draw was very constricted. The other half it was only average. I don't know why this was happening. I tried inserting the filter one way, then the other. Didn't seem to matter. Went through about half a dozen. I finally took the filter out and tried it, as this has worked with other filter pipes that I have, but this particular pipe's draw without the filter inserted was almost non-existent.
It uses a 9mm charcoal filter. I didn't have a 9mm adapter for it. I know that you can buy one to convert it to a filterless pipe, but looking at them, they all seemed too short to fit all the way into the shank and down to the draft hole. I wanted to keep any fluid coming up from the bowl, out of the shank area if possible, since it was 10mm wide and 20mm deep. I don't like the idea of that area always being wet and collecting gunk.
The opening in the tenon was 9mm wide and 32mm long, so the filter could fit in it. I don't have any measuring equipment to measure the actual draft hole size, but from the bowl to the beginning of the mortise, and from the lip to the start of the filter area seemed to be about 3mm or 4mm wide.
To get to the point, I made my own adapter. I went to the hardware store and found some stiff plastic tubing. Bought a one foot for 98 cents. The closest I could get was 8mm wide with a 5mm opening. A little large according to most accepted opinions, but that's what I had to work with.
After measuring the exact length from the start of the filter area in the stem, to the draft hole at the end of the mortise,
I cut a piece of tubing and fit it into the area where the filter should go.
Now the pipe smokes great. The opening could stand to be a little smaller I guess. Say 4mm, but I found that I can control the draw by using a tamper as needed. Tighter draw, tamp a little heavier, looser draw, a little lighter.
I have had quite a few bowls from it now, and am really happy with the results. It doesn't gurgle at all, the taste is not affected, and it is an easy smoker. I use the extra absorbent pipe cleaners with it since they are thicker.
The only other thing I noticed that I will keep an eye on is that some of the staining has been coming off on my hands. When I finish a bowl, there is a reddish stain on my fingers. I have only had one other pipe do this, and that was many years ago. It was a Ferndown, and it also left stain on the fingers for a while. It eventually stopped doing this, so I hope that this Stanwell will also.
I really like the pipe and how it smokes now. It seems to be well made and I haven't found any fills on the bowl. The shape 11 is a pot shape, but with a danish flair. Really a nice looking pipe. I only have two other pots, but have always liked they way they smoke. Photos below:
hard to see because of the lighting, but red stain on fingers from a warm bowl.