To preface, I keep my pipes and ephemera in my basement. It's unfinished but furnished. The temperature stays pretty consistent but the humidity fluctuates depending on the outside weather.
Within the last month humidity levels have increased. In that same period I've had 3 pipes that normally have snug stem fitment loosen up. Like, the stem removes effortlessly.. almost falls out.
2 Dunhill Shells, and an almost 100 year old Reiss-Premier.. coincidentally all black Sandblast.
Now it seems to me that logic would dictate higher humidity would lead to TIGHTER stem fitment, not LOOSER.
None of my other pipes have changed noticeably.
What's going on here?
Within the last month humidity levels have increased. In that same period I've had 3 pipes that normally have snug stem fitment loosen up. Like, the stem removes effortlessly.. almost falls out.
2 Dunhill Shells, and an almost 100 year old Reiss-Premier.. coincidentally all black Sandblast.
Now it seems to me that logic would dictate higher humidity would lead to TIGHTER stem fitment, not LOOSER.
None of my other pipes have changed noticeably.
What's going on here?