Stem question (w/ pic)

[nbpiper]

I figured it was about time that I took my pipe apart and give it a cleaning, since I couldn't ever seem to get a pipe cleaner down to the bowl. When I took the stem off I noticed there was a little metal piece at the end of it. My other pipe that I have doesn't have this, just a big hole. Can anyone tell me what it is and why only one of my pipes would have it?
Hopefully I've attached the picture correctly to show you what I mean.

 

[schmitzbitz]

Its called a "Stinger", some pipe manufacturers use em, others don't, kind of like filter systems. The theory is that they cause the smoke to cool and condense, but in practice, I've found all they do is cause a gurgle and keep me from mid-smoke swabs with a pipe cleaner.

You may find that it is removable (should you decide to remove it); if its threaded (ala Chacom) simply unscrew, or conversely, it might just be a pressure fit (ala Yellobole), you can probably work it out with a pair of pliers and some elbow grease. Other designs are not removable, and will require attention with a hack-saw.

 

[portascat]

or, you can leave it in. You can work the cleaner in from the stinger side, or with a little care it will go in through the mouthpiece and out the stinger.

 

[pawpaw]

you my friend have a stinger most on here will tell ya to toss it

but i would say hold on to it ya may like it smoke your pipe both ways and you decide

 

[romeowood]

Looks like a truncated stinger, nb. Stingers are metal pieces (usually aluminum or like alloys) that promote condensation and prevent it from entering the stem. Their efficacy is often questionable; lots of people don't like them and remove them. This one looks like it's been cut down from a larger size to free up the draught hole.

 

[portascat]

What the stinger was designed to do was to keep the condensation inside the shank of the pipe, and keep it from running into the stem. The moisture condenses on the ball of the stinger to make this happen.
I have pipes with them and pipes without them. All work fine enough.

 

[portascat]

It looks like the removable stinger that is in my Grabow Savoy. It is just shorter, and more of a straight run tube than the complicated 3 and 4 hole Kaywoodie stingers.

 

[pstlpkr]

Beware of stingers...

:D

 

[portascat]

Lawrence just has a truncated stinger. Those of us blessed with a full length stinger feel much differently....

 

[ejames]

It looks like the removable stinger that is in my Grabow Savoy. It is just shorter, and more of a straight run tube than the complicated 3 and 4 hole Kaywoodie stingers.

You're right,it does kinda look like the one out of your Savoy..it's setting here on my desk! Tobacco got here today!
nbpiper--yank it out,but save it. Once you get a couple of thousand of them you can take them to the scrap yard and sell for serious bucks! Price on aluminum keeps going up! Or you can put it back in the pipe when and if you ever sell/trade it. Some guys want them "original".

 

[portascat]

that effing thing fell in the damn box?
Send it back with a savoy attached!
I figured you might find a use for it.

 

[baronsamedi]

I find that Dills pipe cleaners work well with my kaywoodie stingers. My longchamps came with wierd-assed stingers that look like drill bits and they unscrew, so I took 'em out.

 

[nbpiper]

Thank you for all the replies. Once I read this I prompted pop it off. I was starting to get annoyed with that pipe because I couldn't draw as easily from it as my other one. Was getting sad since I like the pipe but didn't really like how it was smoking, now that that's off, it's gotten much easier to smoke out of.

 

[portascat]

clean the stinger well, and put it back in. Test smoke it the way it was designed, with a clean stinger. You never know.....

 

[ejames]

that effing thing fell in the damn box?
Send it back with a savoy attached!
I figured you might find a use for it.

I'm keeping it! Once I get enough I'll scrap them and buy a Dunghill or somethin'.
Can't send Savoy--need what I have for the Grabow display I have hanging on the wall!

 

[shaintiques]

Stingers also work to reduce the amount of tar intake you get in your mouth, that is why they tend to get a yucky build up, you can wipe that off really easy with some alcohol, just dont get any on the outside of your pipe. I tend to clean the inside of my pipes with Rum, cause who doesn't like the taste of some good spiced rum.