Too High a Draught Hole - SP CS Claims It Is Normal

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techie

Part of the Furniture Now
Jul 20, 2018
589
10
I received an estate Willmer bent dublin this week from Smokingpipes and discovered that I cannot pass a pipe cleaner through it with the stem in place. I noticed that the draught hole is drilled too high in the mortise and doesn't line up with the hole in the tenon. I emailed customer support last night asking if something can be done to fix what I assumed is a flaw. However, in the reply I received this morning the cs person stated this:
"This is not uncommon for this style of pipe. So there is not a flaw in the pipe it is the way that these pipes are made to support the curve in the stem."
I know very little about pipe design, so I figured I should ask the experienced folks here if this is, in fact, true. It sounds odd to me that a pipe maker would design a pipe in such a way that a pipe cleaner cannot pass through the stem and shank, and would require the stem to be removed for cleaning.
This is a beautiful pipe and I really like it. It seems to smoke very well, and I'd be more than happy to keep it and live with what I think is a flaw. But I would sure like to know if it really is a flaw or if the customer service person is correct about the design of a bent dublin pipe.

 

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,570
27,081
Carmel Valley, CA
Photos would be very helpful.
Once your photos are on a photo hosting site (such as Imgur.com; Postimage; Dropbox, etc. Photobucket), or on virtually any site, (including this site's album) such as eBay, Amazon, you-name-it, select the full sized image, then Control-click (Mac) or Right-click (Windows) on the image itself, then choose "copy image location" or similar words. Now paste that URL (the full web address, which should end in .jpg or .png) into the IMG box in the reply window of the thread you're posting to.
The site's album is also a good choice for displaying photos, and the same method works for obtaining the image's URL for copying into the IMG box.

 
I do not think that passing a pipecleaner is necessarily a requirement these days, especially on a bent pipe. I think that, the pipecleaner thing started back in the days when you could not put your mouth on a pipe in a B&M, and they wanted some way to show quality that didn't require you to put your lips on the pipe. Now, some guys like to use a pipe cleaner on a pipe while smoking, because they smoke too hard and fast and cause water to condense in the stems, so passing a cleaner makes up for bad form. And, if that is a preference, it is not a requirement for all pipe smokers, so your best off calling and "asking" if it passes a cleaner before you order it.
Now, all of that said, a really caring pipe shop would allow you to return the pipe, as long as you haven't smoked it. But, I DO NOT think that the store should be forced into it, because of an antiquated notion of pipe quality.

 

lawdawg

Lifer
Aug 25, 2016
1,792
3,801
Unfortunately it is within the realm of normalcy, and quite common, for a bent pipe to be unable to pass a cleaner for the very reason you mentioned. I try to avoid buying bent pipes without seeing them in person, unless of course I have some reason to believe it is well-drilled and can pass a cleaner.
I have found that pipes that won't pass a cleaner are prone to gurgle, likely because there is no straight path for the smoke to travel, creating turbulence and encouraging condensation. The problem is exponential because if the pipe tends to gurgle, then you might need to pass a cleaner during a smoke, but you won't be able to.

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
About a third of my bent pipes will take a pipe cleaner stem to bowl, and I think that is standard. If the drilling is so misaligned that it restricts the airway otherwise, that is a problem and the pipe should be exchanged. But many bent pipes have too great turn in the airway to put through a pipe cleaner. The bending of the end of the pipe cleaner, etc., works on some pipes that won't otherwise take a pipe cleaner, but in many cases a piece of wire and fiber simply isn't going to do that trick. For those pipes, smoke them while the airway is clear and do deep cleaning from time to time, taking the stem off the briar. If the pipe smokes well, I wouldn't exchange it.

 

crashthegrey

Lifer
Dec 18, 2015
3,812
3,590
41
Cobleskill, NY
www.greywoodie.com
While this drilling is somewhat common, it also does not mean it is not a "flaw" to some. Bent pipes are much more fickle to make, and everyone will disagree on what the proper drilling is, but we won't get into that here. I've been a bit surprised by some of the customer service responses lately from here, as they are typically well respected. Maybe they have a new guy. Who knows.

 

lawdawg

Lifer
Aug 25, 2016
1,792
3,801
^^ I don't disagree with at all with either mso or Cosmic. The inability to pass a cleaner is not a defect or necessarily even a problem, and pipe gurgle is mainly caused by over-puffing or by tobacco that isn't dry enough. That said, it's my personal preference not to smoke pipes that won't pass a cleaner.

 

techie

Part of the Furniture Now
Jul 20, 2018
589
10
Just to clarify, I have smoked it and it does smoke just fine. Also, SP has not at all refused to help, but have been very helpful.
I'm uploading a few photos as I type.

 
I won't be surprised if someone offers you to return it. Give them a call, maybe the phone person will be more reasonable...

as long as you haven't smoked it. And, in the future, it might be more prudent to shoot an email or phone call asking them if it passes a cleaner. Many guys do require it for themselves, but not everyone sees it as a deal killer.

 

techie

Part of the Furniture Now
Jul 20, 2018
589
10
So here is a pic of the pipe:
28082


img_1313-600x450.jpg

And here is a pic of the hole location. Hard to get a decent shot of it:
28083

img_1312-426x600.jpg

edit: fixed pictures/al

 
Oh, you were looking for clarification on whether passing a cleaner should be a requirement? Sorry, I thought you were looking to twist their arm to get a return going.

If that's the case, no, I don't see not passing a cleaner as a deal killer. I have seen some very high end pipes not pass a cleaner easily. And, I still want them, and would smoke them. So, no.

 

crashthegrey

Lifer
Dec 18, 2015
3,812
3,590
41
Cobleskill, NY
www.greywoodie.com
Hopefully you didn't think that a dig to you, lawdawg. I personally know pipe makers who don't care about the pipe cleaner test on a bent pipe, and some who would never sell a bent pipe which didn't pass a cleaner. That's all that I meant. Some actual makers would say it is a flaw, but some would laugh at them. We live in a varied world.
Moving on, I am glad that their CS implied that it is common but were still helpful. Faith restored.

 

techie

Part of the Furniture Now
Jul 20, 2018
589
10
Hmmm. Not sure why that didn't work. I've posted pics before.

 

techie

Part of the Furniture Now
Jul 20, 2018
589
10
Thank you, crash and cosmic. Not sure why mine are so small. I'll figure it out.

 
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