Why did Screw Stems Fall From Favor?

[metalheadycigarguy]

I only have three pipes with metal screw in tenons (two with built in stingers), and they're antique meerschaum pipes. I'm not a fan of the system. They create condensation, and you can't run a pipe cleaner down the pipes. Thankfully I'm able to unscrew the pipe stem and use a pipe cleaner that way. It's an inconvenience but I really enjoy all three pipes, so I put up with it.

 

[Sigmund]

I think Craig got it right with the registration issue. Even if they did do it perfectly and it didnt change over time people have different mouths. I am willing to wager some smokers put their bits at a different angle than others for comfort. I know in the music world sax players put their moutpieces on the cork at significantly different angle. The standard push system simply works. Its easy to maintain and repair. If its not broke hit it harder!

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

FWIW, the registration/clocking issue was solved by Dr Grabow. They made a screw tenon with a removable stiger that would easily pass a pipe cleaner all the way the way to the bowl. It was called the Adjustomatic. It could be reclocked by simply continuing to turn it clockwise once the tenon was tight, it would rotate 360d using a rudimentary clutch assembly. But the problem was it involved some pretty tight tolerances and some complex machining and it was costly to produce. I have several adjustomatic pipes and I love em. Dr Grabow made many thousands of these pipes from the late 40's to the early 1980's. Some like the Commodore and Emperor were actually quite nice well made pipes.