Can Anyone Show Me How To Take Apart A Kirsten?

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shaintiques

Lifer
Jul 13, 2011
3,615
227
Georgia
I picked up a small bowled Kirsten at an antique store this week and was wondering how to disassemble it. Can anyone that has one tell me or show me in a photo what one looks like taken apart. Thanks.

 

brewshooter

Lifer
Jun 2, 2011
1,658
3
The bowl should screw off, standard direction on the threads I believe. On mine, the end/valve/cap piece and the stem piece, with the attached rod, are held in with o-rings and simply pull straight out. However, I think the design has changed over the years. So, if they're not pulling out with anything more than a gentle to moderate twist, I wouldn't push it.

 

eaglerico

Lifer
Jan 8, 2011
1,134
1
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dhintonca

Starting to Get Obsessed
Dec 10, 2011
178
0
Vancouver, BC
Brewshooter is correct. The bowl is held on with a slotted screw - standard leftie-loosie/rightie-tightie thread. :)

The end cap and stem are push fits. Early models are "naked" and the end cap often seizes. Newer models have a rubber o-ring that sometimes perishes and seems seized. Since there's no way to tell which is which while it's assembled, you just have to force it. However, if you can get one end off (usually the stem) you can pour some alcohol/everclear into the chamber to soften the cap end.

I've had success using nylon-jaw pliers to grip the end cap - cloth wrapped might work too. In the worst case, Kirsten still sells replacement caps and stems.

Oh, and hardware store o-rings make a satisfactory replacement -- just take the stem/cap with you for sizing!
Best of luck - I have several Kirstens and think they're great!

 
Aug 1, 2012
4,587
5,131
Another way to remove the endcap is to take a dowel, put it through the body, and gently tap with a mallet until the endcap comes loose.

 

chopsie

Starting to Get Obsessed
Nov 3, 2012
185
0
Another way to remove the endcap is to take a dowel, put it through the body, and gently tap with a mallet until the endcap comes loose.
Or do what I did and use a wooden spoon handle, hold the body of the pipe and hit the wooden spoon on the floor until it comes out.

 

shaintiques

Lifer
Jul 13, 2011
3,615
227
Georgia
Thanks guys I got it apart. I see no remnants of an o-ring inside the pipe. It is a push, I used a long steel cylindrical metal file to tap it out. The screw was also a bugger to get out, but a little alcohol and ingenuity and I got it out. The pipe itself doesn't look to be smoked too much as far as cake build up but the inside was pretty gross. I've started scrubbing the stem rod with some alcohol and steel wool. By tomorrow I'll have this puppy done and will post pics of it.

 

plateauguy

Lifer
Mar 19, 2013
2,412
18
If you need an O ring - contact Kirsten now! I'm on a waiting list for some of the parts and have been for over 30 days.

 
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