Cumberland Stem Composition

jaytex1969 · Mar 16, 2019

I have one Cumberland stem, on a 2015 Dunhill I got here recently.
Parks Pipes website defines Cumberland as "Madder-red Ebonite swirled with darker to produce a unique faux wood pattern."
Everything I have read about Cumberland also indicates it is an ebonite/vulcanite product. I have no reason to doubt it, but the feel of the stem is harder to me than I expected.
It's comfortable but I perceive no "give" to it. Anyone else have a similar experience?

Chasing Embers · Mar 16, 2019

Most of my cumberland stems aren't clenchers, but I've noticed no difference from ebonite. I have read that cumberland is made from a higher quality ebonite so that may be what's happening.

kola · Mar 16, 2019

Some cumberland stems are NOT real cumberland. They are plastic look-a-likes.
Whenever I'm shopping for pipes, I see the seller listing the stem as being "cumberland." I have to ask them if its REAL cumberland or imitation cumberland which is made of acrylic/plastic. The plastic ones are hard as rock.
Real cumberland stems are soft - same as black vulcanite stems and the swirls are a bit softer looking as well.
You sure you don't have a acrylic stem ? (which is imitation cumberland) Being a Dunhill, I thought they only used real cumberland on their pipes but I'm not a Dunnie expert on the subject.

Chasing Embers · Mar 16, 2019

Technically Cumberland isn't a real stem type. It appeared on The Cumberland Dunhills and was called brindle.

timt · Mar 16, 2019

Of the 2 Cumberland stemmed pipes that I have, a Comoy's and a Dunhill, the Dunhill is a much softer material. The Comoy's is harder but not as hard as acrylic. It seems like there is a range of hardness in the vulcanite stems I have.

sasquatch · Mar 16, 2019

Cumberland or Brindle is just red rods or sheets mixed with black ones in the extruding processes. So it is a vulcanite traditionally, but the swirl you get depends on just how the rod is made. The pic in the OP is not acrylic, I have reasonably good acrylic cumberland colored rod here but it is much swirlier/mushier for coloration, rather than stripey.
Various manufacturers make harder or softer rod - NYH is in general a little harder feeling the SEM product, but again that depends on the color - most of the food-grade blue swirls are very hard indeed. And often the red in cumberland is just a bit harder than black ebonite, so they may feel a little harder.

ashdigger · Mar 16, 2019

"Technically Cumberland isn't a real stem type. It appeared on The Cumberland Dunhills and was called brindle"
In the 1930's Cumberland was referred to as Bowling Ball by Dunhill.

jaytex1969 · Mar 16, 2019

This is the week of BALLS! They have made an appearance in most threads... 8O
Thanks for all the input.

foggymountain · Mar 18, 2019

I asked Rad. He said it is acrylic.

Chasing Embers · Mar 18, 2019

Rub your thumb on it until it's warm. If it smells like hot rubber, it's vulcanite.

sasquatch · Mar 18, 2019

"I asked Rad. He said it is acrylic."
You asked Rad what? If Dunhill cumberland is rubber or acrylic? They're rubber, period.
And the stem in the OP is not acrylic. I'll eat my hat if it is, there is no acrylic rod that looks like that, and there is vulcanite rod that looks like that. End of story.
Acrylic mottling is totally different.

Vulcanite:

Like, it's that obvious Scoob.

Chasing Embers · Mar 18, 2019

Here's one of mine. That OP image is definitely rubber.

foggymountain · Mar 22, 2019

No need to eat your hat. I am just reporting his answer. It does feel different than ebonite in the mouth--harder.

sasquatch · Mar 22, 2019

Well, again, I know Rad real well, and I know a lot of the things he knows, and he wouldn't ever say that cumberland was acrylic, cuz it's not, and he knows that too. So there's some little miscommunication here.
It is harder, or rather, the red bit is a little harder, quite common in mixed rods (blue/black being worse) and a common problem new pipemakers have in finishing these rods is that they get a little wavey because you can polish the softer material out. This never happens on acrylic because the hardness differential isn't there - it's all real hard.

georged · Mar 22, 2019

As much as it pains me to agree with a non-American pipe maker---especially one who eats people---it this instance he is correct in every particular.

mso489 · Mar 23, 2019

My guess, Cumberland stems were originally a variety of Vulcanite, but since they are quite popular, when acrylic became a common stem material, look-alike "Cumberlands" were made of that. I suspect, but do not know, that I have one of Vulcanite and maybe several of acrylic.

cigrmaster · Mar 23, 2019

All of my Rad Davis pipes that have Cumberland stems are definitely ebonite/vulcanite. I would be able to tell with just one clench as it feels that different than acrylic.

mso489 · Mar 24, 2019

Yes, acrylic stems are definitely harder. For lighter weight pipes, for me, that's entirely acceptable and much easier to maintain. With heavier pipes, I want something softer, so Vulcanite is it.

kola · Mar 24, 2019

I've seen some really good "cumberland looking" acrylic stems. But definitely I can tell from the look...and the feel. "Cumberland" made from rubber/ebonite/vulcanite is duller in appearance and softer to the teeth (has a nice give to it). Where the acrylic lookalikes are glassy-shiney and bang off the teeth. I will not buy a pipe with any acrylic stem. I love how the plastic oes look and the colors they come in, but I just can't get by them banging off my choppers plus they are much harder to clench IMO.

sfduke · Mar 24, 2019

So what is the difference between brindle and cumberland ebonite? Assume similar but different composition ratio.

Cumberland Stem Composition

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