Dear Missouri Meerschaum...

rogermugs, you are expressing an idea that I have had as well. Actually, I believe there is one of the tall

pipes, maybe the freehand, that has a permanent stem, maybe Vulcanite or lucite. I'm sure the management

at Missouri Meerschaum has been raising this question with each other for at least the last twenty years. Their

last major stem change was back maybe in the 1960's when they went from bamboo to plastic. I can only guess

at their thinking about the stem question, but here is what I surmise. Missouri Meerschaum has this perfect niche,

with the wonderful cob pipes at the most reasonable price of any tobacco pipe available. If they edge their consumer

toward a more expensive pipe, even by pushing or prompting an alternate stem option, they they are into a whole

new competition with a number of other low-end pipes. When you get up near the $20 level, you are beginning

to compete with the least expensive basket briar pipes, some rosewood pipes, maybe some pear wood pipes, and so on.

The market of pipe smokers has been declining for the last 30 years or more, so the competition is fierce. Your

business model has got to work, or you are out of the game. So I think MM is clinging to that low-end niche for

all their life is worth, and providing us with magnificent corncob pipes in the process. If they could offer some

alternative stems, that would be convenient, but I'd rather have them stay in business than take a risk. In the meantime,

if you want their plastic stems to last, just equipped them with a softie, or of course, take the extra expense of using

a Forever stem. Just keep MM in business, this great old American firm in Washington, Missouri.

I like the idea of a "throw away" pipe. After all, there are after market vulcanite bits available. MSO's point should not be taken lightly. MM have a niche, they dominate the niche, heck, they are the niche! I'm betting that they have vetted the vulcanite idea and just do not want to upset the old apple cart. There is some demand but, obviously they do not feel it is large enough to meet it.
A reasonable idea would be to allow "Forever Stems" to vend their product on the MM website and take a percentage. I suspect that "Forever Stems" would jump on that idea if the percentage was acceptable. But, Forever has a niche and maybe they are quite comfortable with what they are doing.

Forever Stem option would be great. I just bought one for my MM & love it and will smoke it more often and probably buy more MM's and a Forever stem to go with them.

Ditto! But until they do, if I buy a forever stem do I need to know what pipe I have or are they one size fits all?

There's a person on ebay selling acrylic stems fairly cheap for MMs. I'm not sure how well they fit.

love my MM's just bought a bunch of replacement stems...they are less than a buck... Country Gentleman!

Is this what you are looking for?
http://aristocob.com/REPLACEMENT-VULCANIZED-RUBBER-BIT-ONLY-Bent-Freehand-Bit-B6-P664766.aspx

@ithelouniverse: Nope, all you need to worry about is whether it's filtered or unfiltered (originally), as that determines the stem. As long as it's a type within the same 'family' (i.e. going from a Legend to a Diplomat or Country Gent for Filtered, etc) you're good to go and they're interchangeable within that 'family'.

Nope, all you need to worry about is whether it's filtered or unfiltered (originally), as that determines the stem.

Click to expand...

You might need to do a little bit of fitting, depending on how new the pipe is. When I got a churchwarden Forever Stem for my Country Gentleman, it was quite tight and I wound up doing some judicious sanding (very lightly, very fine grit) to allow it to fit snugly instead of requiring brute force. Works like a charm!

I wasn't wild about the MMs until I found the Forever stems. What a difference!
I've given several as gifts to my friends, and they all wonder why they didn't know about these little jewels. B&Ms are few and far between in Washington, so until the internet, they remained hidden.
You are able to buy MM cobs on the Walker site (home of the Forever stem) - they don't have all of the styles, but still there are quite a few.