Discovered A "New" Pipe In My Rack

Log in

SmokingPipes.com Updates

Watch for Updates Twice a Week

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Drucquers Banner

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Status
Not open for further replies.

cortezattic

Lifer
Nov 19, 2009
15,147
7,637
Chicago, IL
I've been smoking this Radice Rind hawkbill for a couple of years. It has been just "ok" -- it found a spot in my rotation easily enough, but had never produced a really inspiring smoke. My main criticism was that while it passed a standard pipe cleaner smoothly, it wouldn't pass a thick-bristled pipe cleaner because of the diameter of the draw. So yesterday I worked up the nerve to straighten the stem with heat, ream it out with a #32 drill (~ 3mm), and restore its original curve. Now it's smoking like a champ! It is absolutely amazing how opening the diameter of the stem improved the pipe!

DSCN0564.jpg


 

cortezattic

Lifer
Nov 19, 2009
15,147
7,637
Chicago, IL
Well, I thought about having it done professionally, which would have been at least $15, probably more, + 2-way postage.

And I figured that in the worst case (a botched stem) I could get it replaced for around $25 anyway, so not much courage required.

It was pretty easy because the acrylic stem is scarcely 2" long -- an easy reach for jobber-length drills.

 

jkrug

Lifer
Jan 23, 2015
2,867
8
Well done...good on ya for doing that fix on your own. Good looking pipe by the way. :clap:

 
Mar 1, 2014
3,646
4,916
I'm ordering tapered bits for this kind of stuff. It can be more than a little frustrating watching a drill bit slowly drift off center with not much you can do about it.

 
Status
Not open for further replies.