Loose Stem

Heat the tenon slowly and at distance over a flame (candel will do) and push it gently up agaist a hard flat surface,not too hard as this swells the tenon and you don't want it to swell too much, let it cool down before pushing it into the shank.

I used boiling water. Just poured some into a dish and stuck the tenon in the water for a few seconds. Now my wife has a full set of crochet needles and the back end are just round and flat. So i started small and would carefully push the end of the needle into the tenon. Moved up one until i got the fit i wanted.
I had an Erik Nording signature freehand that had a loose stem and this is how I fixed it. Good luck

and push it gently

Click to expand...

I think gently is the key word here.
Here are some more complete directions: Fixing a loose stem.

A less drastic method is a coat of clear nail polish on the tenon. I used this on one of my Peterson's and it fits just great.

I've just successfully done a couple with the nail varnish & pure beeswax. One was so loose it would literally fall out, now perfect!

Wax, nail polish or heat. All methods will work, some better than others.
I once had this discussion with a sage and worldly pipe master who gave me the pros and cons of each method and he stood by heating/extending/expanding. His process was all about control and patience: Gently heat (by candle, burnsamatic torch, lighter, or match) the business end of the tenon and once it's warm, use smaller sized drill bits to gradually extend/expand the circumference of the connection point. Gently, insert while warm, let it stretch to the circumference, then remove the bit. Don't wiggle or bend while inserted.

His advice...you can go up gradually in drill bits until you find the size you need, incrementally extending the circumference of the warm tenon, and if you work slowly and cautiously, it will gradually increase the circumference to fit the shank. Best to start small, run a test bit through the tenon and pick the next largest size, then and work your way up, checking to ensure you have not gone too large.
Drill bits? His answer: They are machined to a specific circumference...when inserted into the warm tenon, you should experience a uniform expansion. In addition they are also stamped with sizes, so you can work your way up incrementally and keep track of where you've been or where you need to go.

My advice is to wait until smoking at least 5 or 6 bowls before making any alterations to the tenon of an estate pipe. Many estate pipes have been out of rotation for a long time. This can cause the shank to dry out, leaving a loose fit. By smoking the pipe you are restoring the wood to a normal moisture level and causing the fit of the stem to tighten up on its own. If you alter the tenon before this happens you'll end up with a stem that's too tight.

You can always melt a little beeswax and put it on the tenon and that will tighten it

Try this: put some olive oil (or any oil) in a small pan like you're gonna fry something and heat it up on medium carefully. It's hot enough when you flick some water onto the oil and it sizzles. The just dip your tenon (just your tenon) into the oil for about 15 seconds. Take it out and it should be soft and carefully... carefully... press the tenon onto your counter until it cools. Remember you only want to expand it by a thousandth of an inch. If it's still to loose reheat and repeat with a bit more pressure. If it now fits too tight just get some 600 sandpaper and sand the tenon down until you have the fit you want. No open flames, no oxidation. Just wipe the oil off after and run a pipe cleaner through the stem.

Take a hammer, preferably of the ball peen variety...

I like to use a roaring fire.

dimms olive oil method qorks well to loose my tight stems i use a easy simple method i get a soft b2 pencil rub it on the inside of the stem and it fits perfect the pencil lead chemicials somehow work well