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Hi everyone,
After I finish smoking my bent pipe, I let it rest for several hours. Sometimes 24hrs before I remove the mouthpiece to give it all a clean. I've noticed after I have done my cleaning, refitting the mouthpiece is super super hard, using the turning method. Is there something that can be applied to the tenon to reduce the friction when refitting it?
If I let it rest for 3hrs maybe, its a much easier task, removal & refitting is so smooth.
that's a great question. I, too, have had "stubborn" stems and when they continued to irritate me, I got them repaired -- worried I could snap the stem clean off 
I am sure there's some "tricks" for this.
I am bumping this thread, hoping for some innovative solutions.
I've learned in my "research" that coconut butter works wonders lubricating both hard to take apart pipes and tough to reassemble ones. A little goes a long way. If kept in the fridge, coconut butter has the consistency of lard, turning to liquid if left at room temperature for a few hours. A little goes a long way, you don't want to soak the shank with it as it imparts a fairly strange taste to the smoke for a while 
( don't ask how I know this )
Go slow and only twist in one direction whether taking the stem off or putting it back in.
Your not supposed to ever take the stem off for any real length of time for one, 24 hours without a stem is a no-no! Also you can wax the stem to make it slide on and off easier.
The easy fix is to rub some pencil lead on it. The graphite will lessen the friction enough you should be able to get it back in. Your issue is the wood swells due to excess moisture from your restoring technique or from the relative humidity. I would not let it apart that long unless it is just absolutely necessary. Once you do get it back in I would leave it alone for at least a week allowing the wood to return back to where it needs to be.
If the graphite does not help you could sand the tenon some with sand paper but I would not do this unless you just have no other option. Fixing a lose stem is much more problematic, at least for me.
I think what stpatty17 was saying is that he lets his pipe rest for 24 hours before taking the stem off. Not that he lets it stay off for 24 hours. So unless the tars are solidifying and gluing his stem off after 24 hours, or the moisture in the stem is really high, I don't see why it would be harder to remove than after a few hours.
It's important to note that, at least in my case, I'm not talking about leaving the stem off -- so putting all the stem on/off completely aside -- I have still had problems with tight stems once the pipe has cooled and trying to clean it.
The coconut butter sounds interesting maybe just a little, as rcstan suggests, won't goop or drip? As for the graphite suggestion from Eagle, that sounds plausible as well -- maybe a little would work but I can see graphite might get bit messy as well.
Like I said, when this happened to me, I just had a pro fix it (I think the tenon was sanded a bit) -- not sure what was done, though, hence my curiosity on some "fixes" for this from PM Forum members.
you can buy graphite powder at the hardware store, its used to lubricate the internal mechanisms of doorknobs
I use it for dozens of things
A no.2 pencil( or any other lead pencil) will do the trick. I use it on the tenon and as far as I can get it into the mortise. It won't make a mess. Also a little beeswax rubbed on the tenon will lube it, and can also be used to tighten up a loose tenon.
roth, re "As for the graphite suggestion from Eagle, that sounds plausible as well -- maybe a little would work but I can see graphite might get bit messy as well." - no worries about the mess. Even though pencil lead is black, there's not enough to create a staining problem. I prefer softer artist's pencils - 6B up to No.1, since the harder leads have minerals in them which could abrade the innards after a few hundred thousand cycles.
hp
les
Thanks all. Some good tips and I appreciate it!
Here is what Pipedia recommends:
STP, if lube doesn"t work, use 4000 or 2000 Micro Mesh, make sure you evenly sand it trying it every once in a while , also sand it wet, remember try it often, you can"t put material back once you take it off n The old cajun
This happens more often than it should. I keep a graphite stick near my ashtray.
Thanks everyone for all your feedback. I will definitely dry some graphite powder from a pencil on the tenon piece!
Just to clear up some confusion. Thanks for the input Eric, however. My problem occurs when I let the pipe rest for 24hrs after smoking, then begin the normal cleaning process..
Pipe cleaners, remove mouthpiece, pipe cleaners, refit mouthpiece..
If I clean the pipe after 3hrs or within half a day of my initial smoke...everything goes fine for me!
But the graphite sounds like the money to me :]
great suggestions guys, all good ones, that is why i love it here. you tube has good vids as well for tight and loose stems.
mike.
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