Stem (Bit) Material

05venturer · May 4, 2013

Okay Pro's, I have found myself smoking my Estate Medico Cavalier lately and I find I really like the feel if the bit in my teeth. I am a clencher and this bit shows virtually no signs of wear or teeth marks. Can anyone tell me what this material is. I am guessing acrylic but I am pretty new to the world of pipes other than my trusty MM Cobs. I wouls like to get this type of stem/bit for a few of my cobs so I quit chewing through them.

pstlpkr · May 5, 2013

Looks to me like a good quality of ebonite.

Acrylic will click on your teeth and generally come in a variety of colors.

However; I don't recall ever seeing a black Acrylic... That isn't to say that it's not out there.

There are varying qualities of vulcanite or ebonite... Some are softer than others.

Just looks like good stuff to me.
Just my 2 cents.

: puffy

:

chubbster · May 5, 2013

I believe castello uses acrylic, and they are black.
Acrylic is fairly hard, resists tooth marks and oxidation.
Ebonite is softer, scratches fairly easy, and can oxidize over time, given the quality.

allan · May 5, 2013

I just can't stand acrylic. Feels like I'm biting on glass.
I don't like to see tooth marks, but i'd rather that.
No one asked, but my 2 cents

kashmir · May 5, 2013

Well, everyone has a different take on stem material. After years of maintaining vulcanite, I've slowly begun to convert my pipes to acrylic. I use thin surgical rubber bit protectors, so the hardness of Lucite is a non issue for me. I just like how acrylics stand up to time. By the way, they come in every color imaginable, including black. Mike Meyers can mimic the vulcanite stems of Dunhill and Comoy, etc., in Lucite complete with stem logos.

ejames · May 5, 2013

Your Medico may have a Nylon stem. Nylon was used in Medico from the early/mid 1950's up to ?? Not all from that era used the Nylon.Some used Vulcanite.

http://pipepages.com/55rtda7

cortezattic · May 5, 2013

I have a sense that the world of stems can be roughly divided into the rubber-like and the plastic; but it is confusing.

Is there any place, perhaps like Pipedia, where things are sorted out, organized, and characterized?

Ugh: Acrylic, ebonite, vulcanite, cumberland, rubber, Lucite, amber, Bakelite, plastic, brindle...

drwatson · May 5, 2013

For your cobs get the forever stem from Walker Briar Works. Dave has all kinds of stems, and even black lucite.

05venturer · May 7, 2013

I'm with Lawrence. I'm pretty sure your Medico's stem is rubber/vulcanite/ebonite.
All my Kaywoodies, Dr. Grabows, and my one Medico pipe have black rubber stems. All were bought new and are 30+ years old.

The thing is that I also have a couple other estate and new Grabows and Medicos and none of them have a stem that is as hard as this one. That is why I am thinking it is a different material and would really love to get more like this.

ejames · May 7, 2013

The thing is that I also have a couple other estate and new Grabows and Medicos and none of them have a stem that is as hard as this one. That is why I am thinking it is a different material and would really love to get more like this.

Is this pipe stamped Italy on the shank or stem? I have one Medico that is. It has a vulcanite stem-with a filter tenon I believe is made of Delrin.

mso489 · May 12, 2013

Black acrylic has become standard with Savenelli, Luciano, Dr. Grabow, and others. A large minority of smokers find

acrylic uncomfortable against their teeth, but I'm among those that doesn't have a problem. I can tell it's a slightly

harder texture, but it doesn't cause discomfort. Stems at the bit end have become generally wider, and I think this

is intended to spread the weight of the pipe across more area and make it easier on the teeth. This works for me,

and apparently a lot of others, but doesn't help some smokers at all. Softie bits will obviate a lot of that problem for

anyone who finds it troublesome. Softies make it easy to hang on with your teeth with little sensation.

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