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cigrmaster

cigrmaster

Lifer
May 26, 2012
20,249
57,280
66
Sarasota Florida
As some of you know, I have become obsessed with the stems on my pipes. I became spoiled and really started paying attention to the stem when I bought my first Rad Davis pipe. I honestly never knew a stem could be so comfortable until my first Rad.
So right now my favorite stems are my Rads along with my new Stephen Downie pipe as the stem on that pipe is as comfy as my Rads.
After these two my next favorites are as follows.

Scott Thile

Jody Davis

Tonni Nielsen

Steve Morrissete

Bruce Weaver

Brian Ruthenberg

James Upshall

Willmer

Lane Era Charatan Double Comfort

Mike Butera
Here is the pipe that began my obsession with stems, it is a Rad Lovat I bought on August 5th 2012 from Marty Pulvers. The stem is so flat and the button pronounced to a degree that is just a pleasure to clench.



 
P

piperl12

Part of the Furniture Now
Apr 7, 2012
970
4
@harris i found the same thing with my John Calich pipes. To such a degree that I used a digital vernier on it and have sanded the others pipes I have to the same dimensions.

 
bigvan

bigvan

Lifer
Mar 22, 2011
2,192
12
I agree with Scott Thile, Jodi Davis, Bruce Weaver and Brian Ruthenberg.
I'd also add Paul Hubbart (Larrysson), Grant Batson, Abe Herbaugh, and Nate King.
And Ryan Alden.
And Wayne Teipen.
And Jeff Gracik.
And Adam Remington.
...

 
cigrmaster

cigrmaster

Lifer
May 26, 2012
20,249
57,280
66
Sarasota Florida
piperl12, now that is what I call picky, glad to know I am not the only one.
roth, I am still thinking planning on it, just need to get off my lazy ass.
bigvan, you do know that you are the reason I am now obsessed with my stems. Bigvan was the guy who first got me thinking about American artisans, and I will be forever grateful.
peck, very funny. Now do your homework assignment and give us a list of your favorite stems. I will settle for no less than 500 words on the subject. You have until 11 pm to complete your task.

 
sergemoat

sergemoat

Can't Leave
Oct 15, 2011
340
0
The most comfortable bits I own are made by
Steve Liskey

PS Studio

Rad Davis
First two are extremely thin bits, if I were a clencher I might be worried but luckily I'm not.

 
lqjones

lqjones

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 8, 2013
115
0
I like the P lips on Peterson. Honestly, I'm so tired of the upkeep on my pipes with Vulcanite stems that I'm thinking about only getting acrylic from this point onward. So sick of buffing and waxing these things. Anybody else ready to say screw vulcanite?

 
allan

allan

Lifer
Dec 5, 2012
2,429
7
Bronx, NY
Iqjones
Are you having difficulties with the newer vulcanite or just the older pipes? My older Dunhills and upshalls have a color challenge but the newer Thile and rad Davis stems hold the color perfectly
Yes they can show the teeth marks but that seems a small price to pay vs the uncomfortable acrylics

 
mso489

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,459
Okay, at different price levels, since we've heard about the artisan carvers, I value the work of Walker Briar Works for

their MM cob Forever stems, which are custom made. In some lengths, within specification, you can name the length

stem you want. Other pipes that have especially good stems include Savs, Peterson fishtails, Chacom, Luciano, and

Ser Jacopo.

 
captainsousie

captainsousie

Lifer
Aug 1, 2012
4,603
5,160
In my limited experience, I prefer the stems by:

  • Arley Curtz[/*]
  • Comoy's[/*]
  • Mark Tinsky[/*]
  • Becker[/*]
in no particular order.

 
kashmir

kashmir

Lifer
May 17, 2011
2,712
64
Northern New Jersey
That's easy. Comoy's of London makes the thinnest most comfortable vulcanite stems on the market. The Comoy button has been famous over a century for good reason.

 
castellarius

castellarius

Might Stick Around
Oct 20, 2013
77
2
I love Peterson's P-lip and the old Charatan double comfort of the Lane era.

But I'd like to tell about an italian artisan, Mauro Gilli, who reapirs pipes and produces very few of it's own. He really is famous among italian pipe smokers because of it's ability with stems. I've seen new stems reproduced by Mauro exactly the same of the old ones (I mean, you cannot understand which one is Mauro's work and which the original, except for the bad conditions of the original).
He also create wonderful cumberland stems on order, if you want to give a fancy touch to an old pipe of yours, and is really tasteful and creative.
I've a Georg Jensen bought from Alpascià with a Gilli stem similar to amber...wow the stem looks better than the pipe :)
fm4a.jpg

You can see a little of his work at Mauro Gilli website

 
lqjones

lqjones

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 8, 2013
115
0
Allan,
I was referring to the older vulcanite I guess. I have not bought a new pipe in a long time and all the pipes I have with vulcanite stems ALWAYS need upkeep or they look like that gross brown color. It is annoying and time consuming. I would rather be smoking !

 
P

plateauguy

Lifer
Mar 19, 2013
2,412
21
Call me low maintenance. I love a Peterson P-Lip and a Walkers Forever stem. My Comoys are comfortable too.

 
jkenp

jkenp

Starting to Get Obsessed
Sep 5, 2013
202
0
NW Indiana
Al (ssjones) had a stem replaced on a spigot with Cumberland. Norwood did it and it is gorgeous.
http://www.norwoodspiperepair.com/

 
erichbaumer

erichbaumer

Part of the Furniture Now
Dec 4, 2012
738
5
Illinois
My favorite is easily the stem on my Stanwell. The fact that it's acrylic hasn't bothered me, it's still wonderful to clench with its small but very well-defined button. Add durability and low maintainance and I'll call it a winner. After that it's the P lips-I have very uneaven teath (orthodontist kept pushing back the braces date, and when I got to be 17 my parents made it my decision I just said "screw it") and the more rounded stems fit me very well.

 
cigrmaster

cigrmaster

Lifer
May 26, 2012
20,249
57,280
66
Sarasota Florida
lqjones, as Allan has stated, the high quality German vulcanite used by most artisans, Ferndown and others rarely if ever oxidizes. I use Obidisian Stem Oil to keep them shiny, and that is all I do. I am so with you in terms of keeping up the older vulcanite as I am tired of it. I have gotten rid of most of my pipes with it and will eventually have nothing but the german stuff on all my pipes except one Castello that has acrylic.
Kashmir, that is a bold statement, I have never owned a Comoy so I cannot compare them to my Rad's. I think for the purposes of this discussion, you should send me one of your Comoy's to prove the claim you have just made. I think you kn ow which one I would like to try, the one with all the birdseye maybe. lol
Have you smoked a Rad pipe Kashmir, I would be interested to hear if you think the Comoy is more comfortable.

 
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