The freezer trick nearly always works to loosen a stuck stem. Only once previously it didn't work for me. As it was a cheap early eBay purchase pipe I wasn't that thrilled with it anyway and ended up tossing it in the garbage. However, now this is affecting 1 of my favorite pipes. Any other ways of loosening a stuck stem?
Another Stuck Stem Question
- Thread starter irishearl
- Start date
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I have a crazy idea. Plug the bit end with a dab of putty or something. Prop the pipe stem slanted down and use a dropper or syringe to put mineral oil down the draft hole in the chamber. No flavor or odor involved. Not sure how much it would take, but it needs to reach the tenon. Give it a day or so to soak and give it a try. Clean up with alcohol shouldn’t be too bad.
I haven’t done this exactly. I had a broken tenon stuck in a shank. Couldn’t get it out with a puller. I dripped oil around it and let it soak and it eventually broke loose.
I haven’t done this exactly. I had a broken tenon stuck in a shank. Couldn’t get it out with a puller. I dripped oil around it and let it soak and it eventually broke loose.
Freeze the bitch, over and over again.
Should work eventually.
If not; plug the bowl with a cork , try and drip alcohol in the stem.
Let it be for a few days and see what happens.
Should work eventually.
If not; plug the bowl with a cork , try and drip alcohol in the stem.
Let it be for a few days and see what happens.
Freezing over-night did the trick last time. Now having the same problem and not budging after 7 hours in the freezer so far. Going to give it the night and if that doesn't work will try isopropyl alcohol dribbled between shank and stem
What worked for me so far and also fast, was instead of putting the pipe in the freezer, I would fill a small bowl with ice cubes and a couple of spoons of salt, fill the rest with water. After a minute or the water will be colder than whatever temperature the ice or your freezer could get. I dip as much of the stem as possible in the water, without letting the water touch the wood and normally after a minute or two I will be able to take the stem out.
Freeze it multiple times. The freezing and thawing cycle will break it loose. Sometimes it takes several cycles. If that doesn’t work, dip a pipe cleaner in alcohol and put down the stem into the shank and let it sit. Again this may take several cycles. It will wick away the gunk. Then repeat the freeze/thaw cycle.
Tried the alcohol- soaked pipe cleaner, but no go. Guess I'll stick that sucker back in the freezer.
Just got one free tonight that did not budge after being soaked with alcohol and then froze. After a day or so I soaked it with more alcohol and put it back in the freezer and promptly forgot about it for a couple days. Pulled it out tonight and with a good amount of force I was able to get the stick tenon out of the briar. So as others have said, keep freezing it and I would add keep running alcohol soaked pipe cleaners through it between after it's thawed.
Have been doing exactly that. But, so far, no luck. Am leery to apply too much force as I've snapped off a few tenons that way. If a pro could get it unstuck, would seriously consider sending it off.
im sure this wont be well received, but i had a similar situation. it wasnt a high dollar pipe and i didnt have anything to lose per say.
i got so frustrated, i took a towel and some channel locks. i wrapped the towel around the stem, high, like where the mortise and tenon meet. i applied careful, controlled, turning pressure, not pulling pressure. it did the trick.
There were some light scuffs from the pressure even with the padding, but i was planning on sanding and buffing anyway.
its radical and a bit dangerous, but its a nuclear option. good luck!
i got so frustrated, i took a towel and some channel locks. i wrapped the towel around the stem, high, like where the mortise and tenon meet. i applied careful, controlled, turning pressure, not pulling pressure. it did the trick.
There were some light scuffs from the pressure even with the padding, but i was planning on sanding and buffing anyway.
its radical and a bit dangerous, but its a nuclear option. good luck!
I’m always more willing to go punitive on a pipe I didn’t spend much money on. By contrast I might spend weeks puzzling over a pipe I think is special in any way.