This hack is useful, and is courtesy of my buddy Mike.
I've noticed that with new pipes with acrylic or other composite mouthpieces, when purchased the mouthpieces usually come off easily. After a few smokes, they get sticky. All kinds of residue, etc etc etc. some of which will absorb and swell the stem itself.
Well, my buddy Mike is a scuba diver, and he says to use a touch of Divers' Grease (pure food grade silicone). Use just a touch, just a layer of a few molecules to aid the sliding, as in scuba apparatus. "More is less" is Mike's modus operandi.
Of course, I figure that most problems come from taking the mouthpiece off the stem when everything is not shrunk to the ambient room temperature, but I've found this hack useful.
The stuff is cheap, and a 1 oz tube will last you a lifetime. Also useful for a myriad of other things.
I've noticed that with new pipes with acrylic or other composite mouthpieces, when purchased the mouthpieces usually come off easily. After a few smokes, they get sticky. All kinds of residue, etc etc etc. some of which will absorb and swell the stem itself.
Well, my buddy Mike is a scuba diver, and he says to use a touch of Divers' Grease (pure food grade silicone). Use just a touch, just a layer of a few molecules to aid the sliding, as in scuba apparatus. "More is less" is Mike's modus operandi.
Of course, I figure that most problems come from taking the mouthpiece off the stem when everything is not shrunk to the ambient room temperature, but I've found this hack useful.
The stuff is cheap, and a 1 oz tube will last you a lifetime. Also useful for a myriad of other things.
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