Aluminum (?) Screw Tenon Horn Stem Is Cocked. Suggestions?

[Kirklands]

If this were vulcanite, I'd likely be able to fix it by heating the tenon until the vulcanite softens, and then turn the stem to straight. But I don't know of any way to straighten a horn stem. Any tips?

 

[xrundog]

When heating the tenon, you aren’t softening the stem material but rather the glue used to secure the tenon. I’d heat the tenon and try to carefully adjust it.

 

[Sobrbiker]

Mind you, I have no experience with horn, but when I’ve had very stubborn vulcanite stingers here’s what I’ve done:
Fold a sheet of aluminum foil to about a 2” multi thickness square, then poke a stinger sized hole in center. Slide square as a shield/heat sink over stinger and applied stinger directly to a heat source (I’ve got an old school electric stove with exposed elements) to loosen glue.
I use pliers padded with leather to grasp and twist stinger.
Thus worked well to heat stinger and protected the sharp corners I didn’t want to soften from the radiant heat.

Good luck, be patient and careful.

 

[Sobrbiker]

And quite honestly, looking at your second pic, I’d probably leave it and clean pipe up and use it.
Many manufacturers would send stems out slightly under-clocked to account for some twisting than may occur during the heat cycles of using pipe (unscrewing and rescrewing while smoking to clear moisture).

 

[jhowell]

Start by cleaning the mating faces thoroughly - that might just give you enough for them to fully mate.

 

[xrundog]

Start by cleaning the mating faces thoroughly - that might just give you enough for them to fully mate.

Good point. A thorough cleaning is always the starting point.

 

[Kirklands]

When heating the tenon, you aren’t softening the stem material but rather the glue used to secure the tenon.

Thanks. I never realized this. This is a very useful bit of information. My next step will be to try the heating method.

 

[Kirklands]

Fold a sheet of aluminum foil to about a 2” multi thickness square, then poke a stinger sized hole in center. Slide square as a shield/heat sink over stinger and applied stinger directly to a heat source (I’ve got an old school electric stove with exposed elements) to loosen glue.
I use pliers padded with leather to grasp and twist stinger.
Thus worked well to heat stinger and protected the sharp corners I didn’t want to soften from the radiant heat.

The aluminum foil and the leather padding are nice tips. Thanks.