Any Tips for Freeing a Seized Kaywoodie Synchrostem?

[andrew]

Try a hair dryer to get the heat happening. I've had a few stuck stems that came unstuck after smoking the pipe a few times.

 

[ejames]

I've seen a few pipes where the aluminum parts have oxidized so badly that they more or less weld themselves together. On those I heat the stem until I can screw the stem off leaving the stinger in the shank. You can then get at the joint. Put a drop or two of WD-40--or similar- on it and let it soak overnight. Heat it with Bic-get it pretty hot-- and grab it with a pair of padded pliers and GENTLY twist it. IF it moves, rock it back and forth--gently--turning in small increments,adding another drop of WD may help. Rocking it back and forth helps to break up the oxidation. If you just spin it out after it first moves it may seize up again and possibly break. Repeated heatings and WD may be necessary. I modifies a pair of needle nose pliers just to use on pipes with this problem.

Used a small round file to make small divots in both jaws so the stinger can be grasped better with less risk of damage. Patience is the key--it will come out of there. Once you get the stinger out clean up both female and male threads and put the stinger back into the stem. You may find it necessary to clean the threads in the stem and put a drop of non-locking Loctite on the stinger when you put it back together.

 

[buroak]

ejames, Thank you for the detailed guide to fixing this problem. Oxidation was indeed the problem here. No wonder Everclear was utterly ineffective; the problem had nothing to do with tar. I have had to set the project aside for a bit, but the following pictures show the extent of the oxidation.
gambit88 and ssjones, Separating the stem from the stinger was indeed my only recourse. I am glad the two of you nudged me towards accepting my fate.

 

[foolwiththefez]

Thank you for the follow up. I was way more interested to hear the conclusion of this than I should've been. I'm super glad you got the stinger unstuck

 

[gambit88]

Glad it worked for you! To be honest I've loosened the glue to fix overclocks but never yanked one out. I didn't know they were threaded into the rubber. That's pretty neat. Stinger should clean up real easy now.

 

[ssjones]

Nice job! How much heat did it take to release the stinger tenon?

 

[buroak]

Thanks all! This has been an adventure.
ssjones, To be honest I tried a heating technique recommended outside of this thread. Had it failed I would probably be mum about what I did. Since it worked, though, I will confess that I microwaved the pipe for about 30 seconds. I was reluctant to microwave a pipe, but it did work with no discernible negative effects.

 

[fnord]

A microwave?
Was there any arcing? Or was that a short enough period of time and the briar and mouthpiece provided enough protection for the tenon?
Fascinating recovery, Buroak. Well done.
You've got to post a pix of the finished product one of these days.
Fnord

 

[ssjones]

Knowing Mrs. Jones, I better keep my pipes OUT of the microwave. I would have guessed there was arcing as well. A good result nonetheless.

 

[ejames]

I'm glad you got it apart !

 

[jpmcwjr]

Nice work! I am guessing the microwaves heated the wood but a little, and that the metal stinger absorbed most of the heat, softening the glue or gunk on its threads. Sound sound?

 

[buroak]

Actually, the wood felt the hottest of all the components. That may be because the wood had the highest water content, or it may be because the wood more readily conducted heat to my hand.