Any Tips for Freeing a Seized Kaywoodie Synchrostem?

[buroak]

I have an early Kaywoodie whose Synchrostem is seized up unlike anything I have previously encountered. Prior experience tells me that the likely culprit is tar and gunk binding the threaded fitment. To dissolve the tar/gunk I have been using a syringe and angled tip to drip grain alcohol down the airway, and then leaving the pipe standing stem down in a tall shot glass. After several applications the stem is just as stuck as when I started. Does anyone have any tricks for freeing the stem?

 

[newbroom]

righty tighty, lefty loosey. heat?

 

[buroak]

I would love to use heat, but applying heat where heat is needed is tricky at best.

 

[aldecaker]

Cold?

 

[calabashed]

Smoke it? That'd get the heat where you want.

 

[JimInks]

Put it in the refrigerator for a couple days. Then try it. That worked for me.

 

[buroak]

aldecaker and JimInks, I froze the pipe thinking different degrees of contraction in the cold would allow me to free the threads, but that did not work.
calabashed, As dirty as the pipe is, I do not want smoke my troubles away with this one.
My thanks to you gentlemen! This pipe will probably go back in the freezer after a few more "drinks".

 

[tbradsim1]

EJames is the man for this,seems I remember he said heat not cold.

 

[buroak]

Brad, I hope he will chime in and share his secret. I suppose I could place the pipe in an oven on low heat, but I do want to kiln dry my pipe.

 

[buroak]

Duplicate post

 

[danielplainview]

I've fixed a few overclocked Kaywoodie stems with a lighter. Heat the stinger with a lighter and it will soften the glue. Then you can turn the the stem until it's aligned correctly. I submerge the stem and shank in a glass of water for a couple of minutes afterwards to keep the briar cool from the scorching hot stinger. Works the same with Ajustomatic stems.
Wait a few hours for the glue to reset before removing the stem. Overnight is even better.

 

[buroak]

The stem is actually aligned perfectly (for now), it just will not unscrew from the pipe.

 

[danielplainview]

Oh, I see. I had one like that before. It would twist but not unscrew. Ejames told me how to fix that, but I can't remember.
Ed ?

 

[buroak]

Mine will not twist or unscrew. I once had an old Kaywoodie that had a problem similar the present one. The stinger took the shank insert out with it. The fix was straightforward: use alcohol to de-gunk the threads then screw the insert back into the shank.

 

[buroak]

When I returned to the pipe this evening the stem was just as stuck. I am beginning to wonder if the threads are being locked by something other than gunk.

 

[tuold]

Alcohol is pretty good and getting in there and dissolving that crud. It might take a few soaks.

 

[gambit88]

I had a Grabow that did that. I had to run some soaked pipe cleaners through it. Loostened up. I suppose you could heat the stem to seperate it from the stinger. Remove stinger and reglue in stem

 

[mayfair70]

I had bought a pipe and couldn't get the stem off. I didn't know if it had a push stem or metal fitment. I took a chance and held the briar tightly next to the stem while cranking the stem to the left. Turned out it was a push stem someone had GLUED TO THE SHANK. It gave a loud crack as the glue gave way, but luckily no damage, and it cleaned up perfectly. The stem is still one of the tightest I have, but better than a loose one. I say give it a good crank. The worst that could happen is you break or crack the shank. Dirty as it is, your best bet is still to draw some heat in there then crank it. Briar is some of the toughest wood on the planet, and with the heat, chances are the glue will give before it breaks. Clean the bowl, draw some flame into it, remove the stem. You can't smoke it the way it is and you can't smoke it if its broken. I had a strong attachment to the pipe I risked breaking (another story) but half measures avail me nothing so I took the chance. No lateral force just good torque and something will give, hopefully in your favor. I strongly advise against putting the bowl in a vice and precisely twisting the stem with a wrench, unless that is your only option. Sounds like you've done all you can do to this point. Patience may reward your present course of action. Now I'm sounding like a fortune cookie......good luck!

 

[ssjones]

What gambit88 suggests might be your only recourse. Keep us posted.

 

[buroak]

I am still hoping to avoid removing the stem from the stinger, but gambit88 may indeed be right.