Bent Pipes - Tip of the Day

[admin]

This may sound obvious to some of you, but I can't believe how many times I have forgotten to do it.
When you fall in love with that bent pipe you are about to buy, give it the pipe cleaner test first.
See if you can get a pipe cleaner through the bent stem all the way into the bottom of the bowl.
It can be frustrating when smoking a bent pipe and you need to use a pipe cleaner while smoking, because of a gurgle or bitter taste, and you can't get the pipe cleaner all the way in.
It is not advisable to remove the stem of your pipe while smoking as it can damage the pipe. The fit becomes tighter because of the heat. You can crack the shank. I know. I've done it before on the first pipe I owned and now the stem just falls out of it.
So see if you can get a pipe cleaner all the way through a bent pipe before you buy it.

 

[pstlpkr]

Sage advise Kevin.

It is not advisable to remove the stem of your pipe while smoking as it can damage the pipe. The fit becomes tighter because of the heat. You can crack the shank. I know. I've done it before on the first pipe I owned and now the stem just falls out of it.

Here's a hint to make that cracked shank tolerable.

I have a straight apple that has a cracked shank. I inquired as to possible repair to the pipe. The answer I received was; "you could have a silver band put on the shank to tighten it up or... you can use beeswax in the tenon to increase the pipe's grip on the stem."

It works. The beeswax isn't a perfect solution, but if you don't want to spend the money on a band, it will make the pipe serviceable again.
My cracked shank was caused by a very small size differential between the original stem, and a replacement stem. The new stem was very tight and when I smoked it the first time (with the new stem) the natural expansion from the heat did a number on one of my very favorite pipes, my Cavicchi Apple.

 

[ohin3]

I had a favourite old Brebbia that was my grandfathers so it had a lot of sentimental value. The stem was always a little loose, but one day I left it in the car while shopping and the heat must have been so intense in there that the wood swelled or the rubber constricted or something or other because the stem just fell out of the pipe after that. after searching and searching for a way to tighten things back up, an old cranky guy at a tobacco shop told me to brush as many successive layers of clear nail polish as necessary for the stem fit tightly once again. It took a few coats and a little sanding, but that pipe still smokes good today. Gave it to my dad. Try the clear nail polish thing...it works.

 

[python]

I have had a shank crack on one of my pipes. I sent it to Norwoods Pipe Repair to have a Nickel band put on it. They glued the crack and then applied the band. They did a great job and it only cost me $15.00 + Shipping and I think that the pipe actually looks better with the band on it.

This is the pipe:

 

[admin]

Will bubble gum work?
Just kidding.
I will probably eventually get a metal band put on it.
I have tried the beeswax on a Dunhill of mine that had a loose fitting stem and it did the trick.
The pipe I am talking about that was my first pipe ever, in 1998, and has the cracked shank, is actually not a bent pipe.
It is the pipe you see in the logo of this site.
Lastly, make sure you look both ways before you cross the street - left and then right, unless you are in England, Australia, or Hong Kong - then look right, then left.

 

[cortezattic]

Krazy glue can mend split shanks.
Also, as to the pipe cleaner issue, my preferred shape is the bent bulldog, and I have quite a variety -- most of which do not pass a pipe cleaner. I've found that putting a small 1/16" to 1/8" bend in the tip of the pipe cleaner helps it "find" the shank's draft hole. Of course, a little probing, and rotating the pipe cleaner will be necessary most of the time.
Maybe Chuckw can weigh-in on this: I have a Peterson Donegal Rocky squat bulldog (shape 80-s), and visually, it appears to be machined to perfection, so I have to conclude that the draft holes of the stem and shank are intentionally off center.

 

[admin]

Petersons are difficult to pass a cleaner through as is their nature by design.
I just deal with it and wait until it cools off.
I am practiced enough now that I know the proper angle to put the pipe cleaner into a Peterson to get it from the shank to bowl in one shot. You have to hold the pipe clean up on a tighter angle.

 

[bytor]

Fingernail polish! Why didn't I think of that?
One of my first 2 pipes (I can't remember which pipe exactly...either a GBD or a BC) has a loose stem. I tried a buffing some carnauba (a bit heavily) on the stem, which tightened it up some...but it is still a bit too loose to me.
Time to dig through the wifes cosmetics collection!