I'm reading the post and it states I got a new clay today. If it is a new never been used clay that has issues passing a cleaning I'd ask to have it exchanged for a different one that provides an unobstucted stem. I have run a long very small drill bit gently down a clay stem, but it was an old estate piece I didn't care much about, so naturally it worked perfectly. My other clays will pass a gently inserted, small, like a Dill, cleaner.