Chunky Bits

[Tbaggins]

Curious if any of you guys have trimmed down bits before. I have an Eltang basic and Castello that don’t get much use because of their big bits.

Should I take on the project of slimming them down or would a pipe maker be willing to reshape them?

 

[ssjones]

I've slimmed down a few Castellos, new ones have giant buttons. Careful file work, then refinish.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I've gotten a few older pipes that had bits that were too round, so I filed, sanded and polished back. Worked well. Just be careful. If you remove too much material, it will be vulnerable to biting through to the draft hole. Then, you'd have a mess.

 

[Tbaggins]

I appreciate the replies, I’ll get to work with the file.

 

[Sobrbiker]

Take a little less that you want finished to be, because sanding to polish will remove some more.
A layer of tape around stem right up to button helps me not get into what I don’t want to when I’m reshaping or squaring up a rounded button.
As cosmic mentioned, use care if you’re actually reshaping the stem near button.

 

[ssjones]

Take a little less that you want finished to be, because sanding to polish will remove some more.
A layer of tape around stem right up to button helps me not get into what I don’t want to when I’m reshaping or squaring up a rounded button.
As cosmic mentioned, use care if you’re actually reshaping the stem near button.

Right, taking the button down is a piece of cake (I assumed from your original post, that was the desired outcome). Reducing the dimensions of the stem to the button, that's a little more risky and involved.

Castello puts some god-awful big buttons on their new pipes (unless you buy smaller examples, from the Euro vendors). Here's a Trademark I fixed to my preference. Unfortunately, I didn't take great pictures of the button profile. I reduced the profile a millimeter or so on each side.

Before



After

 

[Sigmund]

I had an Ascorti that was higher than that. Id swear they forgot to dress the button at the factory. Its easy. Thinning a stem is considerably more risky since you cant see where the drill ends.

 

[buckaroo]

I've been getting rid of my Castello's because of the awful thick stems. Annoying. Some are a little better than others but. Just my opinion. I even had one of those variegated black white stem one's that was really cool looking.

 

[Searock Fan]

I've been getting rid of my Castello's because of the awful thick stems. Annoying. Some are a little better than others but. Just my opinion. I even had one of those variegated black white stem one's that was really cool looking.

Ok, so what have ya got fer sale?

 

[Sig]

I cannot begin to tell you how many pipes I've "fixed".
Too tall?, too short?, too long?, too thick?.....don't worry, I got it covered!!

With varying success.

 

[Elric]

"I like big buttons and I cannot lie."

 

[Tbaggins]

Right, taking the button down is a piece of cake (I assumed from your original post, that was the desired outcome). Reducing the dimensions of the stem to the button, that's a little more risky and involved.

Castello puts some god-awful big buttons on their new pipes (unless you buy smaller examples, from the Euro vendors). Here's a Trademark I fixed to my preference. Unfortunately, I didn't take great pictures of the button profile. I reduced the profile a millimeter or so on each side.

Before
View attachment 341125


After
View attachment 341124

Looks like a significant improvement, on my sea rock I think the stem towards the button is too thick also. Really want to buy a La Coppia set but can’t see spending 1300 on two pipes I’m gonna have to file on….

 

[Sigmund]

I sold my meer becuase I didnt like the stem. The button was fine but it was a little bigger in height than I like. I didnt trust myself to take a file to it. I also dont like horn stems for that reason. Width doesnt bother me much but thickness of the bit does.

 

[BingBong]

You guys have inspired me to get my dremel and files out...

 

[Sigmund]

You really dont need a rotary tool for the job of removing material. Its likely to lead to problems. Some small files and different grades of sandpaper removes plenty of material. One slip with the dremel and its all over. Slow removal is your friend.

 

[ssjones]

You really dont need a rotary tool for the job of removing material. Its likely to lead to problems. Some small files and different grades of sandpaper removes plenty of material. One slip with the dremel and its all over. Slow removal is your friend.

A decent set of files work great and I have a set of rubber soft jaws for my bench vise.

 

[Chasing Embers]

You guys have inspired me to get my dremel and files out...

You'd be surprised how effective a manicure block is.

 

[kcghost]

You could always have a second stem made to your specifications.

 

[JoburgB2]

Right, taking the button down is a piece of cake (I assumed from your original post, that was the desired outcome). Reducing the dimensions of the stem to the button, that's a little more risky and involved.

Castello puts some god-awful big buttons on their new pipes (unless you buy smaller examples, from the Euro vendors). Here's a Trademark I fixed to my preference. Unfortunately, I didn't take great pictures of the button profile. I reduced the profile a millimeter or so on each side.

Before
View attachment 341125


After
View attachment 341124

That’s a beautiful pipe. Both before and after.