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Tbaggins

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 15, 2021
839
13,743
Montana
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?
 
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Sobrbiker

Lifer
Jan 7, 2023
4,097
53,596
Casa Grande, AZ
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

Moderator
Staff member
May 11, 2011
19,012
13,071
Covington, Louisiana
postimg.cc
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
Castello_Trademark_KK (2)_ButtonBefore.jpg


After
Castello_Trademark_KK (2)_ButtonAfter.jpg
 

Sigmund

Lifer
Sep 17, 2023
3,055
29,428
France
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.
 

Tbaggins

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 15, 2021
839
13,743
Montana
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

Lifer
Sep 17, 2023
3,055
29,428
France
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.
 

Sigmund

Lifer
Sep 17, 2023
3,055
29,428
France
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

Moderator
Staff member
May 11, 2011
19,012
13,071
Covington, Louisiana
postimg.cc
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.
 

JoburgB2

Starting to Get Obsessed
Sep 30, 2024
224
921
Dundee, Scotland
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.