Help! Replacement Reed stem for Virginia Planter Cob

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khiddy

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jun 21, 2024
274
1,560
South Bend, Indiana
blog.hallenius.org
So I managed to somehow split the reed stem on my (fairly new) Virginia Planter cob pipe from Missouri Meerschaum/Old Dominion. Does anyone know of a replacement stem source?
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Swiss Army Knife

Can't Leave
Jul 12, 2021
455
1,340
North Carolina
Such is the fate of reed unfortunately. If you feel like being crafty you could try and fashion yourself a DIY nording compass style metal stem with some stainless steel tubing.
 

khiddy

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jun 21, 2024
274
1,560
South Bend, Indiana
blog.hallenius.org
Quick update: I emailed Missouri Meerschaum yesterday and they just let me know they're sending a replacement bamboo stem. They also wrote, "Since we do custom fit the stems to the bowl, you may have to do a little modifying to get it to fit properly. We use a white glue similar to Elmer’s glue to assemble our pipes, so just a dab or white glue should hold the new stem in the bowl. Hopefully this one will last much longer."

Good customer service for the win!
 

AroEnglish

Rehabilitant
Jan 7, 2020
5,133
15,037
PMF Recovery Center
Quick update: I emailed Missouri Meerschaum yesterday and they just let me know they're sending a replacement bamboo stem. They also wrote, "Since we do custom fit the stems to the bowl, you may have to do a little modifying to get it to fit properly. We use a white glue similar to Elmer’s glue to assemble our pipes, so just a dab or white glue should hold the new stem in the bowl. Hopefully this one will last much longer."

Good customer service for the win!
Nice! Show us the results when you're done.
 

khiddy

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jun 21, 2024
274
1,560
South Bend, Indiana
blog.hallenius.org
And the conclusion to the saga: I received the replacement stem late last week, and on Saturday I sat down to do some whittling to fit it properly. A nice daub or three of Elmer's glue, and then a 48 hour rest (I had other smokers to use in the meantime), and I'm back in business. I smoked a nice bowl of Per Jensen Bold & Strong mixed with a touch of Northwoods last evening out of the repaired VA Planter, and it was perfect. Good customer service from MM for the win.
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khiddy

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jun 21, 2024
274
1,560
South Bend, Indiana
blog.hallenius.org
funny my suggestion was to fill the break in the stem with elmers glue. P.s. big fan of the old dominion cobs.
That would not have worked, as the split was pretty much the entire length of the stem and it was a gap wide enough to see through. Hopefully the new stem will last a bit longer (the original split on just my third bowl in the new pipe). If it splits again, I'll likely try jerry-rigging a metal stem as @Swiss Army Knife suggested.
 
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anotherbob

Lifer
Mar 30, 2019
16,481
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That would not have worked, as the split was pretty much the entire length of the stem and it was a gap wide enough to see through. Hopefully the new stem will last a bit longer (the original split on just my third bowl in the new pipe). If it splits again, I'll likely try jerry-rigging a metal stem as @Swiss Army Knife suggested.
wow I have had them split but not anywhere near that quickly. More like a few years of heavy use. I feel like next one I get the stem stays in as much as possible. I feel like that might be what killed mine. Though I clenched the hell out of them too. Keep us up to date with the status of the stem if anything happens. I really need to a get a few more of these.
 
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jpmcwjr

Moderate Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
25,997
29,752
Carmel Valley, CA
That would not have worked, as the split was pretty much the entire length of the stem and it was a gap wide enough to see through. Hopefully the new stem will last a bit longer (the original split on just my third bowl in the new pipe). If it splits again, I'll likely try jerry-rigging a metal stem as @Swiss Army Knife suggested.
I bet if you soak it a bit, you can get the split sealed up. Good wood glue, let dry thoroughly while clamped.