How To Straighten A Stem

[puffy]

I have a pipe that I feel the stem is curved a bit too much.I would like straighten the last inch of it a little.Anyone know how to do this? The stem is Vulcanite.

 

[matchstickman]

I watched the episode of "How Its Made" where they made briar pipes. The way that they bent a stem, they had a special oven that heated just the stem of the pipe while it was connected to the pipe. It heated the Vulcanite to 160 degrees Farenheit. From there, the pipe maker gave it a quick dunk in cool water, bended the stem to where he needed it, then dunked it again in cold water to set it. How you would replicate this in a home setting, I have no idea, but that is how the men in the factory do it.

 

[barkar]

I can tell you that the hot water in your hot water tank is likely between 120f and 140F. So it would make sense if you just set the stem in a bowl of hot tap water for a few minutes you may be able to slightly adjust it.

 

[jchaplick]

Ive used steam from a tea pot to do it, wasnt really easy, but it worked well enough

 

[tbradsim1]

I used a candle that I retort pipes, warning, do not put it close to the flame and not for long, if you bend too much you will flatten the airway.Again, not too close to the flame, just for a couple of seconds. If you have an old stem try that out first. Tbradsim the old cajun

 

[lraisch]

I put a pipe cleaner through the stem (so the draft hole wouldn't distort) and placed the stem on a small bed of rock salt and put it in the oven at 160 degrees F. Then gently shape the stem, gloves are a good idea! Let cool and enjoy.

 

[juni]

I hold it over a candle and then just straighten/bend when it gets heated up.

 

[hanymamdouh]

I reshaped alot of stems using candle flame, I put the stem over the flame with proper distance (don't let flame touch your stem), and rotate the stem so heat is not concentrated on particular area, then adjust the stem as needed. It is better to insert pipe cleaner inside the stem to maintain the draft hole, also don't over bend the stem to keep material mass distribution. Let it cooled and enjoy.

 

[spyder71]

When using flame, or any method for that matter, don't forget to put a couple pipe cleaners in the stem to prevent the airway from collapsing on itself.

 

[waznyf]

This information was very helpful! I have been looking at a pile of mine that is too bent and I thought I would have to live with it because there was no solution.

I now know that there is. Seems risky to me though so I'm not sure I will just yet.

 

[bobby46]

lraisch has the right idea. I have already successfully done this with vulcanite, copying internet instructions. You must use the pipe-cleaner. I baked a pan of table salt (non iodized) at 175 degrees. After the salt is at temp, insert the stem fully submerged for a few minutes. The stem will soon feel like licorice, so be gentle.

This method has been used for decades to shape eyeglass stems, except they use hot sand.

 

[pipedisciple]

Here's one method that you might try, go to the local eye glasses place and ask if they will let you use the machine they use to bend plastic frames with. It is a machine filled with hot sand and they just stick the plastic down in it to heat enough to bend w/o damaging it. They may not, but you don't if you don't ask. :?:

 

[jvandy77]

@pipedisciple, that could be funny situation! "Hey, miss, can I borrow a machine for a couple minutes?" But, I guess you are right about not knowing until you ask.

 

[carlosviet]

I burnt one with the candle flame, so not again. It is quite easy. Put the pipe complete in the oven at 80C for 10 minutes. Grab it (with oven gloves) and push it gently into the position you want it. Don't try to do it in 1 set if there is a lot of bending. Push a little bit, back to the oven another 10', push another bit. It cools really fast, and if you bend when it is not hot enough you can crack it, that's why I advice various slight corrections instead of a big one.

I also advice to keep the stem in the bowl, so that the insert part of the stem doesn't loose or increase diameter compared with the bowl.
This method is safe and used several times. If you don't trust your oven, start with less temperature and see how it works with your material, increasing 5 degrees by 5 degrees until you feel it is solid but malleable.

 

[irishsmoker]

I just use a pot of boiling water with pipe cleaners in the stem. Just give it a dunk in the boiling water, bend to desired shape, and run cold water over it. Hasn't failed me yet!

 

[hiplainsdrifter]

Here's one method that you might try, go to the local eye glasses place and ask if they will let you use the machine they use to bend plastic frames with. It is a machine filled with hot sand and they just stick the plastic down in it to heat enough to bend w/o damaging it. They may not, but you don't if you don't ask. :?:

Actually, most competent opticians no longer use the hot sand/salt technique to adjust eyeglasses. It tends to heat less evenly than hot air and can quickly damage the frame if you go a bit too long. I would think the same would apply to pipe stems. I am an optician and I use a hot air frame heater exclusively- just imagine a glorified hair dryer that gets about twice as warm. I have one stem that is a little tweaked, but I have hesitated to adjust it at work because I don't want to fill the optical lab with the delicious aroma of tobacco tar.

 

[monty55]

pipe cleaner down the airway and a heat gun, like a candle you do need to be careful and constantly move and rotate, but a heat gun is better than a candle IMO. have a bowl of tap water on hand. When pliable, dip, bend, dip and set. done.

 

[ejames]

I use a heat gun but before I got it I used a hair drier. Takes a while to get the stem hot enough but will generally do the job. I've found that the quickest way to oxidize a vulcanite stem is put it in hot (near boiling) water.