How to Unscrew a Mouthpiece

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grimpeur

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 30, 2015
117
425
Toronto, ON, Canada
Put me in the "righty-tighty, lefty-loosey" camp; it just feels natural.

Am I the only one who lubes the mortise and tenon, though? I use a high-graphite pencil, in my case a General 9XX, and cover as much of the mortise and tenon as I can. Makes removing/inserting the stem much nicer.
 

Briarcutter

Part of the Furniture Now
Aug 17, 2023
614
4,164
U.S.A.
I really don't think it matters a bit, no pun intended. As long as you do not twist it back and forth. Unless of course its a threaded tennon.
 

Roach1

Lifer
Nov 25, 2023
1,367
19,765
Germany
What then is the correct way with an army Mount stem? Just ordered two Irish Seconds both with army stems.
 

Briarcutter

Part of the Furniture Now
Aug 17, 2023
614
4,164
U.S.A.
What then is the correct way with an army Mount stem? Just ordered two Irish Seconds both with army stems.
More than likely neither silver piece is threaded, it matters not, left or right. If it were mine, I'd twist it either way, but only one way, not back and forth.
 
Last edited:
Mar 10, 2024
29
40
Clinton, CT
Clockwise taking stem both off and on.
I have to say as a caveat that I have come to hate the five Brigham pipes I bought because I have broken off two tenons no matter what way I screw in or out. They are too tight and with that rock maple filter ridiculous thing the stem offten cant be pushed flush to the shank. Then on top of it, the filter thing gets stuck in the tenon. Really, I cannot believe the price I paid for these things. Just a word of caution for anyone out there thinking about buying one of these things.
 
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Roach1

Lifer
Nov 25, 2023
1,367
19,765
Germany
I have to say as a caveat that I have come to hate the five Brigham pipes I bought because I have broken off two tenons no matter what way I screw in or out. They are too tight and with that rock maple filter ridiculous thing the stem offten cant be pushed flush to the shank. Then on top of it, the filter thing gets stuck in the tenon. Really, I cannot believe the price I paid for these things. Just a word of caution for anyone out there thinking about buying one of these things.
I saw a video of a Youtuber at a local B&M and they mentioned that the Shop had to remove a Rock maple that was stuck.
 

PiperCalvinist

Starting to Get Obsessed
Apr 9, 2024
185
595
South Texas
I have to say as a caveat that I have come to hate the five Brigham pipes I bought because I have broken off two tenons no matter what way I screw in or out. They are too tight and with that rock maple filter ridiculous thing the stem offten cant be pushed flush to the shank. Then on top of it, the filter thing gets stuck in the tenon. Really, I cannot believe the price I paid for these things. Just a word of caution for anyone out there thinking about buying one of these things.
Buy yourself a straight shank reamer that’s just over the size of that filter. All you have to do is put the reamer in a vise and then carefully start spinning the stem onto it. They have a slight taper to them on the end, and therefore will easily self-align. That will eliminate the stuck filter problem. As far as the stem being too tight in the briar - you could try lightly sanding the diameter of the tenon.
 

ClassicKehler

Might Stick Around
Apr 6, 2024
60
72
32
Marchand, Manitoba, Canada
I always find it works better to go clockwise. It actually makes sense in my head that the drill bit would have smoothed the fibers of the wood in that direction and hence the stem would turn smoothly "with the grain". This I my over over analytical contribution. I use beeswax to lube the tenon.
 

RPK

Part of the Furniture Now
Dec 30, 2023
538
5,311
Central NJ, USA
North of the equator ~ clockwise.
South of it ~ counter clockwise.
If you are on it then wait until you are either north or south of it.
:rolleyes:
 
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