I think I just Broke an Estate Pipe.

[lukifer]

I think what you paid for the pipe will have some part of the decision of sending it to someone to have it fixed up, might cost you more than you paid for the pipe in the first place. YMMV

i don't think I will send it out as I paid a little over $20 total for this and a tiny little saddle bit billiard that's only markings say "imported briar". Upon remaing out the little billiard I found it is extremely pitted so I use it as a on the go/at work pipe, not something remotely worth $20 so I am hoping to salvage the cavalier.

Theloniousmonkfish and condorlover1 seem to have the right idea with their suggestions of using things that evenly apply pressure on all sides to prevent deforming the tenon. The freezer and alcohol aren't working, so I am trying ub40's suggestion and have it sitting in a jar with a 75% boveda packet. I need to procure a drill bit and saw as well as a stud puller. Once I have those in a few days I am going to to ice the tenon and try to pull it out with the block of wood trick but if I can't get a good enough grip on it with that I will try the stud puller.

If that winds up crushing the tenon then I will simply peel it out and explore my options for purchasing a makeshift replacement tenon that I can fit back into the stem. Pliers aren't working as it is extremely stuck in there something fierce and getting a good grip on it with needlenose requires so much pressure it's putting tool marks in the tenon and I am genuinely concerned I might snap the stummel. There was an ancient medico filter in there that was all gross and upon removing it, it almost completely disintegrated.

If neither works I may intentionally destroy the tenon just to get it out and not break the stummel or split the shank and find a replacement(if I can).

I am assuming I will be able to buy a small length of aluminum tubing or something similar and go slightly larger than I need and sand it down to size...not sure.

If all else fails it was a cheap pipe and I will just move on. More of an experiment at this point as I have wasted several hous screwing with it with nothing to show for it but a tenon-less stem and a small pile of aluminum shavings.

I sincerely appreciate all the advice, I will post back letting you all know how it goes either way.

 

[AJL67]

i don't think I will send it out as I paid a little over $20 total for this and a tiny little saddle bit billiard that's only markings say "imported briar". Upon remaing out the little billiard I found it is extremely pitted so I use it as a on the go/at work pipe, not something remotely worth $20 so I am hoping to salvage the cavalier.

Theloniousmonkfish and condorlover1 seem to have the right idea with their suggestions of using things that evenly apply pressure on all sides to prevent deforming the tenon. The freezer and alcohol aren't working, so I am trying ub40's suggestion and have it sitting in a jar with a 75% boveda packet. I need to procure a drill bit and saw as well as a stud puller. Once I have those in a few days I am going to to ice the tenon and try to pull it out with the block of wood trick but if I can't get a good enough grip on it with that I will try the stud puller.

If that winds up crushing the tenon then I will simply peel it out and explore my options for purchasing a makeshift replacement tenon that I can fit back into the stem. Pliers aren't working as it is extremely stuck in there something fierce and getting a good grip on it with needlenose requires so much pressure it's putting tool marks in the tenon and I am genuinely concerned I might snap the stummel. There was an ancient medico filter in there that was all gross and upon removing it, it almost completely disintegrated.

If neither works I may intentionally destroy the tenon just to get it out and not break the stummel or split the shank and find a replacement(if I can).

I am assuming I will be able to buy a small length of aluminum tubing or something similar and go slightly larger than I need and sand it down to size...not sure.

If all else fails it was a cheap pipe and I will just move on. More of an experiment at this point as I have wasted several hous screwing with it with nothing to show for it but a tenon-less stem and a small pile of aluminum shavings.

I sincerely appreciate all the advice, I will post back letting you all know how it goes either way.

I read the first line at least Yah i figured it wasn't an expensive pipe.

 

[lukifer]

I read the first line at least Yah i figured it wasn't an expensive pipe.

Lol

Lesson of the day is: be skeptical of eBay estate pipes that don't show the stem separated from the shank. You get what you pay for.

 

[Briar Lee]

A push fit metal tenon was a bad idea.

An ebonite push stem tenon is fragile.

Here’s the best tenon and mortise system ever made.



It is hidden, user adjustable, never sticks, the shanks never crack, it can be removed while hot, and it lasts the life of the pipe, which is usually more than yours.

And Lee quit using it before they closed the factory, in favor of the traditional ebonite push stem.

Those three metal parts cost money.

And the customers didn’t care.

 

[lukifer]

A push fit metal tenon was a bad idea.

An ebonite push stem tenon is fragile.

Here’s the best tenon and mortise system ever made.

View attachment 196174
View attachment 196175
It is hidden, user adjustable, never sticks, the shanks never crack, it can be removed while hot, and it lasts the life of the pipe, which is usually more than yours.

And Lee quit using it before they closed the factory, in favor of the traditional ebonite push stem.

Those three metal parts cost money.

And the customers didn’t care.

Moving away from what is sturdy and works in favor of a cheaper alternative and planned obsolescence is an unfortunate and ever growing trend. I wish pipe manufacturers would focus more on build quality and performance than shape, finish and color. I buy my pipes to smoke not look at.

I don't have much in the way of "quality" pipes but I own a few Dr. Grabow estates of varying age as well as a recently made one and there has been a noticeable degradation in build quality over the years just within the handful that I own. One of the oldest is a Commodore that also has a screw on tenon and removable stinger, and it's just one of the aspects that makes it feel like more time, effort and pride was put into making that specific Grabow.

If there was a cheap and easy way to add a screw on tenon to the pipe I am trying to refurbish, I would crush the current one and peel it out in a heartbeat.

 

[lukifer]

Just got the tenon out of the shank.

After sitting in a jar with a 75% RH boveda packet for a few days I applied ice to the end of the tenon for a few minutes until it was cold then I put a stud extractor on it as tight as possible and gently twisted it out.

It was extremely corroded. Cleaned up all the corrosion on the tenon/shank. Used a pliers to straighten up the really rough looking end of the tenon that I partially mangled and with plenty of elbow grease and a hammer I was able to pound it back into the stem. I didn't apply any adhesive as I assumed the sheer amount of toolmarks and roughness I added to the tenon trying to remove it would add enough texture to keep it in place, plus I literally had to pound it back into the stem. If it comes out I will add some gFlex.

Now with all the corrosion removed the tenon is way too loose in the shank, I am hoping that if I let the stummel dry out for a day or so the shank will tighten back up. Otherwise I may have to try heating up the tenon and expanding it...Not really sure how to do that evenly without simply flaring out the end.

 

[paulfg]

Just got the tenon out of the shank.

After sitting in a jar with a 75% RH boveda packet for a few days I applied ice to the end of the tenon for a few minutes until it was cold then I put a stud extractor on it as tight as possible and gently twisted it out.

It was extremely corroded. Cleaned up all the corrosion on the tenon/shank. Used a pliers to straighten up the really rough looking end of the tenon that I partially mangled and with plenty of elbow grease and a hammer I was able to pound it back into the stem. I didn't apply any adhesive as I assumed the sheer amount of toolmarks and roughness I added to the tenon trying to remove it would add enough texture to keep it in place, plus I literally had to pound it back into the stem. If it comes out I will add some gFlex.

Now with all the corrosion removed the tenon is way too loose in the shank, I am hoping that if I let the stummel dry out for a day or so the shank will tighten back up. Otherwise I may have to try heating up the tenon and expanding it...Not really sure how to do that evenly without simply flaring out the end.

dont do anything until you have smoked about a dozen bowls in the pipe.The mortice may well swell given time

 

[UB 40]

W

Just got the tenon out of the shank.

After sitting in a jar with a 75% RH boveda packet for a few days I applied ice to the end of the tenon for a few minutes until it was cold then I put a stud extractor on it as tight as possible and gently twisted it out.

It was extremely corroded. Cleaned up all the corrosion on the tenon/shank. Used a pliers to straighten up the really rough looking end of the tenon that I partially mangled and with plenty of elbow grease and a hammer I was able to pound it back into the stem. I didn't apply any adhesive as I assumed the sheer amount of toolmarks and roughness I added to the tenon trying to remove it would add enough texture to keep it in place, plus I literally had to pound it back into the stem. If it comes out I will add some gFlex.

Now with all the corrosion removed the tenon is way too loose in the shank, I am hoping that if I let the stummel dry out for a day or so the shank will tighten back up. Otherwise I may have to try heating up the tenon and expanding it...Not really sure how to do that evenly without simply flaring out the end.

What do you think did the trick, cooling the metal down or humifying the pipe? Or grabbing it with the right pliers?

Just let it dry out again, smoking it may help I think.

 

[lukifer]

W

What do you think did the trick, cooling the metal down or humifying the pipe? Or grabbing it with the right pliers?

Just let it dry out again, smoking it may help I think.

Not entirely sure but if put on the spot I would have to say the stud extractor. I had previously tried gripping it with the chuck of a drill but that was bending the tenon out of round as it only had 3 points of contact. The stud extractor had 3 sets of 2 almost evenly spaced out. I was able to really crank it down so it without deforming it and get a good grip so it wouldn't slip.

Twisting the tenon was what finally got it loose. I had no idea the tenon was as long as it was. The picture I posted only shows 20-25% of the tenon, trying to pull was just pointless.

Cooling the metal independent of the wood probably helped quite a bit. Not sure if humidifying the wood actually helped expand the mortise but I would dare say it helped make the shank a bit more forgiving and prevent it from splitting.

I am fairly certain filling the pipe with alcohol and letting it evaporate was a useless waste of time as it's not going to actually seep in between the shank and tenon to work on all that corrosion but on the bright side it is the cleanest pipe I own now :p.

 

[lukifer]

Smoked it a dozen or so times with a rubber band holding the stem on the shank, pulled it apart after smoking and cleaning and let it cool apart before putting back together.

Today I picked it up again and it's nice and snug as it should be.

Problem solved, thank you all, I highly doubt I could have salvaged this pipe without your help.