ISO Cherry wood.

[RustiePyles CPG]

I picked up this turn of the century C.P.F. (Colossus Pipe Factory) Weichsel pipe in its original smoking case. It’s been very lightly smoked and is in great shape. The case is near flawless. It has no stem but they were originally sold separately from the pipes so I’m not too worried about that. But I’d like to make a proper Weichsel stem for it, they were typically made of a 6” piece of European cherry with bark on it and an amber or rubber bit on the end of that. I can make one of these but I’m not quite sure where I can get a suitable piece of European cherry to make the middle section of the stem. Does anyone have any clue where I can source a nice straight piece of cherry wood to make my stem?
Cased Weichsel pipes shown in the 1902 Sears catalog, the largest one sold $5.69, that’s about $200 today.
Example of a contemporary Weichsel pipe with its proper stem.

 

[didimauw]

I won't be any help. I'm just here to say this is a pretty neat pipe! Never seen one like this before!

But really if you just wanted to smoke it, anything could be used! That's a neat feature!

 

[Briar Tuck]

You would probably need to have someone with a cherry tree pick out a suitable branch for it. Surely someone on the forum here has access to a cherry tree.

I just got this pipe as part of an estate lot:

 

[Chasing Embers]

Google cherrywood dowel.

 

[Briar Tuck]

Come to think of it, I have a cherry tree in my yard, although it is not a European Cherry. I just took a look at it and the bark pattern is basically identical to the stem on my pipe, but the color is grey and is much lighter.

 

[Briar Tuck]

Cherrywood pipe stem:



Cherrywood branch from my tree:

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

Cherrywood pipe stem:

View attachment 198270

Cherrywood branch from my tree:

View attachment 198271

I suspect the one in your pipe has darkened with age and handling. What would it take for you pick a few straight 8 or so inch pieces and send them my way? I’d gladly send ya some baccy and pay for the shipping!

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

Google cherrywood dowel.

I’ve got some cherry dowel and and cherry blocks, but I’m looking for pieces with the bark still on it.

 

[Briar Tuck]

I suspect the one in your pipe has darkened with age and handling. What would it take for you pick a few straight 8 or so inch pieces and send them my way? I’d gladly send ya some baccy and pay for the shipping!

I was thinking that age might account for the color difference. I'd be happy to send you some. I can use the stem from my pipe as a guide to get the diameter correct. PM me your address and I'll get them out to you this week.

 

[makhorkasmoker]

would it be necessary to cure/age a cherry branch used for this?

I have wild cherry, two types, growing in my neighborhood and I sometimes wonder. I have read parts of them are mildly poisonous tho

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

would it be necessary to cure/age a cherry branch used for this?

I have wild cherry, two types, growing in my neighborhood and I sometimes wonder. I have read parts of them are mildly poisonous tho

I’ve been using cherry in my smoker for years to no ill effect. So I’m gonna go with no. But I think we’re about to find out. I think I’ll drill the bore first and see how they are at that point. If they need additional curing time it’ll happen pretty fast with a hole drilled the entire length.

 

[TheIronMonkey]

I’ve been using cherry in my smoker for years to no ill effect. So I’m gonna go with no. But I think we’re about to find out. I think I’ll drill the bore first and see how they are at that point. If they need additional curing time it’ll happen pretty fast with a hole drilled the entire length.

Might you get a better hole if you dry first, then drill? Maybe a low temp in the smoker for a period, then drill it,?

 

[didimauw]

Hell, at this point, you could throw any sort of wood dowel or stick you wanted in there, and drill a hole for a forever stem!

Or just bypass the huge wood section, and get a military mount style forever stem if u wanted. Many options here! Especially with that ...wierd case.... Stem size doesn't matter.

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

Hell, at this point, you could throw any sort of wood dowel or stick you wanted in there, and drill a hole for a forever stem!

Or just bypass the huge wood section, and get a military mount style forever stem if u wanted. Many options here! Especially with that ...wierd case.... Stem size doesn't matter.

Well it is a military mount but it’s a quite a large mortise, so it’s got to be big enough to have a taper cut down to size. A standard 3ish inch stem would look ridiculous in this monster of a stummel. I’ve got the two biggest Peterson system style premolded stems I could find coming in hopes that I can use one as user friendly stem for this thing, but even then I’m gonna have to make a mortise adapter for it.

 

[didimauw]

Well it is a military mount but it’s a quite a large mortise, so it’s got to be big enough to have a taper cut down to size. A standard 3ish inch stem would look ridiculous in this monster of a stummel. I’ve got the two biggest Peterson system style premolded stems I could find coming in hopes that I can use one as user friendly stem for this thing, but even then I’m gonna have to make a mortise adapter for it.

That's another good Idea too. Hopefully one fits!

 

[Ahi Ka]

If all else fails, maybe you could find some pen blanks made from cherry wood with the bark still on

6" Wild Black Cherry Wood Stick Log Wood Carving Pen Blank Flaky Bark 2 1/4"D | eBay

Reddish Brown flaky b ark. Live edge. Have cracks at end grand due to dryness. Making spoon, utensil, knife scale, pen blank, tealight candle holder, pipe bowl. Wood carving blank, live edge wood turning, woodworking inlay, arts and crafts, etc.

www.ebay.com

 

[anotherbob]

would it be necessary to cure/age a cherry branch used for this?

I have wild cherry, two types, growing in my neighborhood and I sometimes wonder. I have read parts of them are mildly poisonous tho

I have no clue but I once read that the stems are steamed and slowly straightened. Could be true or could be garbage.
To the original post do you think the stem from a cheap tyrolean pipe would work? They cost almost nothing.

 

[UB 40]

Aren’t there any fruit farmers around the corner? Or any neighbourhoods with gardens. If you can’t get the sweet European look for the black Cherry or go for another species of the prunus family like plum or apricot. And why not think of any other (fruit)-wood?

The „Weichsel“ is an old term in Austria for a sour cherry species Prunus cerasus. That is what a Weichsel stem made of. A European Cherry is a sweet one called Prunus avium. Take any of them.

The sour variant is growing in my fathers yard.

 

[UB 40]

Well it is a military mount but it’s a quite a large mortise, so it’s got to be big enough to have a taper cut down to size. A standard 3ish inch stem would look ridiculous in this monster of a stummel. I’ve got the two biggest Peterson system style premolded stems I could find coming in hopes that I can use one as user friendly stem for this thing, but even then I’m gonna have to make a mortise adapter for it.

Try to get an ebonite or acrylic rod. They come in different diameters up to 20 25 millimetre or even more. You can easily modify them by filing or sanding, bending.

Take a look here, maybe some is on US available as well: Home - Ebonite-Arts - https://ebonite-arts.de/

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

Aren’t there any fruit farmers around the corner? Or any neighbourhoods with gardens. If you can’t get the sweet European look for the black Cherry or go for another species of the prunus family like plum or apricot. And why not think of any other (fruit)-wood?

The „Weichsel“ is an old term in Austria for a sour cherry species Prunus cerasus. That is what a Weichsel stem made of. A European Cherry is a sweet one called Prunus avium. Take any of them.

The sour variant is growing in my fathers yard.

I was not aware of the different Variants or what Weichsel meant, good info thank you. It looks like I've got the cherry sorted out with a north American variety sourced from @Briar Tuck. I can stain/oil it to look like black cherry.

Try to get an ebonite or acrylic rod. They come in different diameters up to 20 25 millimetre or even more. You can easily modify them by filing or sanding, bending.

Take a look here, maybe some is on US available as well: Home - Ebonite-Arts - https://ebonite-arts.de/

I've got loads of ebonite, vulcanite, and acrylic rod stock. I make a fair amount of stems. In this case its easier to use a pre-molded stem. Many of these style pipes had P-lipesque bits and those are much harder to cut and drill, so for $3 I elected to use a pre-molded bit.