The stems were why I bailed on James Upshall. Before he passed, and when he started re-making his own brand pipes, Ken Barnes said he now wished they had invested more in Upshall stems. Definitely the weak link. The ones I had (mostly P grades, but some S) started oxidizing just by looking at them. My one giant Upshall, with Barry Jones custom silver ring, I keep wrapped in saran wrap and in the dark. My other remaining Upshall, a B grade silver spigot, has a Cumberland stem and holds up well.
