My Hot Meer

[Country Bladesmith]

Any tips for drilling it out? Just be careful I guess?

Yeah, you said it. Be careful. Slow and steady, and go up in small increments on drill bit size if necessary. Keep an eye on the chamber so you don’t overshoot the juncture of the chamber and draft hole by drilling too far. It drills easily, so it could be easy to do. The stummel is what you don’t want to screw up. Replacement stems are available and cheap if you screw the stem up. Or just want to drill out a straight one with a tapered drill bit and bend it yourself (assuming it’s a bent stem you want)

 

[F4RM3R]

Yeah, you said it. Be careful. Slow and steady, and go up in small increments on drill bit size if necessary. Keep an eye on the chamber so you don’t overshoot the juncture of the chamber and draft hole by drilling too far. It drills easily, so it could be easy to do. The stummel is what you don’t want to screw up. Replacement stems are available and cheap if you screw the stem up. Or just want to drill out a straight one with a tapered drill bit and bend it yourself (assuming it’s a bent stem you want)

Thanks. The shank is quite long so I couldn't use the drill bit with my drill but just used some needle nose pliers and twisted it through. Was super easy. It was slightly under 1/8! So that was the problem right there. Went up to 9/64, which is smoking good right now, totally fixed the issue. My stem is already a replacement, so it has an open draw to match the new shank. Thanks for the help! Glad I saw this thread, my Altinay smokes like a champ now.

 

[Country Bladesmith]

Thanks. The shank is quite long so I couldn't use the drill bit with my drill but just used some needle nose pliers and twisted it through. Was super easy. It was slightly under 1/8! So that was the problem right there. Went up to 9/64, which is smoking good right now, totally fixed the issue. My stem is already a replacement, so it has an open draw to match the new shank. Thanks for the help! Glad I saw this thread, my Altinay smokes like a champ now.

Sweet! Glad it worked out for you. ?

 

[puff_not_snuff]

Does the meer have a plastic screw in mortise insert?

What’s does that indicate? Shoddy workmanship? I have one with a screw in mortise and don’t care for that aspect of it.

 

[Country Bladesmith]

What’s does that indicate? Shoddy workmanship? I have one with a screw in mortise and don’t care for that aspect of it.

I don’t think so. There are some beautifully carved ones out there with that same setup. I think it’s just a common way of making the stummel-stem connection, but isn’t the best for an open draw.

 

[puff_not_snuff]

I don’t think so. There are some beautifully carved ones out there with that same setup. I think it’s just a common way of making the stummel-stem connection, but isn’t the best for an open draw.

Oh ok, just somehow feels cheap to me, likely just some perception I have.

 

[Country Bladesmith]

Oh ok, just somehow feels cheap to me, likely just some perception I have.

No, it probably is cheap, but it’s also ubiquitous I guess. I’ve seen some nice spigot style connections on a few pics by other members that look awesome. I’m kind of envious, I have to admit.

 

[edger]

An open draw is perhaps why I love cobs so much. I never use filters with them. The drilling out outlined above helps those meerschaums improve but in a very limited way. Thanks all for your generous insights.