Need Some Advice

[fnord]

I've got a swell Sasieni Fantail that has one drawback.

Its got the stickiest stem of any pipe I've ever had the pleasure to smoke. I've tried my favorite remedy, beeswax, and will get a bit of releif for a week and then it clamps back down. The only way I can get the stem out of the shank is put it in the freezer overnight.
I'm guessing I might need to sand a layer or two off of the tenon, but I've never done that before. Does anybody have any experience with this problem?
Thanks.
Fnord

 

[peckinpahhombre]

+1 to Roth. I had a similar issue and the graphite has done the trick,
Go to a hardware store like an Ace, Lowes, or Home Depot, or a place that makes keys, and buy a small bottle of graphite powder. It's cheap, and it's naturally very slick and is used to make locks turn better. If you put just a tad in the mortise, you'll find the stem will slide in much easier. It's not harmful. It works well because it's not moist. Moisture will cause that wood to expand, which is the last thing you want.

 

[numbersix]

I haven't had as much luck with graphite personally. I have had success carefully sanding it down with micromesh - but be careful if you do it. Just a couple of turns can be enough. If you over do it, can ruin your stem. So just keep testing it as you go.

 

[numbersix]

A bit too much sanding and I'm screwed.

This is true - but with micromesh, you reduce the risks - but you do need to go very slow and keep testing. I was forced to do this with my really sticky stems and it fixed the problem nicely, but it did only take a few turns of the micromesh.

 

[ejames]

Over sanding the tenon does not necessarily ruin the stem. There is a way to heat the tenon and expand it.

You don't need to buy graphite powder to lube your tenon with, a lead pencil will do the job nicely.

If you go slow and easy--as suggested-with the Micro-Mesh or even a fine (600 or so) sandpaper you won't ruin your stem.

 

[trailspike48]

I used 1200 grit sandpaper on a similar stem problem. Like nubersix warned, be careful. One or two licks with the sandpaper or micromesh and check it.

 

[fnord]

Everybody:
I appreciate you all chiming in. Beeswax has always been my favorite loosening/tightening substance but I never thought once about using graphite on a pipe. Thanks for the tip, Roth and Peck.
Six, I have the standard Micromesh kit ranging from 1500 to 12000. I'll try it tomorrow: slowly and just one turn at a time with the Rust colored pad.
However, that brings up an irritation. I've had my pads for around a year now and the grit patches are just about falling off the foam cores. I always sand wet and, given the number of estates I've restored, maybe a year with those pads is going to be as good as it gets.
BTW, here's an old soldier I picked up the other day: an OTC Royal Demuth from the William Demuth Company. It was well used-loved-abused with the thickest cake I've ever seen on an estate pipe. A Kleen-Reem, my wife's brandy and a lot of elbow grease is bringing this one slowly but surely back to life.

It's a good burner and will replace a no-name bin pipe in my wife's vehicle as a car pipe when I'm riding shotgun.
Thanks, guys.
Fnord