Old estate

[Randell Butler]

Good morning to all my fellow pipers out there. I have a question that I hoped I can get a little advice on. I have just acquired an old estate pipe never been smoked and I wanted to give it a through cleaning. However I can not get the stem to budge. I didn't want to take the chance of breaking it so I stopped trying. I can run a pipe cleaner all the way through so should I just let it be? Or are some tips and tricks to get it removed? I am still a novice at this I don't want to break one of the first pipes I have ever purchased. Thank you in advance for any advice.

Bluegrass piper,

 

[ssjones]

Put it in the freezer for several hours, then CAREFULLY, try twisting to remove the stem. The tenon of course will be near frozen, so don't snap it! An alcohol soaked cleaner inserted can also loosen build-up.

 

[ziv]

If it's never smoked, then how come stem doesn't come off?

 

[Sobrbiker]

Pics?

 

[xrundog]

Pics?

Yeah, brand and model?

 

[ssjones]

If it's never smoked, then how come stem doesn't come off?

We've seen here the odd pipe where someone has glued the stem in place, hope that's not the case here! Yes, pix would help.