Old Meerschaum Stem Over Tightening a Wee Bit ...

[aussielass]

Hi guys, my vintage Meerschaum has arrived but unfortunately the stem is a little off kilter in that it tightens just a wee bit too much, putting the stem at a very slight angle.
The pipe has a 9ct gold band attached to the shank, then a metal threaded bit protruding from the gold ring. The vulcanite stem is then threaded internally so therefore it turns on to the bit protruding from the shank.
Can anyone advise how to rectify this slight over-turning of the stem - I'm loathe to heat it & press down on flat surface because of the internal thread.
The bowl also has quite a cake build up so I'm about to ream it gently, although I must admit the thought terrifies me.
Cheers Di

 

[ichbinmuede]

Hmm well I can offer no advice on the over tightening of that type of attachment. The only one I ever had to deal with was a threaded bone fitting and that was as simple as brushing on a bit of handy dandy clear nail polish.

But the cake I think I can help with and take some weight off of those shoulders.

Wooden dowel of gradually increasing sizes with a bit of finer sandpaper attached to it would be a bit gentler than a reamer. Cut a slot in to the dowel at a depth of how wide you need your sandpaper strip to be, cut a strip to fit, slide it in to your notch and wrap it around. Proceed to slowly take the cake away.

You can add a bit of taper if you like so it'll be more encouraged down in to the cake. Just be gentle and as close to straight as you can get. Proceed with caution and care and you should be fine.

 

[tobakenist]

Try this to sort the stem problem, using an all pupose contact glue, evostic, bostic, or any of this type will do, paint a very small amount onto the threads, the thinest coating that you can do using a small fine brush, Let this dry throughly, you are not trying to glue it, this will tighten the threads and this will form a type of rubbery washer, it will peel off with constant screwing so repeat regularly depending on pipe usage.

 

[jchaplick]

+1 tobakenist

 

[aussielass]

Ah thanks so much fellas, you're worth your weight in gold! It's 4.49am I haven't been to sleep yet but I'm going to go & do the stuff on the thread right now.
I've been up through the night with my wee 15yo feisty fox terrier who's not tracking too well - he's happiest just watching me fiddling & farting around with pipes (I think he likes the cussing).

 

[tobakenist]

Just be careful not to over tighten.

 

[spartan]

We need pictures!

 

[tobakenist]

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