Pipe no Longer Fits its Case.

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Sir Yak

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jan 15, 2022
213
641
Arkansas
Hmmm that’s interesting. I wonder if you could put the stem in some hot water to warm it up and bend it back. I’d be curious what others think about that notion. Wonder what in particular made the stem do that??
 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,248
108,337
That is the part I can't figure out. No sun at all can get to my desk. It got a little sun in my car while driving but never got hot to the touch, not even warm beside the bowl when smoking.
I've heard of it spontaneously happening with materials like juma but that one looks acrylic. Very odd, but easily fixed.
 
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Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,248
108,337
Obviously something happened. No doubt about it. I am a bit scared to try and re-bend it in fear of pinching off the draught hole.
You won't. Some suggest inserting a pipe cleaner but that's unnecessary. Ever bend a water hose? Same principle. You'd have to get it near melting to close the airway and you'd be barely bending it. Once you do get the desired bend, run cold water over it to set the bend.
 

onepyrotec

Lifer
Feb 20, 2013
1,066
6,634
Nevada
Was it on the dash, the sun being a bit magnified? That'd be my guess as to cause.
No sir, front seat and covered for the short period it was left alone. Sun shade was closed on the roof and windshield had the cover up. Other than that, I use the AC even when I do not need it.
 

Infantry23

Part of the Furniture Now
Nov 8, 2020
670
1,773
43
Smithsburg, Maryland
The EXACT same thing happened to me on a meerschaum just last week! I Googled it and of course it brought me to an old thread here!
Long story short, I fixed it by boiling water, putting a pipe cleaner in the airway, and dunking it at 10-15 seconds intervals and seeing if that would fix it. I ended up at 20-25 second intervals to get the bend I wanted because I wanted to bend it gently and slowly. Cold water to cool it and set the bend and it was good as new.
For what it's worth, mine lost shape after smoking when I set it on the dashboard of my car before going back into work for a few hours and it got crazy hot in the car.
Same area needed bent to fit in my case too.

Hope this helps!
 

Hillcrest

Lifer
Dec 3, 2021
2,640
12,777
Bagshot Row, Hobbiton
I have an electric water kettle for making tea. Put a pipe cleaner through stem. I just boil the water and hold the stem over the steam for 8-10 seconds pull away and then apply a little pressure on end of stem. BUT ... I am usually taking the bend OUT of the stem so as to not aim directly at tongue. It works in reverse too. I had a vulcanite straight stem I bent into a bent churchwarden the same way. Just don't burn your fingers !!! Steam burns are the worst so DO NOT put your fingers into the steam. Once desired shape run under cold water a few seconds to set YMMV --- try it on cheap stem first.