Pipe stem too tight

[lenticular]

Two of my pipes, an Upshall and a Peterson have stems that are very tight fitting into the bowl.

In fact when I wanted to clean my Upshall (and this will make you cringe) the only way I released the stem was to wrap it in cloth and VERY carefully with it in a vice turn the bowl.

Is there something I should do to make an easier fit without obviously making it too loose ?
Thanks in advance.

 

[voorhees]

I had one like that. I took some 1500 grit sandpaper and worked the tenon little by little until it was easier to remove.

 

[JimInks]

You can also take a pencil and coat the tenon with graphite. Repeat as needed. Always works for me.

 

[mcitinner1]

Before you sand on the tenon I would put a coat of yellow bees wax on it, and then twist it into the stummel, maybe more than once.
edit: That's the first time I heard of the graphite idea. Sounds good.

 

[kf4bsb]

I agree with all of the above. Bees wax works, graphite works better in my opinion, and as a last resort there is always sanding. If you end up sanding just be careful. You would be amazed how much of a difference wrapping a piece of sandpaper around a tenon and giving it just one little twist can make. Most of the time the difference between a good fit and a great fit is .001".
With all that being said, I would spend some time cleaning the mortis in the shank of the pipe. I have worked on pipes for people that fit so tight that they could not push the stem on all the way. I just worked on one that had about a 2mm gap between the stem and the shank when you tried to put the stem on, and taking it off was just as hard. All I did was clean the mortis of the shank with some denatured alcohol and Q-tips and a small shank brush. Just keep working at it with the Q-tips until they come out clean. After all of that, the stem would push right on and off with no problem. I put a little graphite on the tenon to lubricate and it was as good as new.
You don't have to use denatured alcohol, you can use Ever Clear, or high quality Isopropyl alcohol or whatever else you would use to give the shank/stem a good scrub and clean.
Wes

www.rebuiltbriars.com

 

[fishfly]

May I suggest next time you need to get that stem off, try cooling the pipe for a couple hours. If your climate is cold, you can just set it outside for a while. Otherwise, put it in the freezer. Often, the stem will come off fairly easily.
Graphite (like pencil lead) has always worked well for me. Beeswax less so. I haven't tried the mortise cleaning, but will, if there's a next time. I have had to sand tenons, but I would only do so in warm weather when I was sure that it was absolutely necessary.

 

[mso489]

I have an extra large no-name pipe, bought as an Iwan Ries Exclusive but not stamped except "Italy," with an immoveable steam. I think I'll try the freezer trick. I will have to decide when the stem absolutely must be removed for cleaning, but meantime I'll just smoke it as is.

 

[lenticular]

Thanks for all that advice everyone.

Most helpful.
PS Today I just received the Peterson Pipe Of The Year 2015, St. Patricks Day.
Strange thing is I live in Wales only 100 miles or so over the Irish Sea from Dublin and the only place I could find one for sale was in Germany.

Now I need to resist the temptation to smoke it !!

 

[welsh1]

Hello fellow Welshman greetings from Swansea

 

[danielplainview]

The pencil trick works well but if it's that tight, gently sand it a bit. A little at a time. You can always take more off but you can't put it back on.

 

[kf4bsb]

Fishfly, I have used the freezer trick before to get off stubborn stems and it does work. Great advice. If you ever run across a problem like that again, I invite you to try cleaning the mortis. I would say about 75% of the pipes I work on that have a fit that is too tight can be corrected by simple cleaning of the mortis.

 

[jazz]

+1 for putting the pipe in a freezer to get the stem off. 20 mins is normally enough for me. Also, the graphite trick works a treat.
Welsh1, Greetings from Newport. Avatar clash!! I will arm wrestle you for it :wink:

 

[huntertrw]

lenticular:
I apply beeswax to the stem's tenon only when it is too loose in the pipe's mortice, as it is more sticky than lubricious. When the fit between the tenon and mortice is too tight I first try an application of graphite (a No. 2 pencil works well) to the tenon. If that doesn't solve the problem, then, and only then, will I gently sand the tenon. Work slowly and check the fit often to avoid removing too much Vulcanite.
I hope this information is helpful to you.

 

[waxmojo]

I use wax on stems that are a tad loose. If a stem dos not go on smooth I rub on a little soap.

 

[buroak]

I will add yet one more endorsement to the freezer and graphite tricks. I have used these quite a bit and with much success. I did have to sand the tenons on a cased pair of unsmoked BBB Ultima Thule pipes from the 1930s. As far as I can tell the pipes had sat so long that oxidation had partly fused the tenons to the mortises. Sanding the tenons was nerve-racking, but one twist with 1500 grit sandpaper solved the problem for one of the pipes. The other took two twists. After sanding, I applied graphite via mechanical pencil. Both pipes now have perfect tenon-mortise fit. They may tighten if I ever bring myself to smoke the pipes, but I will cross that bridge when (or if) I get there.

 

[dmcmtk]

Fridge, freezer, yes. "Graphite Grease" (No. 2 pencil), yes. Clean mortise, YES!, These days I just rub the tenon on a bar of Ivory soap, I find it works best.

 

[instymp]

+1 huntertrw, as far as the bees wax

had one get tight on me this week, a dunhill, & cured it with just proper cleaning.