Quality Bits for Corncob Pipes

[Navojoa]

I love a good, well made briar as much as the next fellow, but there is definitely something to be said for a decent corn cob pipe. But the bits ... Those nasty, damn plastic bits!

I've always thought that somebody should make a vulcanite bit to replace the plastic ones in corn cobs. You'd keep the bit and move it from pipe to pipe. I think the mortise and tenon are pretty much standard and the same measurement on every corn cob (at least if it's a Missouri Meerschaum), so it doesn't seem that that'd be an issue.

Does anybody know if that's ever been done commercially? If so, where?

 

[Navojoa]

WHOA! I just answered my own question. Looks like somebody has thought of it!

I found a product on-line that does exactly this. The ones I stumbled across are EA Carey products, made of "propionate plastic" and look to be exactly what I'm looking for. Perhaps they're available here, too. I confess that I hadn't looked and just stumbled on this one. I really didn't think that anybody had done it.

There are versions for filtered and non-filtered mortise and tenon configurations, apparently. Nice.

 

[Navojoa]

Sorry to be dragging this out, but does anybody know if the "propionate plastic" is the same material used in the original bits that come with the pipes? I'm thinking about something like a nice vulcanite bit that will last through a lifetime of corn cobs. If the "propionate plastic" is the same, it kind of defeats my purpose.

 

[TheIronMonkey]

Propionate plastic is a nylon, so, it should be somewhat softer than acrylic. I have two or three pipes with nylon stems and they are not as hard as acrylic ones.

 

[solideogloria86]

These are the most popular option

Forever Stems - Vermont Freehand

Forever Stems Stems will fit these Missouri Meerschaum filtered pipe models; Country Gentleman Diplomat Diplomat 5th Ave. Freehand General Great Dane Spool Legend MacArthur Maple Hardwood Mark Twain Ozark Mountain Missouri Pride Washington Stems will fit these...

vermontfreehand.com

 

[mso489]

I have the same problem with the basic MM cob stems. I chew through the soft plastic stems and have to replace them. Years ago, I refitted four of my cobs with Forever stems. These are acrylic, not Vulcanite, but are superior to the soft plastic. The Forever outfit has changed hands but still makes these replacement stems. In recent years, MM has come out with special edition pipes that have acrylic stems.

These are more expensive, about $26, but easily worth the price to me. In the past MM made a few more expensive pipes with Vulcanite stems, like their freehand, but I'm not aware of any currently offered. Some people are perfectly happy with the soft plastic. They're not chewers like me. But the answer is, there are replacement stems for MM cobs, and some of their pipes come with acrylic stems.

 

[MacMarty89]

I think MM sells rubber bits as well these days. Never tried them though, but my BJ Long bits are too large for the standard MM stem.

 

[Streeper541]

These are the most popular option

Forever Stems - Vermont Freehand

Forever Stems Stems will fit these Missouri Meerschaum filtered pipe models; Country Gentleman Diplomat Diplomat 5th Ave. Freehand General Great Dane Spool Legend MacArthur Maple Hardwood Mark Twain Ozark Mountain Missouri Pride Washington Stems will fit these...

vermontfreehand.com

I was going to recommend the same thing. Forever Stems from Vermont Freehand.

 

[--dante--]

If you like the MM Country Gentleman (or other cobs with the same sized bit), Boswell Pipes usually have a selection of cobs for which they made custom bits. When you wear out the cob, just get a regular Country Gent and switch the bit. I find them to be a very good quality comfortable bit (which is to be expected as they make their own line of pipes). Currently they only have a couple churchwarden length ones, but they are always adding new ones.

 

[didimauw]

Got a couple original forever stems, and a couple from Vermont freehand before they took over the forever stems. High quality but not really my thing. They don't provide the open draw I like with my cobs. Too much gurgle.

My favorite stems are the MM Danish bits. Seemingly higher quality plastic. Softer material. Wide open.

 

[anotherbob]

I will always champion the bamboo reed stem cobs. I know they're not everyones cup of tea. But I just love them and never really like mm cobs all that much.

 

[mso489]

The reed stems come on Old Dominion pipes which are now owned by the MM outfit, though I think they may still be made by the brothers in Virginia who originated them. Or maybe the brothers still grow the cob stock. MM cobs used to come with reed stems, or some did, back in the 1950's; my dad used to buy them.

 

[frozenchurchwarden]

The 80 cent plastic bits from Missouri Meerschaum are some of the best designed pipe stems you will ever find, the engineering in the airway on those injection molded stems is on par with the best artisan pipes, and finding anything better is a case of diminishing returns to the extreme.

It's like asking someone to paint a copy of the Mona Lisa by hand instead of taking a modern re-print, machines can do in seconds what requires the greatest skill and labor from human hands.

 

[captpat]

I have a couple of the original Forever Stems, I really like em. An old MM pipe left to me from my FIL that has what appears to be a glass mouthpiece, it’s round even at the button and is ivory colored. Not a clencher.

 

[pantsBoots]

I personally hate the cheap plastic stems that come with MM cobs and have slowly changed over to the acrylic Forever Stems. I couldn't be happier. Forever Stems has language on their website suggesting that vulcanite stems that fit MM cobs are "coming soon," but that message has been up for quite a while and emails inquiring as to when they'll be available have gone unanswered.

 

[Ryan]

MM makes some pipes that come with acrylic stems to begin with, but they cost a little more. I figured out that it was cheaper to buy a MM with acrylic stem and use the stem on whichever cob I may be smoking at the time. The aftermarket acrylic stems cost just a bit more than the Emerald pipe which has an acrylic stem to begin with.

Here is a picture of my Mark Twain model with the acrylic stem from an Emerald (also MM).

 

[burleybreath]

I like the original MM plastic stems because you can chew hell out of them. When they become too gnarly to use without gagging, replacement is simple and cheap. Sharp edges and flashing that you sometimes encounter can be removed with wet or dry sandpaper, say 400 grit or so. But the acrylic stems are great, and I have several.

 

[mortonbriar]

Got a couple original forever stems, and a couple from Vermont freehand before they took over the forever stems. High quality but not really my thing. They don't provide the open draw I like with my cobs. Too much gurgle.

My favorite stems are the MM Danish bits. Seemingly higher quality plastic. Softer material. Wide open.

I do the danish bits too, try them out before coughing up for the forever stems.

 

[snagstangl]

I think if you can find a donor cob with the metal tenon like old Dr. Grabow or Medico on ebay, those stems are vulcanite.

 

[LudwigB88]

I have a very general question: I just received a Missouri Meerschaum diplomat and tried to remove the stem. It turns but does not come off. Are these stems non-removable ?