Radice Acrylic Stems Cracking

[sfduke]

Recall there was a thread on Radice using substandard acrylic for the stems a couple years ago resulting in cracked buttons.
Has anyone noticed hairline cracks radiating from the two wooden dot inserts for the Radice makersmark on the stem? Have an estate 55 rind that was made around this period and noticed the hairline cracks (about 6-8) around each wooden dot. Only visible in the sunlight, but have not seen this before on other Radice acrylic stems.
Anyone else have or experienced this same issue? Not even sure how to contact the Radices directly about this.

 

[cigrmaster]

sf, who did you buy the pipes from? Were they new or estates? If new I would assume the place you bought them from would be on the hook. Now you have me nervous as I was eyeballing a couple of Radice's with ebonite stems. I hope they aren't having issues with those as well.

 

[briarblues]

sfduke;
Having dealt directly with Radice and having seen many as estates, I have not seen this issue. As it was an estate pipe, you just never know what may have been done to the pipe, prior to getting into your hands. IF someone may have opened the tenon too far it may have caused stress under the dots.
Harris - the Radice stems with Ebonite are excellent. As well cut as what is expected from the better US carvers. Thin and comfortable. I was surprised, when the first 3 arrived at my door. I expected the stems to be cut similar to the Lucite stems, but no way. Far superior. You may also find that these newer Radice's have a more open draw.
Regards

Michael J. Glukler

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

You may also find that these newer Radice's have a more open draw

I guess old Luigi didn't learn how to make a pipe. That Carlo Scotti character must have been a real wood butcher.

 

[cigrmaster]

Mike, thanks for the info on Radice. I used to own some of his pipes and always liked how they smoked. I always thought they smoked as good as my Castello's.

 

[briarblues]

OGS, now you know better than that. Luigi is a master at his craft. He, and his sons, like Castello, are wise enough to have adapted to what the market expects. Currently a more open air passage through stem and shank is what many buyers prefer. It's not like when you began, ( a looooooong loooong time ago ), when people never ran pipe cleaners through stems because they were drilled so small. ( tongue planted firmly in cheek )
See me ducking back into my cave .......
Regards

Michael J. Glukler

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

Mike, people who had problems running a pipe cleaner through older Castellos must have been using the thick end of a tapered cleaner. I have had exactly one Castello in 35 years where that was a problem The market you speak of is simply a bunch of West Coast loudmouth whiners who convinced others that they know all that is worth knowing about pipe smoking.

 

[thesmokindragon]

I have four Radice pipes, all with acrylic stems ( all purchased new ), I have not seen/had these types of issues with my four. +1/w cigrmaster in that they all smoke as good as my Castello

 

[sfduke]

Thanks Mike and Harris. The pipe was an estate from SP. I know they will take it back without any questions, but I have a decent Radice collection and have never noticed this issue. Also agree their ebonite stems are great. Wish they made more since I usually have to special order them.

 

[sfduke]

Forgot to mention the estate was barely smoked. If I had to guess, less than 10 bowls in it based on the bowl color.

 

[briarblues]

OGS, hmmmmm ... I guess I'm glad I'm soft a soft spoken West Coaster, I rarely wine, as I prefer Tequila, and I freely admit to NOT be an expert on anything pipes or tobaccos.
As far as Castello stems, you have been lucky. The 1970's colored Lucite stems were drilled to a much smaller diameter than the current Castello's.
Regards

MJG

 

[peckinpahhombre]

I'll just leave this here:
http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/radice-buttons-breaking-coincidence

 

[briarblues]

peck, that is an interesting thread. Gives me cause to wonder. I have never seen anything similar with a Radice. I have had other Lucite stems crack / chip, but not to the extent of the Radice's you had. I can only assume that Radice acquired a batch of rod that was inferior. Wish I had been around when you had the issue. Would have been easy enough to send the stems to Luigi for his input.
REgards

Michael J. Glukler

 

[georged]

Someone probably soaked the stem in alcohol to clean it. Acrylic doesn't play well with extended alcohol exposure.
As for needle-tight Castello stems... Yup, that's how they were for a time. I've been sent a fair bunch of them to open over the years.

 

[sfduke]

Thanks George. Will have to check with SP if they soak stems in alcohol during their restoration process for estates. Damn shame since the pipe is perfect in every other way.

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

Mike, one of my best smokers is an estate SS 17 with a champagne colored stem. The stem is drilled ridiculously tight to anyone who looks at it, including me. Yet it will pass a standard pipe cleaner. I guess if I can get a pipe lit, put it in my mouth and it stays going without any real effort on my part, and doesn't need relights, the draw is open enough.
You have some idea of how many Castellos passed through my hands back in the day. There was never any hint of a ubiquitous problem that I heard about at, say, shows, until a few people got on their soapbox on the old ASP. And I have seen dozens of pipes, not just Castellos, from those days that were sent to the leading advocate of "opening them up" and at least a third of those had visible signs of being hacked. It is not an easy thing to do. I am sure George does a better job, but I would bet he has to tell someone every now and then to leave the pipe alone.
And I would never accuse a Canadian of being a loudmouth. I guess I qualify, and if anyone has to go back to their cave it should be me since I freely confess to being a Neanderthal.

 

[georged]

And I have seen dozens of pipes, not just Castellos, from those days that were sent to the leading advocate of "opening them up" and at least a third of those had visible signs of being hacked. It is not an easy thing to do.

Huh!? Why, it's a VERY easy thing... to screw up. :rofl:
Yeah, the "bigger is better" airway movement has faded considerably---even Rick Newcombe doesn't open his pipes as much today as he once did (and freely admits it)---but from time to time a pipe comes along that simply "won't work"... meaning constantly goes out and (usually) collects a ton-O-moisture, and making the airway's cross section larger usually takes care of it.
I even bought such a problem child myself within the last year. This one:
http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/calling-the-duke-street-irregulars-id-old-dunhill-bamboo-pipe
It didn't just smoke poorly, it was unsmokable. Some careful material removal was all it took to turn it into an excellent smoker though. It's now a favorite.
As for this:

I am sure George does a better job, but I would bet he has to tell someone every now and then to leave the pipe alone.

It's a categorical recommendation, in fact. "If it already smokes OK, LEAVE IT ALONE!" Never try to make an acceptable pipe into a magic pipe by messing with its airway. The dynamics are too much voodoo and not enough science.
If you absolutely, positively want it done, though, be assured that the process isn't nearly as simple as it looks in the sense that some pipes ARE easy to do, while others shouldn't be touched, and knowing how to tell them apart takes a lot of experience. (i.e. A lot of replacement stems I've made over the years were for kitchen table techs who didn't realize what they were getting into.)

 

[tschiraldi]

I still haven't gotten a Radice, but I've had, and have, several Castellos and Ascortis. I actually prefer the airways on the older ones. Don't get me wrong, my Coppo Castellos are all great smoker's, but I still like the Scotti pipes best, especially for flames! Same with the Ascorti pipes. Some of today's carvers turn the airways into veritable wind tunnels, which I do not enjoy! The only cracked stem I ever had was on a cheap H.I.S. Italia pipe.

 

[georged]

Thanks George. Will have to check with SP if they soak stems in alcohol during their restoration process for estates.

Adam Davidson runs that department, and I guarantee he knows not to do it.