Right pipe. Wrong stem ?

[mluyckx]

Quick opinion poll... or thoughts at least.
When I came home yesterday I found a little package on my desk. It was a BC "Balzac" I picked up on eBay for $30.

Good news: Love the pipe, really nice grain, it's unsmoked (cleaners came out like new, coating in the bowl is intact)

Weird: The stem doesn't fit the BC Balzac pipes I find out there. I think it may be a replacement. But it does have "BC" on it (although a little off-set and not quite crisp).
Anyways, I'm about to light up a bowl and see how it smokes, but has anyone ever seen a BC Balzac with a shorter stem like this ?
Here's some pictures

BC Balzac writing (Sorry it's out of focus, but it's readable)

Lovely grain on the bowl though.

 

[tobakenist]

I think it is the right stem, the end of the shank has been stained and waxed and beveled, so it's not meant for a flush fit stem, BC do some quirky designs, part of their appeal, give the stem a good de-ox and a polish, it will look great, fill it up and smoke it.

 

[pentangle]

looking at the design of the stem and at the end of shank i suppose it is the original stem

 

[tomdavis]

Regardless it is a great looking pipe. Nothing better than coming home to a new pipe...don't tell my wife I said that.

 

[htmn246]

Nice! Enjoy the stem looks ok to me.

 

[mluyckx]

Oh it smokes great. The stem fits quite nicely, if not perfectly. No issues there. :puffpipe:
But for reference, here's a picture of the ones I find out there. They seem to be more churchwarden-like. The shank seems to be in the same shape, but just fitted with a longer stem. But hey, I paid $30 for a new one, while the churchwardens retail for closer to $80. So I'm happy ;-)

 

[seakayak]

It looks fine to me. The widening at the top of the shank is reflected in the stem. Any minor fit problems can usually be easily corrected. I've come across several good threads on this site that address this.

 

[rigmedic1]

I've gotten a pipe or 2 online that didn't have the same stem as the pictures, but if it fits and passes a pipe cleaner, enjoy! I have a Savinelli Bing's Favorite with a filter stem that doesn't have the golf club logo. Pipe is otherwise perfect.

 

[mluyckx]

Just had my first bowl in it. What a local guy sells as Virginia mild (I think it's Mv-1000) It's a pretty deep bowl, so i only filled half. Smoked very nice, cool, kept the ember really well. Draw was a little "smaller" or "tighter" than on the Petersons, but stiwith unite smooth. The stem feels very light and fragile in my mouth, so not good for clenching that's for sure. Really a sipping pipe. Cleaner ran through very well after the smoke. Try some Irish flake in it tomorrow. The deep bowl may suit that well
Overall, I'm happy with this pipe for the money I paid for it. Wrong stem or not ;-)

 

[unclearthur]

Looks right to me.