Savinelli Issue

[BlueMaxx]

I just received my new Savinelli 320 rustic Fantasia, and the stem is really loose, spins freely and comes out without any effort.
I called the company and was advised to take a q-tip and warm water and swab the mortise and then reinsert and wait a day, then repeat if it is still loose.

He was very nonchalant and said this is a common problem.

So never having purchased a new pipe, is this common?

He said to go through these steps before returning because it is very common and I have no need to worry.

Being a wood worker, my response was "I see where your going with this, but what happens when it dries again and the wood shrinks back?"

He said not to worry, it will not.

Just looking for some experienced advice here..

Thanks,

M

 

[BROBS]

That’s too loose IMO. Especially for a new pipe. I personally would return it.

 

[lightmybriar]

I’ve run into this issue with some of my own pipes before, post-cleaning. One or two smokes through them and they tightened back up. If you feel like it, give it the swab and see what happens. If you’re not satisfied and don’t want to bother, I think you can push for a return. A new pipe should come ready to go, in my opinion.

I like tinkering with things, so if it was me, I’d do the swab before I’d send it back.

 

[bullet08]

If it's spinning as you say, return it. However, it's just loose, smoking it few times will fix it. Sort of like what they said. Too loose, go back. Little loose, try their trick. Have two pipes, Peterson more or less only brand I smoke, came with little more than slightly loose tenon. Smoked it few times and now they are fine. I thought Savinelli didn't have this kinda problems!!!

 

[mso489]

I'd likely try the q-tip procedure and go for a return if it doesn't work. I did have one pipe, a Peterson, where the stem became extremely loose, then tightened up with cooling or the weather or something, and has been fine for years since. I am surprised; Savs are usually trouble free.

 

[alaskanpiper]

Let it sit for a few days, if that doesn’t work heat the tenon with a lighter or candle and then wait for it to cool. Temp changes (such as experienced in the mail) can make the shape of the plastic change, but it should return to its original shape after heating and cooling.

At least with vulcanite, not sure if it works with acryclic etc.

 

[BROBS]

I think the Savinelli tenon is delrin?

 

[BlueMaxx]

That’s too loose IMO. Especially for a new pipe. I personally would return it.

I thought so to.
I have two other new Savanellis and they are both firmly tight.

I am not over exaggerating the looseness, if you tried to clench it it would turn turtle....
I guess I feel for what to me is a hefty sum of cash, I shouldn't have to tinker...but then again I am new so I do not want to overreact.

 

[wolflarsen]

I have an estate Savinelli 673 that came with a stem as loose as you're describing. It only took a smoke or two before it fit perfectly snug and has stayed that way for about 4 years now. The pipe was given to me by a cigar smoker who said that he hadn't smoked it in years, so the shank was probably very dry when I got it. I agree that a new pipe should be ready to go but at the same time I would not be surprised if the guy's q-tip suggestion works. I'd give it a try and see what happens.

 

[BlueMaxx]

Well,
One thing I was not going to mention, but really was the impetus for me even posting, is that he said, and I am semi paraphrasing...that when I buy a pipe in this cost range that it is a factory made pipe and not as well put together as say a handmade more expensive pipe these are issues you should expect..

I sort of felt like Dom Deluise in Mel Brooks History of the World....


"Did he just call me fat?"

Instead I felt like,

"Did he just say I am a peasant who should expect this lesser grade pipe because I cannot pay $$$ for a proper finished one?"

Ok, rant off...

 

[wolflarsen]

On second thought, I would not mess around with a q-tip.
I'd remove the stem, hold the stummel under the sink faucet, and run warm water through it, letting it soak in the shank for a minute or so. Then replace the stem and let it dry about 48 hours before testing the fit. If that proves to be a bust then I'd return it.
Even the most inexpensive Savinelli pipes have stems that fit. Peasantry is not the problem here.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I believe if you try the q tip thing and smoke it half a dozen times, the heat and moisture from smoking it will solve the problem. However, if you were to let it sit for several months without smoking it, I suspect it would loosen up again. If it is as loose as you say, and no reason to believe it isn't what you described, I think I'd return it. I've had a few pipes that sat for awhile and got slightly loose and tightened up nicely as soon as I smoked them. But not something as loose as you described.

 

[bullet08]

I would call the guy back and suggest politely that once he receives the pipe back, shove it up where the sun don't shine and see if the stem holds on to the stummel. Maybe the guy only smokes handmade pipes and doesn't know what an asshole he is. Maybe he needs a direction to find his asshole.

 

[TinCup]

Send it to me, I'll bench-test it for a while and return it after i'm certain its either a) knackered or b) working well
(I estimate 4-6 years)

(p.s pls include baccy, I cant be expected to be out of pocket testing your pipe for you) ?

 

[hauntedmyst]

Take the stem out, rub some beeswax on the tenon and reinsert it and smoke it. Done

 

[swilford]

I just received my new Savinelli 320 rustic Fantasia, and the stem is really loose, spins freely and comes out without any effort.
I called the company and was advised to take a q-tip and warm water and swab the mortise and then reinsert and wait a day, then repeat if it is still loose.

He was very nonchalant and said this is a common problem.

So never having purchased a new pipe, is this common?

He said to go through these steps before returning because it is very common and I have no need to worry.

Being a wood worker, my response was "I see where your going with this, but what happens when it dries again and the wood shrinks back?"

He said not to worry, it will not.

Just looking for some experienced advice here..

Thanks,

M

Obviously I have no idea who you spoke to or what company you bought the pipe from, but what the customer service agent should have said is that this is fairly common, particularly in winter, because the wood contracts somewhat in transit when it goes from a climate controlled warehouse to a cold truck (or whatever) for a couple of days. It solves itself--usually--after a couple of days inside again. That process can be helped along by applying a little water with a q-tip, or just smoking it (though the latter can be impractical if it's really loose).

My guess is that you live some place that's either pretty cold or pretty dry or both, or the pipe spent a couple of days in transit in such places.

Again, I can't speak to geographic specifics, but it's not atypical for pipe stems to show up loose in the winter. It's less of an issue in the summer by and large.

So, if you're wondering what happens after the water dries, it's not an issue: the water is correcting for the fact that the wood got a little dry and contracted some in transit. It's just speeding up the process of addressing the issue.

If it isn't better in 2-3 days (with no intervention), or after a couple of smokes or after a couple of hours after moisture is applied with a q-tip, then it's a problem with the pipe and should be returned. But 90% of the time--especially this time of year--it's just because the pipe has been in transit and will sort itself out on its own.

That it has anything to do with being a Savinelli versus an artisan pipe is nonsense.

Sykes

 

[seldom]

I've an estate Savinelli Punto Oro. Sometimes when I leave it in a car and it gets cold at night, it will get loose in the way you describe. It can be so loose that it is unusable, the pipe would just fall right off the stem. After it has warmed up it is fine.

As an aside that pipe came with two stems, one acrylic and one ebonite. I've not experimented to see if one stem is more prone to this issue than the other.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

As a side note,not long ago, I was about to buy a brand new Dunhill shell from England, and to my and seller's great surprise the stem was that loose, that he the vendor refused to ship the pipe to me and instead opted to return it back to the White Spot warehouses

 

[Kozeman]

As a side note,not long ago, I was about to buy a brand new Dunhill shell from England, and to my and seller's great surprise the stem was that loose that ,he the vendor refused to ship the pipe to me and instead opted return it back to the White Spot warehouses

... Where they promptly dabbed it with a cotton swab of water and returned it to the stock room.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

... Where they promptly dabbed it with a cotton swab of water and returned it to the stock room.

All is possible Sir, now that You said this I'm to check out if it is relisted there,somewhat I doubt