Screw in bulldog stem problem

[RustiePyles CPG]

It’s bone for sure. Bone tenons and amber are both VERY fragile. The question is it a double thread bone tenon or a single thread bone tenon. It’s likely frozen into the stem as that’s what bone tends to do. But if it’s not frozen and it’s a double thread tenon you can unscrew it from the stem until it’s clocked in the right position. This works because double thread tenons use two different thread pitches, this controls the tenon depth. If it’s a single thread tenon there’s not much you can do besides use a paper shim (hole reinforcement)

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

To determine if it’s amber or catalin rub the stem vigorously with your thumb, to the point of generating heat. Amber will smell like turpentine, catalin will smell like formaldehyde.

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

Double thread vs a single thread bone tenon.

 

[SaxonX]

Thanks everyone-I am now away for a few days but will let you know how I get on when I’m back!

 

[georged]

A fellow in Chicago named Chuck Gray was the top antique meer and amber repairman in America for years. Possibly the best in the world.

He retired about five years ago, leaving collectors of such pipes SOL. (I do not mess with meers or amber as a categorical thing).

Then the COVID shitshow came along and required one of the world's top expert-fixers of computer controlled, multi-million-dollar commercial meat processing machines to work from home as much as possible for a while.

A situation that led to him deep-diving into the repair of one of his passions---antique meer and amber pipes---as a hobby.

(You can see where this is going, I'm sure)

Because he's smart as hell, flexible of thought process, loves challenges, and is massively passionate as a general thing about the slices of Life that interest him, he is now very probably---almost certainly, in fact---the closest thing to a new Chuck Gray that planet Earth has.

He does not have Chuck's hands-on experience in "specimen count" terms, of course, but that will come with time. Everything else is there.

More, actually. The new guy has many skills and attributes that Chuck did not.

Bottom line to the OP: listen to Rustie

 

[Ahi Ka]

From the pic, it looks like your silver band is hallmarked to Chester 1913 or thereabouts. Have a look at the mark closest to the stem and it will be a fancy letter written on its side.

As for the tenon. If it were my pipe, I would just wrap a small amount of Teflon (Plummers) tape around it and see if that helps with the clocking. If it works I personally prefer this to using a paper shim.

 

[SaxonX]

From the pic, it looks like your silver band is hallmarked to Chester 1913 or thereabouts. Have a look at the mark closest to the stem and it will be a fancy letter written on its side.

As for the tenon. If it were my pipe, I would just wrap a small amount of Teflon (Plummers) tape around it and see if that helps with the clocking. If it works I personally prefer this to using a paper shim.

Thanks for that - Chester is not so far from me so that would be cool! and I will try the teflon tape (I have loads....a lifetime's supply in fact!) before I go any further.

 

[Kirklands]

What is the hole reinforcer trick

I think the suggestion is to use a paper hole reinforcer. Slip it over the tenon and it will cause the stem to tighten sooner. Search for "paper hole reinforcers" if you're not familiar with these little jobbies.

 

[SaxonX]

Hi chaps, thanks for all the pointers and advice- I tried a bit of everything. In the end I warmed the stem very gently, wound some pvc tape around the thread and eased the threaded tenon out a smidge....it worked an absolute treat and is now perfectly aligned! just need to give it a salt treatment and it's ready to try. Thanks again everyone!

 

[SaxonX]

From the pic, it looks like your silver band is hallmarked to Chester 1913 or thereabouts. Have a look at the mark closest to the stem and it will be a fancy letter written on its side.

As for the tenon. If it were my pipe, I would just wrap a small amount of Teflon (Plummers) tape around it and see if that helps with the clocking. If it works I personally prefer this to using a paper shim.

Just researched it and it is Chester, 1909, Solomon Lyon, thanks for the pointer!

 

[orlandofurioso]

Hi chaps, thanks for all the pointers and advice- I tried a bit of everything. In the end I warmed the stem very gently, wound some pvc tape around the thread and eased the threaded tenon out a smidge....it worked an absolute treat and is now perfectly aligned! just need to give it a salt treatment and it's ready to try. Thanks again everyone!View attachment 242591

Better try cottonballs in stead of salt .
Congrats on the repair, good show