Shank too tight

[pipesolitude]

Hi all,
I left my favorite briar pipe lying on the windowsill for several weeks expoused to sunlight (stem separated from pipe). That was a big mistake. Now the stem no longer fits into the shank of the pipe. My conjecture is that it is the expousure to tempurature changes due to direct sunshine that has made the shank tighter. And it is really bad, with force the stem can be pressed in no more than a milimiter or so. If the problem were the opposite, if the stem was sitting too loosely in the shank, then I would know how to go about it. But I never had this problem before, and the stem has always fitted perfect on this particular pipe. I have removed the pipe from the windowsill and it has been laying for a week now, hoping it perhaps would have some effect, but it is just the same.
Is there any hope of fixing this? Some clever method? I hate to see my favorite pipe go wasted like this. Thanks in advance.

 

[jensen]

Dry handsoap on the peg

 

[mothernaturewilleatusallforbreakfast]

I would start with using a pencil to rub some graphite on the tenon. That might do the trick?

 

[zack24]

Exposed to the sun with no stem, the mortise has dried and shrunk.If you try to force the stem back into place, you'll probably crack the shank even with lubrication. You might give it a week for the stummel to rest, stick the stem in the freezer overnight and try to gently insert it. If that doesn't work, it's time to reduce the size of the tenon through sanding if it's a cheapo, or send out out to have a repair guy reduce the tenon or make a new stem.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Another thing you might try is smoking it! With the tenon in just a bit, you can carefully smoke it. The heat and moisture from the smoke might do good things.. Might.

 

[bonanzadriver]

I second the sanding recommendation.
It's not difficult at all, just be patient and take a little bit off at a time.
Simply wrap a small piece of sand paper around the tenon and twist it back and forth.
But, patience my friend, patience.

 

[cranseiron]

+1 what jpm says. I've heard this from other veteran piper's, too. Wood moves, contracts and expands with moisture levels. Reintroducing some heat and moisture might just work. It's the simplest attempt at a solution at this point and it's non-destructive. If it doesn't work you always have the other options.

 

[jpmcwjr]

I agree with the above post! Brilliantly written, incisive and concise.

 

[cranseiron]

John, my payola is in the mail 8)

 

[pagan]

+2 what @jpmcwjr says, don't sand, you might cause future problems

 

[iamn8]

Anytime it's just too tight I use KY.

 

[mayfair70]

^^^ This !

Maybe a nice dinner and a few drinks first as well. :mrgreen:

 

[philobeddoe]

It seems to me that you need to put some degree of moisture back into the briar, perhaps keeping it in the bathroom during a shower or three might rehydrate the wood a bit, just be sure to dry any condensation off the wood and put a pipe cleaner through the shank afterwords to catch any condensation inside the draft hole, its worth a try and doesn't damage antpything permantly.

 

[pipesolitude]

Thanks for all replies!
You know what, to my surprise the first and easiest trick suggested by mothernature actually did the trick. I just took a pencil and rubbed graphit on the tenon and then: perfect fit! I was not ignorant about this method but I did not even consider it at first because I did'nt imagine it would help. But perhaps the wood had also changed a bit since last, I don't know. Very happy now to be able to smoke my Vauen Luxus again. :D