Should I Repair/Coat/ Just Ignore the Nick/Crack?

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Hillcrest

Lifer
Dec 3, 2021
2,640
12,779
Bagshot Row, Hobbiton
My new Vauen Olaf bent egg has briar ring on the end of the stem where it meets the shank. The pipe arrived with a nick to the shank and ring as if someone tried to pry the stem off the pipe with a sharp instrument. I bought the pipe knowing this nick existed and thats probably why on sale. I bought the pipe as a new unsmoked estate pipe from SmokingPipes.Eu on sale for about 50% of retail and it is a knock around working pipe. After about 10 bowls I have noticed the briar ring is developing a hairline crack from the nick to the left of the diamond chip as if a piece of the briar ring may eventually fall out. It is the dark line to left from top of nick. Its underneath the pipe so it won't be seen.

My first thought was to coat the briar ring with a light coat of Sally Hanson Chip Resistant Top Coat Acrylic Nail Polish to seal the nick and crack so no further damage would occur. Why ? Only because I have that handy and would prefer it to a glue. I haven't done anything yet but wondered what others might suggest.

My question to the League of Extraordinary Pipesmokers :

What method of quick repair would you suggest knowing its a less expensive knock around working pipe and the issue does not effect smoking in any way ?
P.S. The ring is permanently attached to the stem. I would definitely recommend these pipes to others.

Thanks for any reasonably quick easy suggestions ! Its not worth it to me sending out anywhere. Pictures are the best I could do as its so small.

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Last edited by a moderator:

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
The nick is well away from the ember. i don't think the heat of the smoke is going to start any sort of process. I'd do something innocuous to fix it up cosmetically, if it bothers you. I'd probably just leave it be. Slight irregularities give a pipe a little character, especially a German pipe that can tend to look over-engineered. It's a handsome. My wife spotted it from across the hall and said it was shapely.
 

Hillcrest

Lifer
Dec 3, 2021
2,640
12,779
Bagshot Row, Hobbiton
The nick is well away from the ember. i don't think the heat of the smoke is going to start any sort of process. I'd do something innocuous to fix it up cosmetically, if it bothers you. I'd probably just leave it be. Slight irregularities give a pipe a little character, especially a German pipe that can tend to look over-engineered. It's a handsome. My wife spotted it from across the hall and said it was shapely.
Apparently women agree. I was advised to buy it by a woman who saw it over my shoulder while I was looking online and said it was a good looking pipe that would make me look distinguished! (Still waiting for that to happen :ROFLMAO: mostly get sneers from nonsmokers!)

I think the ring crack is occurring from twisting the stem off to replace the filters so my gut tells me to lightly coat it with nail polish or something ... sparingly of course.
 

Hillcrest

Lifer
Dec 3, 2021
2,640
12,779
Bagshot Row, Hobbiton
I'd consider using some epoxy and sanding it level, or rely on capillary action to fill with cyanoacrylate.
I'm sorry perhaps I miswrote. I don't care about the nick ... I'm worried about the crack line going from the top of the nick to the left ... in the photo it appears as a brown line... once it completes a half moon shape piece will detach to left of nick.
 

Hillcrest

Lifer
Dec 3, 2021
2,640
12,779
Bagshot Row, Hobbiton
I checked it this morning ... the crack expanded and the piece is just starting to break away so I will have to twist stem in opposite direction from now on ... not a big deal. I did put a pin drop of nail polish rather than glue on the flat side of ring to secure it. It won't be seen and will fit flush against shank. If it breaks it breaks. It does not effect smoking and is on the underside so most of the time it would only be noticeable to me. Thanks for all the responses.

P.S. I did that because on the flat side it now looks like the briar ring is starting to crumble microscopically. I suspect it underwent some crushing stress somehow at some point before I got it. I don't know how that could happen but it seems that way.
 
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Hillcrest

Lifer
Dec 3, 2021
2,640
12,779
Bagshot Row, Hobbiton
Funny Update ... meanwhile 3 hours later ... the nail polish peeled right off like cheap cellophane tape leaving no residue or trace ... back to square one ! The briar ring on the Vauen Olaf must be coated with something that prevents anything from adhering to it ! Well made ! If needs be in the future I will try a micro pin drop of glue but as of now I will ignore it and hope for best. Have a wonderful day !
 
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kschatey

Lifer
Oct 16, 2019
1,118
2,271
Ohio
Funny Update ... meanwhile 3 hours later ... the nail polish peeled right off like cheap cellophane tape leaving no residue or trace ... back to square one ! The briar ring on the Vauen Olaf must be coated with something that prevents anything from adhering to it ! Well made ! If needs be in the future I will try a micro pin drop of glue but as of now I will ignore it and hope for best. Have a wonderful day !
A smidge of wood glue and/or a zip tie.
 
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Hillcrest

Lifer
Dec 3, 2021
2,640
12,779
Bagshot Row, Hobbiton
How about a photo showing current state? (no white b/g's!)
Sorry jpmcwjr, I just saw this post or I would have responded sooner ! The above photos were taken with a Cannon Powershot SX260 with an 80x zoom, zoomed to about 22x from about 8 inches away, after that the picture gets distorted and blurry. Since the nail polish peeled off I haven't done anything --- it hasn't gotten worse and looks the same except that the nail polish on the flat side of the ring did seem to drip down into the crack a bit and may be stabilizing it. The flat side just looks a little shiny in that one tiny area. If it gets worse I will do what Ironmonkey said and use wood glue.
 
Dec 3, 2021
4,792
40,300
Pennsylvania & New York
Sorry jpmcwjr, I just saw this post or I would have responded sooner ! The above photos were taken with a Cannon Powershot SX260 with an 80x zoom, zoomed to about 22x from about 8 inches away, after that the picture gets distorted and blurry. Since the nail polish peeled off I haven't done anything --- it hasn't gotten worse and looks the same except that the nail polish on the flat side of the ring did seem to drip down into the crack a bit and may be stabilizing it. The flat side just looks a little shiny in that one tiny area. If it gets worse I will do what Ironmonkey said and use wood glue.
My recommendation was actually amber coloured cyanoacrylate (although wood glue might be easier to remove if need be). Stewart-MacDonald makes several kinds used for guitar repair. They work well for use on pipes. The thin or medium version will seep into the crack.

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