Small Crack in the Mortise

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rsshreck32

Lifer
Aug 1, 2023
1,399
23,045
Western PA
I noticed this little crack, or what appears to be a little crack in the mortise area of my Radice Rind. My fingernail doesn't catch on it but a small pocket knife does. In the photo, its top left area. I know its not the best photo, but my phone camera is lacking. I'm not sure how this happened, any solutions? 20240308_130333.jpg
 
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Briar Lee

Lifer
Sep 4, 2021
4,960
14,335
Humansville Missouri
Perfectly good green money is a terrible thing to waste.

If there was a pipe shop in town, and $20 would put a band on it, that’s one thing.

But I have a few pipes with worse cracks that never give trouble.

I’d smoke it if it were mine.

That crack isn’t headed towards the center. That pipe could outlive you.:)
 
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Briar Lee

Lifer
Sep 4, 2021
4,960
14,335
Humansville Missouri
I would band it pronto. Don't insert the stem till it's banded. Why risk cracking it and having an even more expensive repair bill ?

The argument for just smoking it and trying (admittedly that will be hard) to forget you ever saw the crack is if it ever leaks air it will require a band. And the band will cost the same then, as now.

I have one beautful little Comoy’s with a tiny crack all the way through, in the same place. The tenon goes further in the mortise than the crack. It only hurts my soul, to know it’s cracked.:)

The pipe could be replaced for the cost of a band, it doesn’t need after twenty years of smoking with a tiny crack.
 
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