Sound advice?

[spyder71]

This is for (wood) briar pipes!
Put the entire pipe with stem in the pipe in your freezer for ten minutes while boiling a cup of water in the microwave!
Put the (only the male female joining) stem (plastic part) of the briar pipe in the boiling water for (30) sec. and that should be enough!
Take the briar bowl out of the freezer and immediately reunite the two parts.
Smoke immediately to rejoin the two parts equally!
Don't ever again separate the two parts for cleaning while hot or warm again.
Problem solved!

Anyone ever try this method to tighten up a loose bit? Have a pipe that smokes great but won't hardly stay together! Ive tried bees wax but it is a temporary solution and I'm not too keen on the nail polish idea so hoping this will work. Sounds like it would work, but it's not like I have any practical experience with something like this! I'm broke so I can't be wreckin' a pipe! Thnx all

 

[ontariopipeguy]

I have not tried that way of fixing a loose pipe, but i have used nail poilish to cure one of my pipes... Borrowed some of the wifes clear nail polish, applied it on the stem trying to keep it even as possible, dried, and then sanded lightly until the fit was just right

 

[lonestar]

If you have an ice pick, thats the perfect tool. If not a phillips screw driver might do it.

Heat the tenon with a lighter or candle, just gently waving the flame back and forth while turning the stem. You just want the flame to barely kiss the tenon and transfer heat.

When the rubber starts to get just soft enough, insert the ice pick enough to gently widen the tenon.

Let it cool, then insert in pipe to see if it is tight enough.

You dont want to overdo it, its much harder to make a tenon smaller again

 

[bootlegbonvivant]

+1 for Lonestar's post. This is how I fix loose stems.

 

[marmal4de]

+1 for Lonestar's post. This is how I fix loose stems.

Likewise.

 

[collin]

I've heated several over the stove burner, (ever so slightly) and mashed them against the countertop.
But you've got to be smarter than the material your working with,....don't heat any longer or push any harder than you absolutely need to.

:D

 

[bootlegbonvivant]

If the bees wax did not work use clear finger nail polish on the tenon, I would not heat and disfigure the tenon.

Heating carefully and slowly will not disfigure the tenon. Key part is slowly and carefully. Also, make sure to rotate the stem so that heat is distributed evenly.

 

[spyder71]

Just had very good luck fixing this pipe :D I remembered that I have a couple tapered gauging needles from my piercings. I probably over thought it but here is what I did...

I have a soldering iron within arms reach because one of my hobbies is fixing/modding guitars and effects pedals. I turned on the iron and while it was was heating up took pipe apart and inserted a pipe cleaner to one end, and then inserted my tapered needle till it was snug. I then used the needle to turn the stem like a pig on a spit. I used the needle figuring if I got the stem warm it would loosen on the needle and I would know it was time to push. Well, that didn't work so I just applied a VERY light pressure with a slight twisting motion every so often to see if it was softening up. It worked awesome!

Great tip and I thank you very much Now the pipe doesn't tip with the slightest nudge, depositing hot ash in my lap! Now it's my favorite pipe! Btw, This pipe is a Whitehall(Italy) and appears to have only been smoked a few times. I got a humidor/stand and three other pipes, all in nearly mint condition, for a whopping 40.00 off The Bay Turns out the pipe my wife bought smokes so damn hot I can hardly use it but after a story I read it was given a place of honor on my desk. Between that and my explanation that if I use it everyday it will not last very long so I save for "special" tobacco's. I now have the OK to buy more pipes so that I don't wear out the one she picked for me. May sound awful to some but this ain't my first rodeo, and I know my wife well enough to know she would be heart broken to know I didn't like it. Everyone shhhhhhh....

 

[portascat]

Hell , just heated up the end of one of mine with a bic lighter and mashed it against the top of a firm motorcycle parts catalog.
Snug as a bug.

 

[lonestar]

Its pretty easy to do, but if you manage to screw it up its hard to fix a tenon that you made too big.

 

[unclearthur]

I use an awl . insert into stem and hold in front of heat gun gently push in the awl as the tenon heats. Stop before you think you are done. Cool tenon and test.

 

[unclearthur]

Dealing with repairs I make them permanent. No idea how many pipes I have restored.Right now I have around three hundred on hand.

 

[unclearthur]

They can always send the pipe to me! :twisted:

 

[pdmus]

I have one pipe that the stem became loose on. I got s small pot of water boiling. I got a drill bit, slightly larger than the inside diameter of the part of the stem that fits into the shank (tenon?). I put the stem tip (tenon?) into the boiling water for about 30 seconds. Then I inserted the "chuck" (smooth) part of the drill bit into the stem for about 10 minutes, until cool and hardened. It widened the tip of the stem and now it fits tightly.

 

[smokindawg]

I've found that most times just heating the stem will bring it back to it's original size, as the rubber has somewhat of a memory. After heating the stem tends to fit snug again. If it doesn't I then go with the ice pick or drill bit method.
If the stem is acrylic the, just heating method won't work though.
And as said, make sure that you don't over do it or you'll then have to sand the tenon to make it fit again.

 

[unclearthur]

If the stem is acrylic be VERY careful with heat. The temp it slumps is very close to where it softens.

 

[smokindawg]

Yep, I agree with you unclearthur, overheat acrylic and the stem most likely can't be saved.
Another word of advice, if your not comfortable making more permanent repairs, or repairs of any kind, send the pipe to someone that can do it for you. Better to pay for the repair done by another and have it work than to try to make the repair yourself and pay for it by causing damage that will cost even more to repair.

 

[spyder71]

Sorry folks! See above post...typical me jumped in head first! Im glad to report it all worked though. Thank you all for the advice! I only paid a few bucks for the pipe so I figured even if it didnt go well I was gaining so much in the experience. Experience I may need when I go messin around with really nice pipes :wink: Thnx again all!