Stay With the Stinger?

[oklansas]

I just got my new Tsuge Kaga Sandblasted Bent Brandy (from the fine folks at smokingpipes) and was quite excited about giving it a try with some flake. Yet, when the stem pulled out for inspection - there it was, a Stinger.
Now, I'm still fairly new to pipe smoking, but, it seems I am running into quite a bit of these aluminum juice stoppers. So far, I've chosen to chuck these little metal bits in favor of a more open draw, and been quite happy with the result. However, this being my first decent pipe that came with one, I thought I might give it the benefit of the doubt.
The result was...not good.
I found myself having to draw so hard to get air actually past the stinger, that the pipe smoked very hot and the tobacco (McB Navy Flake) got really goopy wet. I gave it a half dozen lights, but couldn't even make it past the first 1/2 of the bowl. Totally disgusted at this point, I gave up altogether and grabbed my Savinelli unfinished and some Peterson Old Dublin - it cheered me with a great smoke highlighted with hints of latakia.
But, back to my kaga...
I know I will like this pipe. What flavors I could get out of the flake were pretty exceptional - though maddeningly brief they were - and I really think that removing the stinger from the pipe will make all the difference. Now, since that aborted bowl, I went back and did a more thorough pipe cleaning of the stem and shank. Quite a bit of new crap came out. I not sure if it was dried tobacco juice and bit of half charred flake, or if it was debris that I missed in the first inspection. I tried out the draw...it was a little bit improved, but not much. I will probably give the stinger one more chance just to see if I was crazy or bowl-blocked by leftover production debris - still think I will end up chucking the stinger.
Anyway, that was a long winded way of getting to my real question (although any thoughts you have on the aforementioned would be welcome - especially those with Tsuge experience).
It seems that every time I read about stingers in this forum, folks are saying how the take them out - so to my question:
Do YOU typically pray to the altar of aluminum juice stoppers, or seek to liberate the stunted draws of your pipes from these metallic oppressors?

 

[cortezattic]

I never did like plumbing. It seems like it generates condensation, and then frustrates you by preventing a pipe cleaner from passing.

I pulled my Savinellis' optional stingers. (Also, I don't use filters on anything other than a Brigham pipe.)

 

[pipinho]

I hate stingers with a passion

 

[javajunkie]

Have that same Tsuge (hope it is good to you like it is becoming to me!), and, after one trial bowl, out the widget went. I would recommens keeping it; it is part of the original package, and might be useful for resale later if necessary.

 

[lincolnsbark]

I left one in my first pipe for a while and could not figure out what I was doing wrong. Since taking it out my smoking world has been for the better.

 

[Wellington]

One of my pipes has a stinger, well two (never used the one pipe altogether, needs refurbishing), but I don't use it. I have used it a number of times, but i'm disappointed every time because of the whistle. To be honest I don't really notice having to draw harder, I think it's a decent stinger, but I don't like the blockage to get my pipe cleaner through.

 

[fitzy]

I have a Tsuge smooth bent bulldog. I smoked it once or twice with the stinger in it and then pulled it and put it in the box. It's a great smoking little pipe and absolutely would buy another. I just wish they made some pipes with larger diameter bowls for smoking my english/balkan blends in or the occasional aromatic.

 

[nsfisher]

Hate the stingers. I remove em and put em in a tin to save. Problem is, now I don't know which stinger belongs to which pipe.

 

[andrew]

Hate the stingers, tried it once, took it out. The only stingers I like are the kaywoodie built in ones which I don't think is technically a stinger. It's a part of the stem that doesn't come off and screws into the bowl.

 

[neworleansgentleman]

andrew, ditto on the kaywoodie stinger. I don't notice any palpable difference in the draw on my old 4 digit.
It does make it a little more frustrating to clean if it's a built in like said kaywoodie. If it were removable, I'd stick it in a drawer somewhere and forget about it.
"Now darn...where did I put that thing..." :roll:

 

[jbbaldwin]

I have one of those Kaywoodies - the stinger is threaded to fit the shank.
I'm glad it wasn't my first pipe, and I'm glad it's not my only pipe, but, with a properly prepared flake, it's a nice smoker if I don't get in a hurry.

 

[mso489]

Just bought a Kaywoodie with the stinger that screws in the shank. I knew about it in advance, thanks

to clear photos at tobaccopipes.com. It's the only stinger I own. I traded one away on a L.L. Bean pipe

which was probably a Dr. Grabow. The Kaywoodie seems to smoke fine, and best of all, it is an author

shape, one of my favorites. But the stinger is non-removeable.

 

[andrew]

Oh yeah their called the kaywoodie drinkless system, I have another pipe with a similar type thing but I like the kaywoodie one better
http://briarfiles.blogspot.ca/2008/02/how-does-kaywoodie-drinkless-system.html

I do like how it feels when you draw on it with an empty pipe.

 

[oklansas]

I took the stinger on the kaga out before I tried it again tonight - still using cube cut McB navy.
The difference was night and day! It smoked exceptionally cool, minimal relights (for me), and the draw felt right. The smoke still tasted terrible, but I think that was more due to additional break-in bowls are needed, my churchwarden was the same way. Or, might be the tobacco.
I think this will be agreat pipe once i break it in.

 

[metalheadycigarguy]

The only pipe in my collection that has a stinger is my Czech bent brandy pipe. It was my first pipe so I didn't know any better at the time. My problem was it collected all the spit making for a wet gurgled smoke. Plus I couldn't get a pipe cleaner down it. One day when cleaning it the stinger popped off. I never put it back in and the pipe is much more enjoyable now. It has a much better draw and no gurgle.

 

[ffmurray]

I've only had one pipe with a stinger in it, a Czech. I took it out it didn't seem to help and when it did gurgle i couldn't get a cleaner down to take care of the moisture. I personally think if the smoke is getting to moist for you, take all the moisture out of the shank with a cleaner. Though this advice comes from only having dealt with one stinger, so take with the proverbial grain of salt.

 

[oklansas]

"...when it did gurgle i couldn't get a cleaner down to take care of the moisture."

That is exactly the problem. Not only that, but in my experience a stinger creates more moisture in my smokes than if they are not there. I can't stand them.

 

[pipinho]

why do pipemakers still stick with this "stinger" gimmick?

 

[xmil]

I think the whole Stinger idea is to act as a filter, stop chunks 'O Tobacco, and to cool the smoke, hence the extra moisture. I think it acts like a Heat Sink in a computer, it draws heat into the stinger and stem, and because it is cooler than the smoke, condensation forms. What they are trying to provide is a "Cool Dry Smoke", for the user. (I work with computers, can you tell?)
Not a fan, myself, but I do use them on two of my pipes, with no ill effect. I always separate my stem and Shank / Bowl, to encourage drying. I also "Flick" my pipes, mid way through smoking. I hold my thumb over the bowl, and use a flicking motion away from me to extract exes moisture from the stem, it prevents gurgle.

 

[ffmurray]

I don't really see it possible for a stinger to act as a heat sink like in a computer, at least after the first couple of puffs. There is nowhere for the heat to go, in a computer the heatsink pulls the heat from the chip so it can easily be dissipated by the fan or the surrounding air. A stinger is a very small price of metal inside an insulated cavity. Once it heats up there is nowhere for the heat to go, go all the air passing over it is smoke off a burning ember, the same stuff you are trying to cool. I think the only way it cools smoke is by creating turbulence and getting the moisture to condense. Without the water in the smoke the ability for the smoke to transfer large quantities of energy is greatly reduced. I think it backfires because there is nowhere for the water to go so it stays in the shank and gets evaporated by the smoke. People like gimmicks if they work or not and new and improved is always better...