Stem Types and Clenching

[The_Corniest_Cob]

I was trying out clenching my pipe and I definitely clenched too hard or rotated it in my mouth on a tooth or something cause I accidentally made a hole in the acrylic stem on my favorite Missouri Meerschaum Cob ?. I will try those softy bits when I get a chance. Besides that, are any other stem materials hardier than acrylic?

 

[workman]

No. Acrylic is the toughest stem material in common use.
My acrylic bits have all been clenched hundreds of times without a dent, so it's not the bit that's wrong, it's the bite.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Which cob? If this one, it's not acrylic.

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

I was trying out clenching my pipe and I definitely clenched too hard or rotated it in my mouth on a tooth or something cause I accidentally made a hole in the acrylic stem on my favorite Missouri Meerschaum Cob ?. I will try those softy bits when I get a chance. Besides that, are any other stem materials hardier than acrylic?

Those stems are comfortable and easy to clench.. That's how you know that they aren't acrylic. Downside is they get bitten up easily. They're usually less than a dollar a piece to replace. Just go ahead and buy you 15 or 20 and your problem is solved.

 

[The_Corniest_Cob]

Which cob? If this one, it's not acrylic.

View attachment 161039

Yes it was that pipe. If those stems aren't made of acrylic, what are they made of?

 

[Chasing Embers]

Yes it was that pipe. If those stems aren't made of acrylic, what are they made of?

Soft plastic.

 

[Ahi Ka]

Just buy a few MM plastic replacement stems if you like them, the danish ones are slightly tougher

 

[krizzose]

Try a Forever Stem from Walker Briar Works if you want a true acrylic stem for your cob. They’re around $30 each. Being acrylic, they’re easy to rinse and clean between smokes, so while I have several cobs, I’ve never seen a reason to buy more than one Forever Stem. Or just buy $5 worth of replacement stems from MM

 

[The Clay King]

I never clench my clays; don't want to get pipe notches

Smoking left notches in Victorian teeth – The History Blog

www.thehistoryblog.com

 

[anotherbob]

I never clench my clays; don't want to get pipe notches

Smoking left notches in Victorian teeth – The History Blog

www.thehistoryblog.com

I don't see it that way, to me it seems like a nice adaptation.

 

[tklee]

The stem that originally come with MM Cob pipes are not acrylic stem. You can order some acrylic stem from Forever Stems - Vermont Freehand - https://vermontfreehand.com/forever-stems/ , like this

or, you can buy those that originally come with acrylic stem. Acrylic stems are so hard that's not easy to make hole ?

 

[kurtbob]

Hell, I favor the cheap plastic bits that come with them! They are thin and comfortable. Never put a hole in one but I do find they wear and get loose in the shank after a year or so. I just do as others have suggested and buy 10-15 replacement plastic stems to keep on hand at all times.

 

[burleybreath]

Hell, I favor the cheap plastic bits that come with them! They are thin and comfortable. Never put a hole in one but I do find they wear and get loose in the shank after a year or so. I just do as others have suggested and buy 10-15 replacement plastic stems to keep on hand at all times.

W-a-a-a-y too simple.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Just buy a bag full of the cheap soft plastic ones that come with the MMs. Or a nicer acrylic one. And quit biting so hard. If you get a wide, thin stem, it will distribute the pressure over a bigger area and won’t be as much of a problem. And be more comfortable to clinch.