Stem Whistling

[cacooper]

Greetings,
After much frustration with whistling stems, I've concluded that the whistle can occur in one or both of two places. Either the end of the tenon or more likely, inside the slot at the mouthpiece lip end. Sharp corners are formed during the molding process at the junction of the draft hole and slot. These corners act like a flute and whistle when air passes over them. Rounding them smooths airflow and stops the whistle.
This illustration shows your stem as-is and modified, viewed from above and sliced in half. You'll need a countersink for the tenon and some jeweler's files of various shapes to file down the sharp corners inside the mouthpiece. A pointed, flat file with serrated edges works well. It may take several tries to eliminate the whistle. I've spent an hour or more on a few stems, filing, blowing through it, and filing some more. Patience and persistence pays off.

I've found these modifications work about 90% of the time. Some stems just like to whistle.
Good luck!
CACooper

 

[lonestar]

Mr. Cooper does a great job of pointing out the fix for this.

 

[tomsmithusa]

cacooper After much frustration with whistling stems, I've concluded that the whistle can occur in one or both of two places. Either the end of the tenon or more likely, inside the slot at the mouthpiece lip end. Sharp corners are formed during the molding process at the junction of the draft hole and slot. These corners act like a flute and whistle when air passes over them. Rounding them smooths airflow . . .

That sounds like much hard-learned experience (great diagram, too).
Thank you.

 

[nsfisher]

I had a Savinelli that whistled for the longest time. One day I got tired of it and tweaked the draught hole with a drill bit; no more whistle.

 

[wayneteipen]

I read your original post where you describe the airway being high in the mortise. This isn't uncommon in bent Peterson pipes. I'm curious if the airway is high enough that the tenon is partially obstructing the airway. If the whistle is in the stem alone, chamfering the end of the tenon may remedy it. If that doesn't work, the airway probably needs to be opened up. There's been a lot of advise given that, if you're not careful, you can ruin your pipe. Opening up the airway on a bent stem requires the stem to be straightened first followed by specialty tools designed for the task to do it correctly. If I were you, I'd send it off to a reputable repairman.

 

[igloo]

These work well and can be cut to size for bent stems . http://www.martindaleco.com/pdfs/Abrasives/Diamond_D_FlexibleFiles_Plastones.pdf

 

[jsiddle]

Update on pipe whistling...
It seems to be lessened when actually smoking
and even more so when closer to the bottom of the bowl

 

[taerin]

Sounds like a learn to live with it speach With all the flaws Pete pipes have, just be happy it is on the stem! Those are fairly easily replacible.

 

[jsiddle]

the B&M owner offered to replace it with another pipe in the store, there are others with the same grain, and there is a full bent, but its not a tapered calabash, more of a standard billiard

 

[photoman13]

If you are not going to trade it in I would do what cacooper has drawn out. Should fix it.

 

[baronsamedi]

You should put one of those spinning whistles on it so it goes whheeeeEEE! when you puff :rofl:
Seriously, though. Try running a couple hard bristle cleaners through the stem. It could just be a tiny piece of plastic in the way and may come off.