Stingers, Love'em or Hate'em?

[petes03]

Ok, here goes. I have a Kaywoodie Ruf-Tone Drinkless bent Dublin, which of course has the "stinger" in it. I've had the pipe 4 or 5 years now and I rarely smoke it because it gurgles something terrible. I never really gave much thought to the "stinger" being the cause of it until about a week ago. I picked up a Dr. Graybow Belvedere estate pipe in almost unsmoked condition which had the "stinger" in it as well. This is now the second "stinger" pipe I own and it gurgles worse than the Kaywoodie ! I've only had a couple of bowls in the Graybow , but over the years I've tried numerous blends and packing methods in the Kaywoodie and its always the same old thing. I was just wondering what some of y'all's thoughts on "stinger" pipes were and any advice you might have on the subject.
Edit: Corrected capitalization in title per Rule #9, L.

Number Nine, Number Nine, Number Nine

 

[numbersix]

For me it depends on the pipe. I have a Kaywoodie with one that gives me no problems whatsoever. I have a Brebbia with one that would gurgle, so I removed it and now have no issues.

 

[pstlpkr]

Stingers, Love'em or Hate'em?

Never could clean one properly.

So, they ended up, being a royal pain.

Just my 2 cents.

I know others like them or tolerate them.

 

[ghost]

I don't like them. I always take them out of estates that I buy, I wouldn't buy a new pipe that had a stinger. Just my opinion.

 

[philobeddoe]

A non-removable stinger would be a deal breaker for me. At least with a filter pipe you can simply not install the filter, many stingers are locked in either by the maker or by time. I want a simple hole from the bowl to the button, with no interference in-between. No stingers, nor pipe filters shall cross my homes' threshold!

 

[cigrmaster]

I have never owned a pipe with a stinger nor would I. I have owned filtered pipes but always smoked them without the filters and they were fine. In my opinion anything that blocks airflow will be a detriment to the quality of the smoking experience. I honestly do not see how any type of restriction can make a pipe smoke better. All of my best smoking pipes have open airways and stems that do not cause turbulence which is why they never need a pipe cleaner to soak up excess moisture. My biggest pet peeve in regards to my pipes is a pipe that will gurgle, it drives me insane. If I hear a gurgle I immediately kick my dog, yell at my kids and then string up the cat, I hate it that much. :crazy:

 

[mso489]

As near as I can tell, the stinger on my Kaywoodie Ruff Tone is essential to screwing the stem

into the pipe, so it is not optional. So far, it has given me no problem. I wipe it off with the same

tissue I use to wipe out the bowl, and the stem screws on and off readily. (In place, the bit is not

quite square with the pipe, but it sits okay in my mouth.) I have assiduously avoided stingers except

this one, which was properly shown in the online photos, so I wanted a Kaywoodie and accepted it.

When I ordered a Parker, I was afraid it might have a stinger, since some do, but I was lucky and it

had no stinger. I have a few filter pipes, and one P-lip bit, but these, and stingers, are not features

I favor.

 

[radio807]

I'm not a fan of stingers, but I have two Kaywoodies, one each from 1928 and 1955 that I refuse to hack. I smoke them as-is and tolerate the stingers. They smoke well as they are, but as others have said they're a bit of a pain to clean.

 

[samanden]

I have a little nosewarmer, Savinelli Extra, with a stinger and I don't notice a difference. I've had it about a year with two dozen smokes or more. It's an estate and so far my English blends seem to do rather well in it.

 

[ghost]

...essential to screwing the stem into the pipe, so it is not optional.

This is the only exception for me obviously, I have a couple of Kaywoodies that have this.

 

[batdemon]

No sir, I don't like 'em. Don't own any pipes that have them but I have in the past. I have had 3 over the years and they all gurgled.

 

[captainbob]

Get rid of the stinger! Own more pipes, give them a rest and you will never regret it!

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

[gmwolford]

Yes, those stingers are evil beyond compare, especially the Kaywoodies. Just send them to me and I will make sure they are properly disposed of (but don't hack 'em off first!).

 

[jah76]

Ditto on keeping them. Just in case you ever resell them.

 

[bobby46]

The only pipe I own that still has a stinger is a Kaywoodie Whitebriar. Every time I am cleaning it, I entertain merely cutting the end-ball off to allow a pipe-cleaner passage. I seldom use mine, so never bothered. I imagine that would cure the gurgling while preserving the necessary threads.

 

[ghost]

Ditto on keeping them. Just in case you ever resell them.

Then the next guy pulls them out again. Circle of life...

 

[petes03]

So it seems the general consensus is "hate'em" and I'm pretty sure I agree. I'll still keep them and occasionally smoke them. The Kaywoodie was a gift from my wife, so I might have to take a beating if I ever got rid of it, lol ! Thanks guys, I appreciate the replies.

 

[samanden]

Sounds like this is a Kaywoodie problem and maybe not the stinger. Like I said, mine smokes fine and cleans just as easy as my other pipes. Seems like you may have to take stingers on a case-by-case basis. Just my opinion...

 

[jah76]

Haha. Too true Ghost!