I have a meeraschaum pipe with the plastic screw in insert into both the stem and the shank making the pipe a push - pull stem attachment. The push - pull seems too loose and the pipe bowl rotates easily, does anyone know how to tighten up that connection ?
Tighten meeraschaum stem
- Thread starter westcoastrich
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I would do it the same way as tightening up a stem on a briar.
I use an icepick, i think you need something similar that tapers rapidly from a point. Not sure what you can come up with, but the idea is to heat the end of the plastic just enough to soften it some, then push the icepick into the end of the stem to gently flare it out a bit. YMMV
I use an icepick, i think you need something similar that tapers rapidly from a point. Not sure what you can come up with, but the idea is to heat the end of the plastic just enough to soften it some, then push the icepick into the end of the stem to gently flare it out a bit. YMMV
Well there's a fellow on youtube who would almost certainly know the answer to this question. He goes by the handle JJJUSCFAN8 and he knows pretty much everything there is to know about meerschaum. If I remember correctly he's a 48 year smoker and lover of meerschaum pipes and that's quite a bit of experience.
Marm, I've done it to a number of briars with great results. Doesn't take much to tighten the stem right up. The only thing to keep in mind with this pipe is how much softer the plastic connecters are.
I would just lightly pass a bic lighter flame over it maybe 5-6 times, barely letting the flame lick the plastic for a second at a time and turning the plastic so it heated evenly. Then try to widen it, if it wasn't quite soft enough, pass the flame over 4-5 more times, until it will stretch some with whatever tool you're using.
Make sure it cools completely (you can dunk it in water to instantly cool it) before you insert it into the other piece.
If it is still hot when you insert it, the other piece can deform it, making it loose all over again.
Of course, if you flare it out TOO MUCH so that it wont go in, you can heat it again, and very gently push it straight in without wiggling it so that it shrinks again.
Try to get it right the first time though, heating it over and over again can eventually mess up the plastic.
I would just lightly pass a bic lighter flame over it maybe 5-6 times, barely letting the flame lick the plastic for a second at a time and turning the plastic so it heated evenly. Then try to widen it, if it wasn't quite soft enough, pass the flame over 4-5 more times, until it will stretch some with whatever tool you're using.
Make sure it cools completely (you can dunk it in water to instantly cool it) before you insert it into the other piece.
If it is still hot when you insert it, the other piece can deform it, making it loose all over again.
Of course, if you flare it out TOO MUCH so that it wont go in, you can heat it again, and very gently push it straight in without wiggling it so that it shrinks again.
Try to get it right the first time though, heating it over and over again can eventually mess up the plastic.
Replacing the push/pull is the answer to this problem. They are available
at modest prices... http://www.pipemakers.org/misc_products.html
The thing to remember is to replace both the mortise & tenon at the same time.
The mortise removal is done like this...
http://bestmeerschaums.homestead.com/REPAIR.html
at modest prices... http://www.pipemakers.org/misc_products.html
The thing to remember is to replace both the mortise & tenon at the same time.
The mortise removal is done like this...
http://bestmeerschaums.homestead.com/REPAIR.html
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