Very hard to get a cleaner through the tenon and into the bowl of a new meerschaum

[phornbein]

I just got a new meerschaum from Paykoc -- my second from them. I usually run a pipe cleaner through my new pipes to clean out manufacturing dust and debris, and it was a real struggle to find the hole to run the cleaner through. Is this common? I know on some of my pipes, briars, sometimes the hole is a bit offset, but not the challenge presented by this.

Should I return it? Air flows fine through it, it's just getting the cleaner through.

Thoughts? Comments??

 

[Chasing Embers]

You may just need to slightly twist the cleaner until it finds the draft hole.

 

[phornbein]

I tried that and it took several tries. It sounds; however, as if this isn't really uncommon (?).

 

[brooklynpiper]

Where is it getting caught? If it’s tenon-mortise, it may be just the pipe-cleaner’s tip catching onto the soft insert
How is it when you remove the stem and just run through the stummel?

 

[phornbein]

When I get a new pipe, I remove the stem, run a cleaner through that, and then through the stummel. That's where it was getting hung up, somewhere, it would seem, around the start of the mortise. It feels like the draught hole is offset.

The real question, I suppose, is whether I should return it. It's pretty cool, though, an American Bison head, which was also my alma mater's mascot (Sko Buffs!).

 

[verporchting]

Unscrew the Delrin tenon and shine a light in from the mortise to see what is there. Perhaps an obstruction or bad drilling? A bad stem can be replaced but bad drilling is forever and a reason to reject the pipe. An obstruction might possibly be cured depending on what it is.

 

[didimauw]

It's all personal preference as you know. How does the airflow feel sound when blowing through it? Is it open, or tight? I have a bent meer that can only pass a pipe cleaner through the shank if the stem is off, and I swear at it 100 times. But the pipe still smokes nicely. And my Altinay, only passes a pipe cleaner nicely without the stem, due to the severe bend in it. Also smokes great.

Another point, some of us don't even clean that part of the pipe, to help with coloring.

 

[phornbein]

Unscrew the Delrin tenon and shine a light in from the mortise to see what is there. Perhaps an obstruction or bad drilling? A bad stem can be replaced but bad drilling is forever and a reason to reject the pipe. An obstruction might possibly be cured depending on what it is.

What's the easiest way of unscrewing it without damaging it? I thought about pliers, but it is plastic...

Or just "be gentle?"

 

[phornbein]

It's all personal preference as you know. How does the airflow feel sound when blowing through it? Is it open, or tight? I have a bent meer that can only pass a pipe cleaner through the shank if the stem is off, and I swear at it 100 times. But the pipe still smokes nicely. And my Altinay, only passes a pipe cleaner nicely without the stem, due to the severe bend in it. Also smokes great.

Another point, some of us don't even clean that part of the pipe, to help with coloring.

I think the airflow is ok, maybe a bit tight. I tend to smoke moist aromatics in my meerschaums (to reserve my briars for a Black Cavendish), and those tend to impact draw if I'm not careful.

 

[didimauw]

What's the easiest way of unscrewing it without damaging it? I thought about pliers, but it is plastic...

Or just "be gentle?"

Pliers would be my best bet. One side of pliers inside other side, on the outside. I wouldn't grab the whole thing from the outside of that makes sense.

 

[augiebd]

I have a meer that is also difficult to pass a pipe cleaner through the mortise. I can only do it if the stem is off and if I put a certain bend in the cleaner. The airflow was good and I liked the design so I kept it. It smokes well and I’ve become good at getting a pipe cleaner through. YMMV.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Personally, not passing a pipe cleaner is a no go to me. Not important to other people. Personal preference.

 

[verporchting]

What's the easiest way of unscrewing it without damaging it? I thought about pliers, but it is plastic...

Or just "be gentle?"

The easiest way is to turn it counterclockwise with the stem attached. Usually you would turn the stem clockwise and the tenon would remain in the stummel, but here you want it to come out with the stem.

Pliers could easily damage the soft Delrin so I wouldn’t personally do that, but it’s your pipe so it’s your call. I suppose the tenon is easy to replace but it’s not something I’d care to try without some additional information about where to buy a replacement, etc.

 

[Chasing Embers]

What's the easiest way of unscrewing it without damaging it? I thought about pliers, but it is plastic...

Or just "be gentle?"

Pliers work fine.

 

[LeafErikson]

Shine a light into the chamber from above and look through the mortise. I bet you it’s not exactly lined up with the draught hole. I have a meer like this that I was hesitant to smoke, but the draw was wide open. I ended up smoking it instead of returning it and it’s an excellent smoker. If the draw feels open you’re probably good to go.

 

[kcghost]

Taper the tip of the narrow end of the pipe cleaner and insert it into the end of the pipe. When you get to the obstruction slowly rotate the pipe as much as 360 degrees. If it doesn't go thru then it could be mis-drilled.

 

[captpat]

If this pipe were one of those bucket list "must haves" I might (though probably not) be inclined to put up with the recommended gyrations to get it to pass a cleaner. Otherwise, back it goes, needing to take pliers to a brand new meerschaum in hopes of fixing it is just not acceptable. This sort of bad behavior is not going to improve as you smoke it.

 

[Sobrbiker]

A new pipe, I’d see if maker would fix it before doing anything invasive.
If it won’t pass a standard cleaner with stem off, I wouldn’t be happy.

For estates (or if maker doesn’t fix) I’ve had good luck using a thin knife blade, sticking it in just enough to get into the delrin, then unscrewing delrin mortise from stummel without putting any more inward pressure than necessary.
My estate meer was a little wonky but I soaked the problem area with a wet pipe cleaner for a bit then chased draft hole with a drill bit by hand.

 

[pappymac]

Two of my meerschaums won't pass a pipe cleaner unless I remove the Delrin mortise (something I accomplish with just two fingers) but I don't mind the extra step.