Vucanite vs Acrylic

[allan]

Roth
I had to look up 'softies' before I realized that they are the soft tips that go onto a pipe stem.
I can certainly understand why people would use them. I am not 'grossed out' in getting estate pipes knowing that they were used for years by someone else; I can clean them and go on from there.
This would get me. Purely psychological, of course, but I could not use this device, even though many do.
I will simply enjoy the Castello for what it is, and either I can have Briar works make a vulcanite stem or learn to type one handed so I can stay on the forum.

 

[cigrmaster]

Allan, I am with you about those softy bits, they skeeve me out. I cannot imagine how you cannot taste the cheap rubber they are made of and they have to get dirty and loaded with tars and nicotine. I would rather quit smoking than use one of those things.

 

[cigrmaster]

junkyarddawg, you should grab a pipe with the high quality German stuff and you will be surprised at how they do not oxidize. I had a Former for 12 years and I never even used stem oil on it( didn't even know about the stuff till I became a member here), and it was as black as the day I got it. If you are passing on pipes because you think the stems will be a pain look again. One thing though is you need to be careful of is the cheaper vulcanite that is on the market, it stinks and has a nasty taste.

 

[peckinpahhombre]

I agree with Harris
I don't have any issues with Lucite or Vulcanite and I therefore don't care whether the pipe has a lucite or vulcanite stem PROVIDEDm if vulcanite, it is top quality German ebonite. I do stay away from older pipes with vulcanite stems because they seem to oxidize like crazy because of the high sulphur content vulcanite common back then.