WDC Restoration

[RustiePyles CPG]

Title redone. Original:
"Ordered an antique high grade stummel for a stem I had laying around."


Ok, the title is a gross oversimplification of what I did, but it’s not inaccurate. I have a large number of 100 year old NOS WDC stems.

I found this WDC Hand Made (one of their highest grades) on eBay with no stem. knowing that WDC only used roughly 3 standard bit sizes with their military mount pipes and having new bits in all three sizes, I knew I’d have a bit that fits this pipe.

This was the easiest stem replacement I’ve ever done. Bend it, polish it, stick in the pipe, done.

The stummel needed a bit of work, had to do a little burnishing around the top of the silver collar to get round again. Previous owner had a habit of knocking the side of the pipe against a hard surface to empty the dottle so one side of the pipe had some knocks. I used a wet paper towel and a soldering iron to steam the dents out. I got 90% of em out and the rest polished out ok.

So there you have it. A new 100 year old factory stem for a 100 year old WDC Hand Made.

 

[Ahi Ka]

Yeah bro. Good stuff. Also I like the trick of using a soldering iron as your heat source to pull up the dents. Something I hadn’t considered before. Cheers

 

[ashdigger]

Well done!!!

 

[OzPiper]

Great job getting those knocks out.

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

I suspect this pipe is from the 1890’s It looks like Hand Mades was the highest grade when this pipe was made. The Hand Mades cost $1.00 being their most expensive pipe.

 

[sablebrush52]

Niiice job!

 

[PipesRock]

Really nice work.

 

[didimauw]

Nice work! I've heard of someone buying a stem to fit a stummel, but never buying a stummel to fit a stem! Brilliant.

 

[jhowell]

Nice!

 

[UB 40]

Ok, the title is a gross oversimplification of what I did, but it’s not inaccurate. I have a large number of 100 year old NOS WDC stems.

I found this WDC Hand Made (one of their highest grades) on eBay with no stem. knowing that WDC only used roughly 3 standard bit sizes with their military mount pipes and having new bits in all three sizes, I knew I’d have a bit that fits this pipe.

This was the easiest stem replacement I’ve ever done. Bend it, polish it, stick in the pipe, done.

The stummel needed a bit of work, had to do a little burnishing around the top of the silver collar to get round again. Previous owner had a habit of knocking the side of the pipe against a hard surface to empty the dottle so one side of the pipe had some knocks. I used a wet paper towel and a soldering iron to steam the dents out. I got 90% of em out and the rest polished out ok.

So there you have it. A new 100 year old factory stem for a 100 year old WDC Hand Made. View attachment 201743View attachment 201744View attachment 201745View attachment 201746View attachment 201747View attachment 201748View attachment 201749View attachment 201750View attachment 201751View attachment 201752View attachment 201753View attachment 201754

Looks great now. And yes the use of a soldering iron to get the dents out didn’t come to my mind either. Easy as that.

 

[jakesmokes]

Awesome job!

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Very nice!!!

 

[jpmcwjr]

Well done!

 

[MCJ]

Excellent job -- the end result is very nice indeed.