What Type of Stems do You Prefer?

[Puffaluffaguss]

Hello everyone, I've been pondering for sometime the difference in a stem that is made of all 1 piece of stock or a pipe that has a delrin tennon. What do you all prefer? I'm more on the side of a stem is better if the tennon is part of stem rather the drilled for a delrin tennon. I'm asking because as an apprentice pipe maker I want to make what people want. So let me know what YOU prefer so I can take it into account for my next batch of custom Cobbs with hand made stems.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Delrin

It doesn't stick to the mortise as bad as acrylic or vulcanite.

 

[Puffaluffaguss]

Nice Nice, I know you know expensive pipes Embers, if you can what is the ratio of non delrin on your pipes?

 

[Chasing Embers]

Nice Nice, I know you know expensive pipes Embers, if you can what is the ratio of non delrin on your pipes?

Zero now I think. Excluding pipes I've bought to only look at, even the screw in meerschaum inserts are delrin.

 

[Puffaluffaguss]

Good to know, thank you sir

 

[doccaliban]

Are vulcanite stems the ones that can have a strong taste to them? I have one pipe that even after being cleaned, the stem has a very sharp taste to it.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Are vulcanite stems the ones that can have a strong taste to them? I have one pipe that even after being cleaned, the stem has a very sharp taste to it.

Sounds like it has oxidation in the airway or on the outside. Does it have a brown/green discoloration?

 

[doccaliban]

Sounds like it has oxidation in the airway or on the outside. Does it have a brown/green discoloration?

It did, and I think I may have cleaned it up already... sorry, it's been a while since I last looked. But I think it was a slightly older Peterson that I bought used in '97. Not sure what the stem would be made of.

 

[Chasing Embers]

It did, and I think I may have cleaned it up already... sorry, it's been a while since I last looked. But I think it was a slightly older Peterson that I bought used in '97. Not sure what the stem would be made of.

Definitely vulcanite.

 

[didimauw]

I had a Meerschaum Billiard commissioned once, and it came with a polyester stem. Polyester shirts make my body itch, and now I know polyester stems make my mouth itch.

I used to prefer acrylic due to its durability, but now a days, I don't care as long as it's black red or amber colored. No green, blue,purple. Weird.

 

[doccaliban]

...now I know polyester stems make my mouth itch.

Yikes!
I also don't mind one type over another, and agree on the colors!

 

[sablebrush52]

It did, and I think I may have cleaned it up already... sorry, it's been a while since I last looked. But I think it was a slightly older Peterson that I bought used in '97. Not sure what the stem would be made of.

Try scrubbing out the airway thoroughly. With some estate stems I need to do repeated soaking using alcohol soaked pipe cleaners, letting them sit for a couple of hours to loosen up sediments, then scrubbing. Then repeat. Some use toothpaste to remove oxidation from the airway.

 

[sablebrush52]

I have no preference regarding tenons as long as they fit snugly.
I also have no preference regarding whether a stem is Vulcanite or Acrylic.

 

[OzPiper]

I use acrylic softee bits
And I am not a clencher.

So no preference for vulcanite, acrylic, Bakelite or amber/amberoid

A definite preference for plain black.
Don’t mind amber or tortoise shell
Definitely NO coloured, Cumberland or “swirly” stems.

 

[DesertDan]

I have no real preference; I even like swirly colored stems and odd colors as long as they complement the pipe.

 

[Chasing Embers]

If we're talking stem material favorite I'd have to go with juma.

 

[boston]

Anything but vulcanite, and most of my pipes have vulcanite stems. They are nuisance to keep clean...

 

[Sigmund]

I have not owned juma. I like the feel of vulcanite but the upkeep of acrylic. I also thing vulcanite has a deeper black.

 

[Puffaluffaguss]

I had a Meerschaum Billiard commissioned once, and it came with a polyester stem. Polyester shirts make my body itch, and now I know polyester stems make my mouth itch.

I used to prefer acrylic due to its durability, but now a days, I don't care as long as it's black red or amber colored. No green, blue,purple. Weird.





Well brother I'm gonna have to make a special line of non colored stems for people who prefer. These are 3 I did for myself and for forum members as gifts, but I'm gonna start making more. The first pic is the first I made for myself, the blue went to a forum member as a trade but with the blue acrylic. I told him that the forever stem from Vermont Freehand was to heavy for the pipe to sit correctly, bit he preferred it over vulcanite. This time around im makeing the stems myself for that very reason. The purple was made as a Christmas gift for the forums Secret Santa. I figure it will be fun and if people like it we'll it will make it that much more fun

 

[Puffaluffaguss]

I don't know why that posted like that? But anyway if who thank you guys for the insight highly appreciated.