Where To Send a Pipe for Stem Work / Replacement Stem?

[lawdawg]

I've got a Savinelli Christmas pipe with a green acrylic stem. It's the small "author" shape, with an ideal sized bowl (to my taste) for Latakia blends. My wife got it for me last year (or two years ago?) for Christmas.

I have two things I'd like to change about the pipe: I'd like to have the draft hole in the stem opened up - at it's narrowest point, it is very restrictive. I much prefer an open draw. I would also like to have a black "replacement" stem fitted for use outside of the Christmas season. The pipe has a red and white decorative band, which happens to be the colors of my alma mater, and that is something I'd enjoy year round, but the green stem just screams "CHRISTMAS!" I'd love to have a black stem to go with the pipe as well, although I understand that this request for a second stem is a bit out of the ordinary. I don't mind if the stem is just a blank fitted to the pipe stummel. I don't need the "Savinelli" stamp on it, although of course a genuine Savinelli stem would be nice.

Anyhow, where would you all recommend that I send the pipe to have the stem draft opened up and to have a second stem fitted?

 

[Gecko]

You've probably already seen it but @georged did a beautiful new stem for BROBS Peterson. Perhaps he can help.

Brindle Restem of Peterson Deluxe 20s System :: Pipe Talk

So I received this pipe from Harrison Simmonds in the UK a while back. I saw the straight grain on it and knew I had to have it. Puts my other deluxe 20s to shame. It sat for a while, then when I went to clean it before smoking for the first time I realized the hole in the p-lip did not line up...

pipesmagazine.com

 

[lawdawg]

You've probably already seen it but @georged did a beautiful new stem for BROBS Peterson. Perhaps he can help.

Brindle Restem of Peterson Deluxe 20s System :: Pipe Talk

So I received this pipe from Harrison Simmonds in the UK a while back. I saw the straight grain on it and knew I had to have it. Puts my other deluxe 20s to shame. It sat for a while, then when I went to clean it before smoking for the first time I realized the hole in the p-lip did not line up...

pipesmagazine.com

Yes, that is some beautiful work. Thank you for the referral.

 

[BROBS]

George does great work. For a pipe with sentimental value I don’t know if you could find a more conscientious individual.

 

[lawdawg]

Does anyone have any additional recommendations in case George is not in a position to take on this job right now? I'm ready to have it done so my pipe will be ready for latakia season, a/k/a fall and winter

 

[mso489]

Replacing a stem is an easy job for any pipe repair person, so the options include: How specific and particular are you about what you want? And how prompt do you want them to be? I had a replacement stem done by Norwood, on a Thompson Cigar house pipe, a freehand, that had a p-lip bit and stem that oxidized overnight every smoke. I had it fitted with a tortoise shell stem that is fishtail and just right for the pipe, well-fitted and handsome. The job was prompt, maybe two weeks or less. The price was excellent. But if you are extra super fussy and want specific aspects to the stem, you might shop them or others. In my case, the job was an A-plus.

 

[lawdawg]

Replacing a stem is an easy job for any pipe repair person, so the options include: How specific and particular are you about what you want? And how prompt do you want them to be? I had a replacement stem done by Norwood, on a Thompson Cigar house pipe, a freehand, that had a p-lip bit and stem that oxidized overnight every smoke. I had it fitted with a tortoise shell stem that is fishtail and just right for the pipe, well-fitted and handsome. The job was prompt, maybe two weeks or less. The price was excellent. But if you are extra super fussy and want specific aspects to the stem, you might shop them or others. In my case, the job was an A-plus.

Thank you for your thoughts. I am not overly particular. My philosophy on this sort of thing is just to find someone who I know has the skill for the job, let them know generally what I'm looking for, and then place the task in their capable hands. Timeframe is not really an issue. I'm not overly concerned about price either. I'd like it done sometime within a couple months of sending it out, ideally. Really, I just want to do justice to a sentimental factory pipe which I believe could be an excellent pipe (for my tastes and preferences) with a few modifications.

I haven't done much work on a pipe myself beyond cleaning up a few neglected estate pipes, and I have never sent a pipe out for repair, so I don't really know what's involved with the job I'm requesting.

 

[atomic]

I'll chime in. I never have used Norwood's for stem work, but they enlarged the bowls of two pipes that are sentimental to me. The work was flawless - I cannot tell the bowls had any work done to them other than having a larger diameter. However, a few months back I received a P-lip stemmed Peterson and found it wasn't to my liking but I wanted to hold on to the pipe. I sent it off after a short email conversation with Mike Meyers at Walker Pipe Repair. The wait was about 2 months, but he made a very nice lucite stem (my choice - he works with vulcanite). I can recommend him and hope this helps with your options.

 

[Bowie]

Try Rich Lewis at Lewis Pipe and Tobacco in Minneapolis:

Lewis Pipe and Tobacco Pipe Repair

Lewis Pipe & Tobacco Minneapolis

www.lewispipe.com

 

[BROBS]

Weez always recommends “briarville”

 

[scloyd]

I've got a Savinelli Christmas pipe with a green acrylic stem. It's the small "author" shape, with an ideal sized bowl (to my taste) for Latakia blends. My wife got it for me last year (or two years ago?) for Christmas.

I have two things I'd like to change about the pipe: I'd like to have the draft hole in the stem opened up - at it's narrowest point, it is very restrictive. I much prefer an open draw. I would also like to have a black "replacement" stem fitted for use outside of the Christmas season. The pipe has a red and white decorative band, which happens to be the colors of my alma mater, and that is something I'd enjoy year round, but the green stem just screams "CHRISTMAS!" I'd love to have a black stem to go with the pipe as well, although I understand that this request for a second stem is a bit out of the ordinary. I don't mind if the stem is just a blank fitted to the pipe stummel. I don't need the "Savinelli" stamp on it, although of course a genuine Savinelli stem would be nice.

Anyhow, where would you all recommend that I send the pipe to have the stem draft opened up and to have a second stem fitted?

I picked up this Savinelli Oscar 802 EX at an antique shop fr a couple of dollars...no stem. Ric at Briarville made a new stem for it. I think he did a great job. I'm happy with it.
Here's some before and after pics.

Before, the way I purchased it.


After Briarville made a new stem and polished it.

 

[krizzose]

Mike at Walker Briar Works did a fine job reshaping a stem for me

 

[jhowell]

Weez always recommends “briarville”

+1

 

[briarbuda48]

I have sent many pipes for repair and/or refurbish to Mike Myers at Walker Pipe Repair. All the work has been excellent.

 

[sablebrush52]

If you're looking for top quality work, there are only a few options. OK work there are more options. Besides George, I'd recommend Tim West and Anthony Cook for top quality restoration and replacement work. Briarville I recommend for meerschaum work.

 

[BROBS]

Briarville I recommend for meerschaum work.

Irony?

 

[trubka2]

I've had great experiences with Tim West for stem work: good work, cheap, very fast, and he has a big inventory of Savinelli factory stems, some of them quite rare.

 

[sablebrush52]

Irony?

Nope. They're one of the few repair shops that handles meerschaum. Most restorers won't touch meers. Overall, Briarville has done some excellent work. But after seeing a real mess they made of a member's stem replacement, I can't recommend them for that.

 

[ak2000]

I've had great experience with both Briarville and Walker for stem work

 

[jaygreen55]

WHen I came back to pipe smoking after a 21 year hiatus I needed to replace and repair a few stems. I sent them to Mark Tinsky who did an excellent job and turned them around in less than a week