I've got this Vauen and like the pipe except for the fat stem. I'm wondering what a saddle stem for it would be like. Who out there makes custom replacement stems and what should I expect for cost?
Who Makes Replacement Stems?
- Thread starter InWithBothFeet
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I would suggest you send an emaiil to Vauen customer service to ask them if they have an alternative saddle stem that would fit it. They might send you one for free, Their customer service is outstanding. There are forums members here with the expertise to make one for you and they may be along shortly. On ebay Muxiiang in China seems to have every conceivable stem available in vulcanite or acrylic except the elusive and possibly copyright protected 6mm filter stems
I take it that stem tenon sizes are standardized and don't require some hand fitting?
Edit... Vauen's contact form errored out on me.
Edit... Vauen's contact form errored out on me.
A google search produced Norwood's Pipe Repair in Tennessee. I sent them an email.
This guy on etsy does acrylic replacement: https://www.etsy.com/listing/279405...33908c6305d48acd80badf957ddc7ae478e:279405528
Norwood's absolutely massacred some stem replacements that were shown on this forum some years back. It was tragic.
If you want first rate quality you go with George Dibos, georged on this forum, Tim WestJHLowe, American Smoking Pipe Repair American smoking pipe repair, Boswell's Boswell's Pipe Repair for a start.
Norwoods did a great job for me, but I was getting a tenon replaced
They may be OK with a standard stem shape, but the one that sticks in my memory was a custom shape to replace the original stem and that was a major failure. The owner finally contacted the manufacturer, sent the pipe to Italy, and they made a replacement stem for him.
Charles Lemon at dadspipes.com does custom stems, and his blog shows beautiful work. He’s in Toronto.
My one experience with Norwood was not good. James Connelly at Stem And Briar is who I would recommend. He’s busy with the Chicago Show but I’ve heard his turn around is fast.
https://briarville.com/
...just replaced a stem for me on an old Edward's billiard. Perfectly executed job with an old style stem, tapered but not a fishtail, with a rather fat tenon. No idea how he happened to have the stock for it. Thought I'd get something half-assed, but the new one is better than the original. Thirty bucks, as I remember, 10-day or so turnaround.
...just replaced a stem for me on an old Edward's billiard. Perfectly executed job with an old style stem, tapered but not a fishtail, with a rather fat tenon. No idea how he happened to have the stock for it. Thought I'd get something half-assed, but the new one is better than the original. Thirty bucks, as I remember, 10-day or so turnaround.
Good to hear.
I just today mailed a Stanwell (reg’d) 90 tomato to Rich for a stem and maybe banding of a crack I glued.
This pipe is why I learned to tell (and was told too late myself) folks to practice fixing tenon fits on crappy pipes first. YouTube is not your friend your first weekend with passed down pipes…
I’ll try to remember to update (or start a new thread) when it’s done.