Who Makes Your Favorite Stems?

[gwtwdbss]

Until I get home I will only have two artisan makers in my collection. So for now it would be:
1. Rad Davis

2. Brian Ruthenburg
Looking forward to taking my Stephen Downie for a test drive. It will be a few more weeks before I can report on that one.

 

[lqjones]

Cigrmaster, thanks for the obsidian oil. Saw it advertised here and wondering if it is any good. I will give it a shot. I just might go ahead and get rid of those older vulcanite stems like you've done. Just sick of them turning brown. Definitely a fan of acrylic, they look beautiful and very low maintenance.

 

[peckinpahhombre]

I don't know why, but I'm just not that fussy about my stems. I have encountered a couple of pipes where I didn't like the stem (too thick and bulbous) but the vast majority of my stems I have never had any issues with, and I have no reason to prefer one over the other. Maybe my teeth are just very accommodating.

 

[taerin]

Maybe my teeth are just very accommodating.

Alright Peck, lets stop you there, before this gets way out of hand... lol!

 

[thesmokindragon]

Rad Davis

Mark Balkovec

Radice

Ardor

Boswell

Mark Tinsky

 

[cigrmaster]

peck, hell when you take your teeth out and gum your stems of course they are all going to feel the same, try smoking with your teeth in.
lqjones, definitely get yourself a stem made of high quality german vulcanite, you will be amazed at how maintenance free they are. Acrylic is obviously the easiest to take care of but I find it to be very uncomfortable for clenching as my old teeth just do not get a good grip on hit.

 

[gripsie]

From my (limited) experiences I'd have to go with:
Rainer Barbi
Cornelius Mänz

Frank Axmacher

Wolfgang Becker
Incredibly comfortable in every respect.

 

[pipedreamer]

Eddy, you know quality.They are a class of their own.Mr.Davis is good quality, as are other american carvers.Emphasis is being placed more and more on stems since they are half of the pipe.