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If you got a pipe from me

jsnakejsnake Posts: 5,979 ✭✭✭✭✭
in Pipes
This may be helpful to all. I noticed that some of my pipe stems are feeling a little looser due to the cold weather. When a stem is stuck I actually put it in the freezer for a few minutes so it can be removed. Anyways if you get a pipe from me and the stem is not as tight as you like here is a little trick. 

Remove the stem. Take a lighter and hold it under the tenon without letting the flame touch it and keep both moving. Do this in short increments and let it cool before seeing if that helps tighten it up which it should. I usually dunk mine in a cup of cold water and dry it off and then test it. We aren’t talking about a loose stem that needs serious adjustment. The heat will allow the material to expand a little. This can sometimes also me remedies by smoking a bowl. 

Use caution doing this. You can melt the tenon and do irreversible damage. 

Comments

  • Amos_UmwhatAmos_Umwhat Posts: 8,894 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I've had mixed results.

    It melted.

    It worked.

    It didn't work.

    But, hey!  Sometimes it worked.
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  • jsnakejsnake Posts: 5,979 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Oh no. That’s why I say caution and short increments. I err on the safe short side. I just do that flame for seconds. If that didn’t work I do it again for about the same few seconds. 

    I have the dowels to tighten stems using a heat gun. That method can also melt them as well. I use those when a stem is really really loose and they work great. I’ve only done the flame method a couple times and it always worked..... so far. 

    Probably the the safest method is to fire up a bowl and smoke it. Many guys swear by that. Of course this is for just a slight looseness. If its really loose the tenon needs to be expanded. 
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