Removing stuck amber stems on old pipes
Mar 12, 2021 12:39:45 GMT -5
Darin, Ronv69, and 5 more like this
Post by Deleted on Mar 12, 2021 12:39:45 GMT -5
How to remove a stem when all else fails - thought this might be helpful and give a little hope to some of you.
When I get an old pipe with an amber stem that doesn't unscrew, I always have to wonder if it's stuck or glued on. It seems to be half and half. Generally, if it doesn't turn and the conventional methods don't work to get it loose, I give up, clean the pipe the best I can, and smoke it.
So I've had a 7.5" briar Dublin, hallmarked 1895, with a 4.25" fat amber stem, laying around for about a year. It was a huge mess and the stem was stuck. I wanted the stem off, but was afraid I would break the bone tenon (if it was even still there). You really don't want to have to restore a 7.5" pipe with the stem on. To remove, I start with dripping alcohol at the connection point, waiting 15 seconds, then carefully trying to unscrew. Didn't work. So I put the pipe in the freezer for 10 minutes. Still no luck. So I gave up and started restoring it.
Fortunately it passed a long pipe cleaner, but not enough to clean out the mortise - stinky mess that smelled like the Boston subway. I carefully restored the bowl, outside and inner, then did my best to clean the stem. Finally, did the salt/alcohol soak, adding alcohol every now and then for about 24 hours. I left an extra-long pipe-cleaner in, with about 1/2" hanging out the mouth-piece end. After about 6 hours, the 7.5" pipe-cleaner was brown all the way to the end. So I replaced it and checked again this morning - the new one was brown!
I left it overnight and then his morning gave the stem a turn, and it turned! That alcohol-soaked pipe-cleaner did the job for me. The connection is in perfect condition. I will post pictures later.
When I get an old pipe with an amber stem that doesn't unscrew, I always have to wonder if it's stuck or glued on. It seems to be half and half. Generally, if it doesn't turn and the conventional methods don't work to get it loose, I give up, clean the pipe the best I can, and smoke it.
So I've had a 7.5" briar Dublin, hallmarked 1895, with a 4.25" fat amber stem, laying around for about a year. It was a huge mess and the stem was stuck. I wanted the stem off, but was afraid I would break the bone tenon (if it was even still there). You really don't want to have to restore a 7.5" pipe with the stem on. To remove, I start with dripping alcohol at the connection point, waiting 15 seconds, then carefully trying to unscrew. Didn't work. So I put the pipe in the freezer for 10 minutes. Still no luck. So I gave up and started restoring it.
Fortunately it passed a long pipe cleaner, but not enough to clean out the mortise - stinky mess that smelled like the Boston subway. I carefully restored the bowl, outside and inner, then did my best to clean the stem. Finally, did the salt/alcohol soak, adding alcohol every now and then for about 24 hours. I left an extra-long pipe-cleaner in, with about 1/2" hanging out the mouth-piece end. After about 6 hours, the 7.5" pipe-cleaner was brown all the way to the end. So I replaced it and checked again this morning - the new one was brown!
I left it overnight and then his morning gave the stem a turn, and it turned! That alcohol-soaked pipe-cleaner did the job for me. The connection is in perfect condition. I will post pictures later.
