jack9211
New Member
Posts: 63 
First Name: Jack
Favorite Pipe: My Stanwells
Favorite Tobacco: To many
Location:
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Post by jack9211 on Dec 14, 2021 8:18:02 GMT -5
Being new and not knowing is odd. I keep seeing talk of amber stems. It seems that they are not prefered ? I have tried searching the forums to find out why, and can't seem to get a handle on it. Is there something wrong with amber ?...thanks
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RDPipes
Junior Member
http://rdpipes.briar.club/
Posts: 485
First Name: Ron
Favorite Pipe: Bulldog
Favorite Tobacco: Escudo
Location:
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Post by RDPipes on Dec 14, 2021 8:35:10 GMT -5
Being new and not knowing is odd. I keep seeing talk of amber stems. It seems that they are not prefered ? I have tried searching the forums to find out why, and can't seem to get a handle on it. Is there something wrong with amber ?...thanks I personally don't care for them because its like holding glass between your teeth. Although back in the day well before plastics and such it was widely used on Meerschaum pipes as well as briar. Why, I'm unsure of except for it being attractive even though it was very hard to work with and breaks easily.
Modern day amber may very well be acrylic colored to look like amber unless stated that it is made from real amber.
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Post by trailboss on Dec 14, 2021 10:41:36 GMT -5
As Ron says, there is a good reason that Amber has gone by the wayside, there are better products.
I have a couple of antique meerschaum pipes with intact amber, but that seems to be rare, usually they are chipped at the least, more commonly broken.
I have seen several amber blanks for sale recently at an online auction, but I suppose that if you wanted to have a pipe maker fashion one to replace on an old pipe, the risk would be on you.
My most prized Meerschaum had a missing Amber stem and I had an accomplished pipe repairman fashion an acrylic stem in an amber color… no regrets, much more comfortable on the teeth and lips!
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Post by sperrytops on Dec 14, 2021 12:24:21 GMT -5
Amber went out of use when Bakelite and Vulcanite became available. Amber is harder to obtain and much more fragile. Today it's either Vulcanite (Ebonite) or Acrylic (various kinds and quality) stems. I prefer the Vulcanite type because they're not quite as hard.
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Post by Ronv69 on Dec 14, 2021 12:31:23 GMT -5
I have one pipe with an amber stem. It's 123 years old and smokes very well. I am in fear every time I smoke it. It has cracks and chips and it's impossible to get it fixed. I much prefer horn for older pipes.
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Post by sperrytops on Dec 14, 2021 13:18:33 GMT -5
I have one pipe with an amber stem. It's 123 years old and smokes very well. I am in fear every time I smoke it. It has cracks and chips and it's impossible to get it fixed. I much prefer horn for older pipes. Actually, I forgot about horn. I do have one pipe with a horn stem. The stem is short (it's a Liverpool). I actually don't know how horn holds up in the long run. |
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Post by trailboss on Dec 14, 2021 13:27:20 GMT -5
I have one pipe with an amber stem. It's 123 years old and smokes very well. I am in fear every time I smoke it. It has cracks and chips and it's impossible to get it fixed. I much prefer horn for older pipes. I have some horn stemmed Austrian lap pipes that have chips and divots in the horn, I was told that was beetle damage? |
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Post by Ronv69 on Dec 14, 2021 13:33:50 GMT -5
I have 2 horn stemmed pipes, but they are new production. I don't think that I have any horn eating beatles.
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Post by pepesdad1 on Dec 14, 2021 15:01:13 GMT -5
Only pipe with an amber stem is this really old meer (over 100 years) that I bought way back in the 60's.   |
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Amber ?
Dec 14, 2021 15:22:05 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by Ronv69 on Dec 14, 2021 15:22:05 GMT -5
Only pipe with an amber stem is this really old meer (over 100 years) that I bought way back in the 60's. 1960s? 😉🤠 |
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Post by pepesdad1 on Dec 14, 2021 16:53:17 GMT -5
Yup, 1960.
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Post by Legend Lover on Dec 14, 2021 17:19:49 GMT -5
After Jurassic Park people got scared.
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Post by trailboss on Dec 14, 2021 18:22:11 GMT -5
Only pipe with an amber stem is this really old meer (over 100 years) that I bought way back in the 60's. Looks like that lion face is from the King TUT Era |
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