Calling Pipe Experts (shank problem)

[Mad Hatter]

Originally Posted by Mister Moo

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Not sure I follow this, Joe. Seems like smoking a pipe up to temp makes a stem harder to remove. Explain, please.

What you say stands to reason, but like the beeswax thing it might work both ways. For starters you do have the moisture release during smoking most pipes which acts as a lubricant and can also loosen a substance in the mortise that is causing the stick. But also as the vulcanite is heated up it becomes more pliable. That's why continually removing a stem during smoking will lead to a loose fit. The same principle applies. I've done this on several pipes and once heated up there's little resistance. Beeswax is the best fix for a snug stem but something as tight as the OP is talking about really needs a slight resizing to remove pressure against the mortise and we're probably only talking a fraction of a millimeter. Anyway that's my logic until something convinces me otherwise.

A guy on another forum said that he broke a shank doing this years ago but I've also heard guys say using salt for cleaning will lead to a cracked bowl too, y'know..........

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by Mad Hatter

I've also heard guys say using salt for cleaning will lead to a cracked bowl too, y'know..........

I have heard that about salt too. Who ARE those guys?!!?? Thanks for the clarification on heat/removal matter. I take your point and agree that sometimes (some) heat will free a stem in the hands of someone with a, can we say, "light touch?"

(I gotta be honest. At one time or another I have twisted, heated, over-heated, frozen, bent, soaked, salted, peppered, boozed, babied, sat on, sweated on and deep-fried (well, sauteed one in butter, anyhow) about half the pipes I own and the only one I ever broke was a lovely canadian that I dropped on the driveway from about two-feet off the ground. Pipes in shirt pockets - that's where the danger lies. )

[Arizona]

Yes I'd say smoke it. Good chance the moisture will swell the shank and it will tighten up. If still not tight enough use a single small piece of scotch tape on the stem and that should do the trick.