gap between shank and stem

[KevinM]

Kevein[/b]..I could very easily live with the pipe, as is...., and not try to correct, or reduce the clearances.  But it annoys the crap out of me.  The pipe was expensive.  If I ever hand the pipe over to anyone with an eye for detail, it would take only a millisecond for them to discover the gap where there should never be a gap.  But I'll wait, and give it some time to self-correct.  As suggested, maybe some regular smoking will be the remedy.  If not, I have a dial caliper and some sandpaper waiting in the wings.  By this time next year, that gap will be gone.  One way or another, it will be gone.  Then, I can rest.


Frank
NYC

I admire your good humor, patience and determination. My pipe mentor was a distinguished gent, who dressed in Brooks Brothers and looked like the chairman of the board. A clencher, many of his pipes had bitten through stems. He thought replacing them would be disrespectful. His commuting can was more than ten years old and the fenders were rusty. He said, “That’s not rust, that’s the patina of faithful service.” Just a thought for you should your best efforts be frustrated. Good luck.

 

[BriarPipeNYC]

Thanks, Kevin for the great little story.  

I'm almost pragmatically ready, at this point in my life, to say ..."who gives a flyin' "fig".... about some meaningless crack; gap; space; clearance.  I'll let the next owner worry about this pipe, and, the extra few thousandths of an inch.  If I hadn't see the subject of this thread, I probably would never have asked forum members about my dreaded, "shrinkage" problems.  BoB members....y'all know how it is....mention "shrinkage" to any guy.... and they break out in a cold sweat.

I decided that I'm not gonna worry about any tiny stem/shank gaps.  It is what it is, and I'll deal with it.  But then again, one day I might get a bug up my butt, and take some sand paper to the now too long Delrin tenon, and take a few thou off the tip.  Sort of a "tenon bris". Just because I can.


Frank
NYC

Thanks for all the interesting postings.

 

[Brewdude]

I've followed this thread with interest and appreciate all the insight and advice by all the contributors.

I too have a pipe that has developed a slight gap where it didn't before and have always wondered about this. Perhaps I'll just chill out on the concern for the time being and smoke it like always since it's a consistent performer.

:!:


Cheers,

RR

 

[pepesdad1]

Ditto to all above. My answer is humidity and briar swelling. Humidity where I live ranges in the 75-95% all the time. So....Screw it, when I'm dead and gone someone else can deal with the question...I'm sticking with humidity. (literally)

 

[RDPipes]

Listen closely to Wayne and Ocelot, they know much more then some may think being Extremely Fine pipe carvers.
And I will certainly agree that humidity and the lack there of can cause havoc with wood.
I moved from East Texas where it was around 80% humidity to Utah (of all places) where it's 20% and below in humidity and literally watched some of my solid wood furniture split and crack. Be glad to get my rear back to Texas and let
my furniture suck up some moisture again.