Stems: Acrylic or Ebonite/Vulcanite?

[Growley]

A lot of folks prefer Acrylic stems for maintenance reasons, color choices and so on. Others prefer Ebonite or Vulcanite because of their softer less "clinky" feel in their mouths.

I tend to like both.

I'm curious to see if there are different camps for each. Do you guys prefer one over the other?

Brian

 

[Buckshot]

I tend to favor the acrylic stems for the ease of upkeep and the availability of the various colors.

 

[williamcharles]

I prefer vulcanite but have 7 pipes with acrylic stems. They don't get smoked very often but I enjoy them when I do smoke them.

 

[monbla256]

I've a few pipes with Acrylic stems, but find them usually to thick and unless they are flat Saddle Bits, find them too round for comfortable biting with my dentures. My preference is for the nice wide hand-cut fishtail Vulcanite as used to be found on older pipes. Even with the attendant discoloring that comes with older Vulcanite, the comfort level is more important to me

 

[Rob_In_MO]

I also like both and have a few of each.

There's not denying the colors of the Acrylic Stems available today. They are striking to the eye and durable as all get out. But they also are much harder and less comfortable to some when in the mouth. Adding a rubber Pipe Bit to these will soften up the feel, but adds considerable dimension to them at the same time.

Vulcanite feels better to me as well, and Monbla is correct - the older hand cut fishtail is about as good as it get's. The down side here is the extra work to eliminate and prevent discoloration. To me this isn't work though, it's a hobby and a passtime.

I guess they both have their ups and down, and in the end it's up to the individual and what he is in the mood for at that time.

I like both and will keep both in m collection.

 

[Ocelot55]

Vulcanite feels much better on the teeth, but because I always use a softie, acrylic is just fine. Acrylic may have a lot of interesting colours, but I've never seen a faux cumberland stem that looked good, and I LOVE cumberland in all its various shades

Bill Taylor (RIP) experimented with several blends and came up with something called Ashtonite. I have a pipe made with it, but to me it feels more like acrylic than vulcanite, maybe a hair softer. Anyone else had experience with Ashtonite?

 

[riff raff]

I prefer the feel of Vulcanite, despite the work required to keeping them shiny. But, it is nice to have a few acrylic stem pipes available for times when clenching is required (walking around, etc.) I won't clench my Vulcanite stems.

 

[Anonymous]

Acrylic. Every time. Because no matter how old it gets, it'll never taste like stem.

:face:

 

[Boxerbuddy]

I have pipes with both, and I prefer the acrylic. Less maintenence and I think I'm in the minority here, but I actually find them more comfortable.

It could be all in my head, but I either hang or clench and I feel like if I clench too hard on a vulcanite stem i'm going to leave tooth marks in it and mess it up.

 

[Hater]

it makes no difference.

/thread

 

[s.ireland]

Lucite/acrylic stems aren't a deal breaker for me but I do prefer Vulcanite. There's not a big enough of a difference between the two for me to worry about it.

Material doesn't matter as long as it's cut well and comfortable

 

[s.ireland]

Acrylic. Every time. Because no matter how old it gets, it'll never taste like stem.

:face:

That is a HUGE advantage to acrylic...

 

[KevinM]

Can't say I notice enough diff to say anything absolute on the matter. I have bitten through a few Pete, Mountbatten and Jobey vulcanite stems, but I regard these as honorable scars deserving of manly respect for faithful service.

 

[Brewdude]

I'm a biter and a clencher.

Sure do prefer vulcanite between my teeth. But I've had a major re-awakening on this recently. About 9 or 10 of my vulcanite stems had significant damage due to bite issues.

That, and oxidation issues prompted me to send them to a pipesmith who returned them in like-new condition.

Now I use the rubber tips on these, but it's hard getting used to them.

That said, I'm smoking my Maestro poker right now and it has an acrylic stem. It has some bite marks, but I'm trying not to clench too hard.

Tough when one is responding to a post here!

:monkey:


Cheers,

RR

 

[J Soshae]

Not being a clencher, I prefer the low maintenance of the acrylic.

 

[Anonymous]

Years ago I got a Poul Winslow (since given to a friend) and was amazed at the difference in taste quality of a given tobacco in it as compared to the taste of the same stuff in the (then) entirely rubber-stemmed pipes on hand.

It was like someone had cleaned a window I hadn't previously noticed was dirty. That's when the light came on.

:face:

 

[mark]

I've got an old basket pipe with the only vulcanite stem I own. It irritates the inside of my lips for some reason, but maybe it's cheap material. I hit it with some wax once in a while and it's good to go for a spell.

 

[Dave_In_Philly]

Lucite/acrylic stems aren't a deal breaker for me but I do prefer Vulcanite. There's not a big enough of a difference between the two for me to worry about it.

Material doesn't matter as long as it's cut well and comfortable

This.

 

[Anonymous]

This doesn't go here, exactly. But I can't remember where it does go and scouting around through various threads doesn't come up with it.

Topic : replacement stems.

This topic comes around every so often, and I always get a good laugh out of it.

I absolutely guarantee that when equal care is given to the shaping, fit, and finish, that no one on Earth can reliably distinguish between a molded and rod stock stem.

:face:

 

[Harlock999]

I've got an old basket pipe with the only vulcanite stem I own. It irritates the inside of my lips for some reason, but maybe it's cheap material. I hit it with some wax once in a while and it's good to go for a spell.

I stopped smoking vulcanite for the most part, because I started getting an irritation as well.
I'll smoke an old Larsen every now and then, and I always end up getting a small spot on the inside of my lip that feels irritated.