estate pipe with a stuck stinger
AnantaAndroscoggin
Master
I've just picked up an estate Dr. Grabow Viscount pipe which could not pass a pipe cleaner when I sat down to go through it and clean. Turns out that at some point after this pipe's last smoke, somebody managed to shove a stinger down into the shank until it is entirely stuck.
I've tried the only pair of needle-nose pliers I have that would fit down in there, but all that accomplished was to break off the end of the thing, making it even harder to try grabbing. For a while I wondered if I put BBs into the airway from the bowl one at a time and forced them -- would that manage to move the stinger, but not having any in the household, don't even know if BBs would fit.
Thought of compressed air, but I don't have one of those attachments with a rubber cone to help block an oversized opening you're blasting the air into. Not too sure where to find one, either.
I don't want to drill, as there's too much chance of damaging the threads in the shank opening.
Other than that, there's an open hole where the spade used to be in the stem. and at some point someone managed to twist the threaded tenon a little more than halfway around so that the stem is upside down when screwed all the way in.
It didn't cost me very much, but it would be nice to use that pretty piece of wood stummel.
I've tried the only pair of needle-nose pliers I have that would fit down in there, but all that accomplished was to break off the end of the thing, making it even harder to try grabbing. For a while I wondered if I put BBs into the airway from the bowl one at a time and forced them -- would that manage to move the stinger, but not having any in the household, don't even know if BBs would fit.
Thought of compressed air, but I don't have one of those attachments with a rubber cone to help block an oversized opening you're blasting the air into. Not too sure where to find one, either.
I don't want to drill, as there's too much chance of damaging the threads in the shank opening.
Other than that, there's an open hole where the spade used to be in the stem. and at some point someone managed to twist the threaded tenon a little more than halfway around so that the stem is upside down when screwed all the way in.
It didn't cost me very much, but it would be nice to use that pretty piece of wood stummel.
Comments
Try filling the bowl and shank with Everclear/strong alcohol and let it soak...probably at least overnight. Then carefully take a thin straight pick around the stuck piece of stinger, scraping around the stinger WITHOUT prying or digging into the wood, shanks crack pretty easily (been there, done that). Then try to wiggle the stinger with the pick in the hole in the stinger. Keep removing the tars and soaking with alcohol....take your time (days if need be) don’t rush it. The alcohol should eventually loosen the tars, hopefully it is not seriously jammed into the wood. If, after a few soaks it has not come out, put the bowl in the freezer for a few hours then try wiggling the stinger again. Rinse/Repeat. Patience my friend 🙂
As far as the stem being out of alignment, I believe some/most Dr. Grabow pipes have an “Adjustomatic” feature built into the metal screw fitting. This allows one to turn the stem to bring the screw/stem/shank in alignment. Mine are all stamped as such on the shank “Adjustomatic”. I admit, I have been too afraid to put enough torque on the stem to rotate them. Luckily all of mine have been in alignment. I have tried to twist them to test out the feature, but I chickened out since they did not need aligned anyway.