Any Pipe Smokers, Makers, Repairers?

Re: Any Pipe Smokers, Makers, Repairers?

Mike G.

>My boss's pipe stem sometimes falls out. He just takes a piece of paper or thin cardboard to wrap around it as a shim.

Mike G.

Depends...

David Barnett

>All calabashes can be dissembled, recupped, refitted. Some, like the so-called 'mahogany' calabashes are made to break down. Genuine block meerschaum (as opposed to pressed) may have a fitting ring made of cork or some other soft wood to ameliorate the shape/size differences between bowl and gourd, and this may be either a press fit or held in place by beeswax or some other meerschaum friendly substance. Sometimes a fitting ring may shrink and loosen a bit, especially when the pipe's not been smoked often and the air is dry. You could either try a bit of plain old beeswax (not finishing wax with solvents, of course), but just add to it until it's tacked into place enough to keep it from easily dislodging. You don't want it unduly tight.

If you're not comfortable doing this or don't think this makes sense for your type of calabash (they vary from maker to maker), it may be best to send it off to Tim West, Mark Tinsky, or Lee Von-Erck. Tim's number is 614-761-3465, Mark moved to Montana and I don't have his new number, but his site is: http://www.amsmoke.com/, and Lee's email is: PipeMaker@von-Erck.com.

Re: Any Pipe Smokers, Makers, Repairers? *LINK*

Don in Northern Arizona

>Alan,

Try this guy. He might be able to help.

Don


NightOwl Pipeworks

Thanks All

Alan Hamilton

>I more carefully examined the rim of the gourd and the insert and what I took to be adhesive. I think it is wax; it looks more like paraffin wax than beeswax.

I tried beeswax. After I got a good smear around the top edge of the gourd the meerschaum insert seated tightly and shows no inclination to fall out again.

Thanks again for the help.

Alan