pre-made stems, the best suppliers
pre-made stems, the best suppliers
As a newbie I have been looking through all the posts and hopefully I am not asking a dumb question. After destroying several hand cut stems i have been thinking of a premade stem for the next abysmal attempt!
I have, being in the UK, been look at the stems that P. E Herman and Dan Pipes supply are there any points that i should be looking for in a premade stem or any other / better suppliers in europe?
Any hints or suggestions would be great
regards
dave
I have, being in the UK, been look at the stems that P. E Herman and Dan Pipes supply are there any points that i should be looking for in a premade stem or any other / better suppliers in europe?
Any hints or suggestions would be great
regards
dave
"Omne ignotum pro magnifico" - everything becomes common place by explanation :- sherlock holmes
Re: pre-made stems, the best suppliers
JHLowe have them for between $3 and $10 per dozen. They're hit and miss quality, at least half good in my experience. Best value IMO. JHLowe also have Giudici stems, allegedly better quality:
http://www.jhlowe.com/rubber-giudici.htm
An alternative would be AMSmoke, Mark Tinsky:
http://ssl.cybersun.com/4Dscripts/webca ... 6281~1~101
He gets his own stems from Italy, pre-made. I don't know if the stems Mark sells are the same Italian make that he uses on his own pipes, call him...HTH
http://www.jhlowe.com/rubber-giudici.htm
An alternative would be AMSmoke, Mark Tinsky:
http://ssl.cybersun.com/4Dscripts/webca ... 6281~1~101
He gets his own stems from Italy, pre-made. I don't know if the stems Mark sells are the same Italian make that he uses on his own pipes, call him...HTH
Re: pre-made stems, the best suppliers
Thanks flix
I had looked at JHLowe stems but being in the UK i was hoping for a closer solution.
I think that I will email them rather than the transatlantic phone call!
regards
dave
apologies for dumb / repeated question i did not scroll down the forum far enough
I had looked at JHLowe stems but being in the UK i was hoping for a closer solution.
I think that I will email them rather than the transatlantic phone call!
regards
dave
apologies for dumb / repeated question i did not scroll down the forum far enough
"Omne ignotum pro magnifico" - everything becomes common place by explanation :- sherlock holmes
Re: pre-made stems, the best suppliers
Hi Dave,
Janzen in Hamburg carries stems, too, both acrylic and ebonite ... though, I'm afraid, the site is all in german:http://www.janzen-pfeifen.de/frameset.html
Regards, Jens
Janzen in Hamburg carries stems, too, both acrylic and ebonite ... though, I'm afraid, the site is all in german:http://www.janzen-pfeifen.de/frameset.html
Regards, Jens
Re: pre-made stems, the best suppliers
Thanks Jens
With my limited german and the help of babelfish i should manage to navigate through the site, avoiding the ravenous bugblatter beast of traal but then I always carry a towel with me
regards
dave
With my limited german and the help of babelfish i should manage to navigate through the site, avoiding the ravenous bugblatter beast of traal but then I always carry a towel with me
regards
dave
"Omne ignotum pro magnifico" - everything becomes common place by explanation :- sherlock holmes
Re: pre-made stems, the best suppliers
I'd just find out from which suppliers they purchase their Italian stems, you might get lucky enough to even save some by cutting out the middle-man.potholer wrote:Thanks flix
I had looked at JHLowe stems but being in the UK i was hoping for a closer solution.
I think that I will email them rather than the transatlantic phone call!
regards
dave
apologies for dumb / repeated question i did not scroll down the forum far enough
Re: pre-made stems, the best suppliers
Thanks flix
for the suggestion. The question of where J H Lowe get their Giudici stems from was dealt in one of the other posts that i should have read
As I only really want a dozen in several different styles,I will have to send the parcel pigeon to J H Lowe and some others from Dan Pipes and PIA pipes
thanks to all who have helped
dave
for the suggestion. The question of where J H Lowe get their Giudici stems from was dealt in one of the other posts that i should have read
As I only really want a dozen in several different styles,I will have to send the parcel pigeon to J H Lowe and some others from Dan Pipes and PIA pipes
thanks to all who have helped
dave
"Omne ignotum pro magnifico" - everything becomes common place by explanation :- sherlock holmes
Re: pre-made stems, the best suppliers
Here's Janzens site in english:
http://www.janzen-pfeifen.de/english/frameset.html
http://www.janzen-pfeifen.de/english/frameset.html
Re: pre-made stems, the best suppliers
Thanks DaGamba
I started my travels through the janzen site complete with babelfish and towel! then i found the link to the english version
regards
dave
I started my travels through the janzen site complete with babelfish and towel! then i found the link to the english version
regards
dave
"Omne ignotum pro magnifico" - everything becomes common place by explanation :- sherlock holmes
- Mike Messer
- Posts: 546
- Joined: Fri Mar 27, 2009 11:01 pm
- Location: USA
- Contact:
Re: pre-made stems, the best suppliers
I have 40 Giudici stems I bought from PME which I have no use for, since I am strictly handmade from rod stock now. If you or anyone would be interested in buying them at a considerable discount send me a PM. All are in original condition, in plastic bags.
They are are viewable at PME: http://www.pipemakers.org/
Qty. No. Description Approx. List
10 #VU165 long taper $14.50
12 #VU231 short saddle $14.50
10 #VU223 long saddle $14.50
3 #VU283 big sq. taper $5.12
2 #VU499 big taper $6.87
2 #VU175 long taper $2.90
----------------------------------------------------------
40 Stems Total List $58.39, for $30.00 + $11 Shipping in USA only
NOTE: These stems are okay for beginner pipemaking, until you develop the tooling, materials, and skills to make stems by hand, but the quality of these molded stems is totally unacceptable for high quality handmade pipes, not to mention the fact that they aren't handmade.
Janzen has some high quality acrylic molded stems, and posibly ebonite molded stems, although I have not seen the ebonite stems, but still, they are not handmade, by you, the pipemaker, either. For what it's worth... It takes a while to put it all together.
They are are viewable at PME: http://www.pipemakers.org/
Qty. No. Description Approx. List
10 #VU165 long taper $14.50
12 #VU231 short saddle $14.50
10 #VU223 long saddle $14.50
3 #VU283 big sq. taper $5.12
2 #VU499 big taper $6.87
2 #VU175 long taper $2.90
----------------------------------------------------------
40 Stems Total List $58.39, for $30.00 + $11 Shipping in USA only
NOTE: These stems are okay for beginner pipemaking, until you develop the tooling, materials, and skills to make stems by hand, but the quality of these molded stems is totally unacceptable for high quality handmade pipes, not to mention the fact that they aren't handmade.
Janzen has some high quality acrylic molded stems, and posibly ebonite molded stems, although I have not seen the ebonite stems, but still, they are not handmade, by you, the pipemaker, either. For what it's worth... It takes a while to put it all together.
Mike Messer
http://handmade-briar-usa.com
http://handmade-briar-usa.com
Re: pre-made stems, the best suppliers
Thanks for the offer Mike
I ordered several stems from P. E Herman
while im fairly confident about the wood parts the plastics have been giving me gyp and i thought that until i have the leisure to really concentrate on the stems a premould would atleast allow me to make a pipe that looks like a pipe rather than a piece of wood on an ugly piece of plastic
regards
dave
I ordered several stems from P. E Herman
while im fairly confident about the wood parts the plastics have been giving me gyp and i thought that until i have the leisure to really concentrate on the stems a premould would atleast allow me to make a pipe that looks like a pipe rather than a piece of wood on an ugly piece of plastic
regards
dave
"Omne ignotum pro magnifico" - everything becomes common place by explanation :- sherlock holmes
- KurtHuhn
- Site Admin
- Posts: 5326
- Joined: Thu Nov 23, 2006 8:00 pm
- Location: United States/Rhode Island
Re: pre-made stems, the best suppliers
I strongly suggest to beginners that they concentrate on making a usable pipe before attempting the pain of a hand cut stem. Even pipe makers that have been making pipes for a decade or more will use premold stems. Every factory pipe on the planet has a premold stem attached to it, and those thing sell like hotcakes.
IMO, there's no shame in a premold. Now, if you stick a premold on a $400 pipe, that's a problem. But if you're selling $400 pipes, you know better anyway.
IMO, there's no shame in a premold. Now, if you stick a premold on a $400 pipe, that's a problem. But if you're selling $400 pipes, you know better anyway.
Re: pre-made stems, the best suppliers
I actually agree with mike, mostly. Once you develop to skills and the tools to make your own stems, its almost just as much trouble to modify a premold to acceptable proportions as it is to make one from scratch. And it almost always looks better.
That being said, the 5 minutes you save using premold stems can be a lifesaver for those with deadlines or large batches.
I've had good luck with the Guidici stems, as far as quality and consistency is concerned, though.
That being said, the 5 minutes you save using premold stems can be a lifesaver for those with deadlines or large batches.
I've had good luck with the Guidici stems, as far as quality and consistency is concerned, though.
J&J Pipes
jnjpipes.com
jnjpipes.com
Re: pre-made stems, the best suppliers
To bregolad & Kurt
Me being me I had to try it!
the two efforts that I have produced smoke well enough - to me
But to go out in public they, like the phantom of the opera, would need a mask
So without any shame I asked the question.
Who knows the next piece of tortured wood may be worth a picture and be sent into the lions den
Thanks for the advice
regards
dave
Me being me I had to try it!
the two efforts that I have produced smoke well enough - to me
But to go out in public they, like the phantom of the opera, would need a mask
So without any shame I asked the question.
Who knows the next piece of tortured wood may be worth a picture and be sent into the lions den
Thanks for the advice
regards
dave
"Omne ignotum pro magnifico" - everything becomes common place by explanation :- sherlock holmes
Re: pre-made stems, the best suppliers
Well, I concur with Kurt. I love handcut stems, but I absolutely *hate* making them. I'm still short of the time saving techniques department so every handcut stem is a journey to hell for me. Of course I'm exaggerating.
Re: pre-made stems, the best suppliers
Thanks
to all that have given advice, comments and information. It is appreciated.
regards
dave
to all that have given advice, comments and information. It is appreciated.
regards
dave
"Omne ignotum pro magnifico" - everything becomes common place by explanation :- sherlock holmes