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I didn't know how to title this post, open for suggestions.

I am fixing a friend's really old meerschaum. He broke the amber stem, so I made a knew acrylic one. The screw-in-area of the tenon is pretty much smooth so that saved me the trouble of search for a screw tenon made for some turn of the century french pipe. I will explain what I did, and hopefully somebody can tell me if there might be a problem.

The tenon is 5mmm~ so I took a 5mm drill bit and smoothed out the inside walls. I then tried to turn down a piece of amber acrylic to a 5mm tenon size and failed(it got to hot), then tried turning down a piece of delrin (and failed), then I turned down a piece of ebonite and glued it into the acrylic as a tenon (this one worked). The shank of the pipe has a decorated silver ring over the meerschaum. I am thinking that this will protect any snappage. I was thinking about trying to stablize the mortise with some super glue, but decided not to until I hear back from somebody on this.

Making the stem to size wasn't a problem, but because of lack of experience, I am a little nervous about the the tenon slowly wearing away the meerschaum inside the mortise.

Appreciate any help/advice I can get on this before I give the pipe back to him.

Kiel

I'm not a meer fixer as a categorical thing (never work on them---too spooky), but my Spidey sense says enlarging the mortise to accept an epoxied-in Delrin sleeve would probably be the ideal solution.

Doing that with a drill bit would not be the best way to do go about it, though. Graduated chucking reamers that only shaved a few thou at a time until the desired diameter was reached would be safer and and more accurate (maintain the mortise's axial alignment).

I would see if Walt can chime in on this. I made just one meerschaum and did not line the mortise. The mortise is all kinds of loose now.

Appreciate the help guys. In an ideal setting, I would have the tools to get nice and precise. I have reamers for mortise sizes I usually drill, but nothing below 6mm. The delrin I have is 8mm and I tried turning it down (key word "tried“). Even if I could sleeve the mortise, I'd have to taper a long 3mm drill bit for the draft hole and buy a meter of 4mm ss tubing (that I'd probably never use after this fix). I'll try some CA glue in the mortise to add a little strength and support. If it gets loose later on I'll go the George way and get the appropriate tools, or I'll go the even more George way and say I don't do meerschaums ：） You are right on the spooky factor though. It was very stressful making that tenon.

I sent my friend a picture of the pipe with its new stem, and he is happy of course. The problem is that I am feeling a little uneasy about it. I see him next week at our little pipe meet up so I have some time to think more on this.

I have sold some pipes to some local friends and pipe enthusiaists, and have repaired a few stems since I've been out here. Made some money and have recieved some nice tobacco through transactions. I am really enjoying the hobby, but this meerschaum was a real curveball.

Thanks,
Kiel