Hand Carved Stems — Is Rod Stock the Only Way?
23rd December, 2007 by gmdibos in Stem Replacement
When the subject of stems comes up, a debate between those who prefer one material or the other—Lucite or vulcanite—usually follows, but the issue never gets settled. Like two people who own exactly half of the properties in a Monopoly game, each has enough fans to keep the dispute going forever.
Shift the topic to the method of creation—carved versus molded—and it’s the other extreme: Virtually unanimous agreement that carved is superior. The perception is that they are sleeker, more comfortable (thinner through the bite zone), more elegant in contour, and better finished. Their being considered “better” is such a slam dunk, in fact, most smokers wouldn’t think twice if they had their choice for the same price when buying a pipe.
Like many things, however, concept is what is sold, but an example is what you buy. A carved stem doesn’t necessarily have the attributes listed above. In fact, because they are labor intensive to make, the same time consuming details that make them potentially superior are often the ones that get omitted or overlooked. Personally, I’d much rather have a well fitted and finished molded stem than a so-so carved one.
There is also a third, “hybrid” category that’s not frequently seen…