Pipes with tenons or stingers

[plumbernater]

I ve got this Kaywoodie that has a stinger and it draws fine has no problems that I can tell. When smoking I seem to can tell the taste of metal. the stinger maybe. Anyone know anything about this. This is my first pipe that screws together and has metal anywhere in the path of the smoke.

 

[IronKnight]

I am smoking an old kaywoodie now with the drinkless stinger (mid-late 50's I think). I find that if I occasionally unscrew the stem and run a pipe cleaner over the stinger and swab out the shank, the flavor greatly improves. I have to do this anyway because it is a bent stem and the stinger does condense quite a bit of moisture. I have a large straight LHS that needs to be treated the same way, not because of the stem, but because the bowl size is so large that the stinger will condense moisture. Other than that, I found them quite a pain to clean, pipe cleaners never come out completely clean when dipped in everclear. They smoke well just make sure to let them dry and keep that stinger dry to prevent tar buildup and corrosion. Best of luck.

 

[Harlock999]

Well, it's clear that the wooden piece and the plastic/rubber piece should be ruled out as causes for the metal taste. That would probably leave the metal piece as the culprit. :scratch:

 

[plumbernater]

I hear you, the problem in guestion is that the stinger is clean, I just got the pipe and I have completly cleaned and sterilized the pipe. The first smoke was awful. It had a metalic taste to me. Maybe a few more bowls before I make my mind up on this pipe. I like her it would be a shame not to enjoy her.

 

[Harlock999]

For me, the stinger is a deal breaker. Pipe cleaners are useless with them, and like you you said, it puts metal in the path of the smoke, and that just doesn't sound appetizing. To me.

 

[plumbernater]

You probably have something there. All my other pipes dont have this and I have not expieranced this before. I was curious obout the metal.

 

[Dave_In_Philly]

For me, the stinger is a deal breaker. Pipe cleaners are useless with them

Not true, with a screw-in stinger you don't have to worry about the expansion and contraction that you do with a traditional mortise and tenon set-up, so you can unscrew the mouth piece and run a pipe cleaner through it during your smoke, no worries what-so-ever. I love my old Kaywoodies. I have two, one with the original 4 hole stinger intact, the other with the poor little sucker hacked off by a prior owner. Both smoke wonderfully no metalic taste at all.

Plumbernator, don't give up on her. I'm sure she'll do you right sooner or later.

 

[dshpipes]

For me, the stinger is a deal breaker. Pipe cleaners are useless with them, and like you you said, it puts metal in the path of the smoke, and that just doesn't sound appetizing. To me.

Ditto. If a pipe has a stinger or metal insert it doesn't get purchased by me. May sound snobby, but anything that gets between me and the smoke gets tossed.

That being said, I never realized that you could remove the stem of a pipe with a stinger during a smoke. That is good info to have.

 

[Kyle Weiss]

My second pipe, the one I refer to lovingly as The Danish Thrift, had a stinger on it. I smoked it on and off for a while, never really knowing why I had the "wetness" trouble, or metallic taste--come to find a pipe-wise fellow that said after a matter-of-fact conversation, "...that thing have a metal filter on it?"

I don't begrudge anyone that doesn't mind them, they just aren't for me. If they aren't removable, in the case with some of the metal screw-stems, I couldn't deal with it. Luckily, most stingers are removable with some gentle convincing, that way, the smoker has the choice.

The Danish Thrift is now my go-to pipe when I try new stuff--the thing simply doesn't ghost tobacco--I can go from a sopping aromatic to my Union Square for example, and Virginias taste as pure and simple as they should from my dedicated VA pipe.

 

[LPcreation]

I have a Pipe by Lee that has a metal stinger in it. I'm not a fan. Gurgles a lot and I can really pick up on the metal. It's too bad because I love the pipe.

 

[mark]

Well if the stinger is providing a metallic taste I wonder about Falcons and Kirstens then, having a large amount of metal the smoke passes over/through.

 

[Dave_In_Philly]

Well if the stinger is providing a metallic taste I wonder about Falcons and Kirstens then, having a large amount of metal the smoke passes over/through.

For the record, I'm smoking a Falcon full of 1Q at this very moment, tastes just fine to me.

 

[Kyle Weiss]

I can't help but mention that metallurgy in any manufacturing instance is vast and quality-dependent: stingers may vary in the ability to, or not to, impart metallic flavor. The same would go for whatever materials are used on and in metal pipes. There's those sensitive tongues out there, with their pesky independent chemical make-up themselves, that just might be able to not notice (or notice with terrible result) such differences... *shrug* Condensation issues could be anything from tobacco to saliva to smoking environment--something that tips the balance in a negative fashion, sometimes.

If you're enjoying your pipe, congratulations are in order! If not, try something new. 8) I'll smoke to that.

 

[Brewdude]

Seems to me my first pipe, an inexpensive Chacom, came with a stinger. I got rid of that early on, and it's one of my favorite pipes to this day.

Didn't really see the advantage to it and think it smokes all the better without it.

Cheers,

RR

 

[Smoker99]

Stingers, much like the Peterson Pit, just create moisture where there would otherwise be none, and I see no use for them. I have found the stinger pipes to smoke wet and metallic, so I don't buy them any more. Lots of people like them though, to each his own.

 

[plumbernater]

I got the kaywoodie off ebay to give her a try. So Ive tried her and I will go back to what I know. :santa:

 

[Dave_In_Philly]

I got the kaywoodie off ebay to give her a try. So Ive tried her and I will go back to what I know. :santa:

Well, if you decide to let her go, give me a heads up, I'd be happy to give a her a loving home.

 

[alfredo_buscatti]

The bowl you smoked tasted awful.

I think the problem is with the pipe, and that the stinger is blameless. But I wonder if there is any way to clean it, just to be sure. Maybe soak it in Everclear?

But the rest of the problem would be in the rest of the pipe; but you said you thoroughly cleaned it. Perhaps the salt or cotton ball treatment is in order?

Sorry you've had the problem. Certainly you are doing what you can to make it smoke right. I've never had a pipe taste awful, but I have had them taste off, at which point I went to the cotton ball treatment and have had good results with it.

 

[SPUD 15]

I personally have never had a problem with stingers in fact I own three Savinelli , LOLLOS all have aluminum stingers that you can even pass a cleaner through while the stem is attached. These pipes have never gurgled or given me any metal taste at all. I only smoke flake in them. They are great little pipes. I was surprised how the pipe cleaner was able to pass through to the bowel when I purchased my first one in the early 70's .

 

[Kyle Weiss]

I was surprised how the pipe cleaner was able to pass through to the bowel when I purchased my first one in the early 70's

Ouch? :lol: