Pipe Repair and Mouthpiece Maintenance

Pipe repair and mouthpiece maintenance covers work that goes beyond routine cleaning, aimed at restoring worn parts to their former condition. The everyday routine is covered in the pipe cleaning entry; what's dealt with here are problems that show up over time: the mouthpiece (stem) losing its shine, and its fit into the body shifting.

One rule holds throughout: parts are only ever separated once the pipe has fully cooled, since forcing the connection while it's hot can both bend the mouthpiece and crack the shank.

Oxidation on a Vulcanite Mouthpiece

Vulcanite (ebonite) is made by hardening natural rubber over a long period with sulfur; the sulfur content in its composition ranges from 25 to 80 percent. That same sulfur is the reason a mouthpiece grows dull over time: ultraviolet light oxidizes the surface, and the sulfur released combines with moisture to form sulfate and sulfuric acid compounds. Because these compounds draw moisture from the air, they leave a dull film on the surface that shifts from grayish green to brown; it's also known to leave a bitter taste while smoking. The way to guard against it is simple: keep the mouthpiece out of direct sunlight, and wipe it down after every smoke. Acrylic (lucite) mouthpieces don't have this problem; material differences are covered in the mouthpiece materials entry.

Existing oxidation is first softened. The mouthpiece is soaked briefly in a solution of lukewarm water with oxygen-based bleach powder mixed in; because prolonged soaking can leave pitting on the vulcanite surface, the time is kept short, and on stamped mouthpieces the stamp is protected with a thin coat of petroleum jelly. The softened layer is removed with a melamine sponge, followed by progressively finer sandpaper (micromesh); shine is restored with a buffing wheel and carnauba wax. The solution alone won't remove oxidation that has worked deep into the material; sanding becomes unavoidable at this stage. Since residue doesn't show under direct light, whether the job is finished is checked by looking at the surface from an angled view. A motorized buffing wheel gives faster results but can burn the vulcanite at high speed; working by hand is safer for a beginner.