What is the best way to bend a stem ?

[Mrpickwick]

I have recently started hand cutting my own stems that I can buy here in Japan from Tsuge as they offer some good quality pipe making supplies etc. And I was wondering what are the best methods for bending stems etc. I have bent my last two stems over the top of our Kerosene heater which worked quite well but there must be a better method. Such as heat guns, gas burners etc. What do you use ?

[Nick]

I just use a candle. I think some one mentioned a heatgun earlier, but I don't remember the results. I've also heard of boiling the stem, but the results were less than stelar, and using a toaster over.

[bscofield]

I like the heat gun. I've boiled them, the heat just doesn't penetrate the stem. I've used open flame, I burnt the stem.

[RadDavis]

I use a heat gun.

Rad

[achduliebe]

I'm with Nick here, I use a candle. The first time I bent a stem I used a hair dryer....not too good. I would think that a heat gun would do the trick as Ben and Rad suggested. If you get a good one, they can get very hot.

One suggestion if you decide to use a candle, be very careful no to get it too close to the flame. Start with the stem a good ways above the flame and slowly bring it down until you feel the rubber get plyable. Also, move the stem back and forth. If you are not careful you can burn the stem very easily as Ben commented.

[jeff]

I know of at least one person who uses a blowtorch. Of course, that means instant death for your stem if you use vulcanite or lucite.

I started bending with the burner from a gas stove. Don't try it. It really sucks, though it is effective, and I've never burned a stem that way (or any way for that matter.) Now I have moved to the exclusive use of a heat gun. It's fast and very effective. I've never used it on lucite, but for ebonite and cumberland it is perfect.

Jeff

[ToddJohnson]

I've tried all these methods (except the blowtorch) and found some better than others. I think of those mentioned, the heat gun is probably your best bet. Be forewarned however that if you're using lucite you can overheat a stem and create little surface bubbles in an instant. What I've found to be the best and safest method, offering me the most control is the use of an alcahol burner. It creates a flame about 1" in diameter and 3" tall when the wick is at its proper height and diameter. Pass the stem back and forth quickly through the middle (read least hot) of the flame. You'll want to spend maybe 15 seconds on the top of the stem, turn it over and spend 15 seconds on the bottom of the stem, etc. Of course it takes longer to bend a tapered stem than a saddle stem but extra caution needs to be taken with the latter. You'll eventually get the feel for it. You can always practice with some crappy pre-formed stems and you're out three bucks instead of three hours if you mess it up. Oh yeah, one final note. A candle works okay, but it produces carbon residue that can basically transfer soot to the stem--something an alcahol burner does not do. Also, it's more difficult to pass the stem back and forth through such a small flame and the liklihood of burning it is greater. I hope that information is helpful.

Best,

Todd

[Nick]

Cool! Thanks for the tip Todd. I'd have never thought of the soot issue.

[bscofield]

I know of at least one person who uses a blowtorch. Of course, that means instant death for your stem if you use vulcanite or lucite.

If it's instant death for vulcanite or lucite, what is that person using?

[KurtHuhn]

Toaster ovens work great, but you have to be careful not to overheat and cook your stems. They allow for some very graceful bends with minimum time investment. There are drawbacks though - the epoxy used on the delrin tenons can overheat and break down, vulcanite tenons can change size, etc.

For the most part, I use a heat gun. I forget who suggested that one, I think it was Jeff. I had been using a toaster oven up to that point with good results, but with some minor missteps along the way. It allows for much more even heat transfer - at least for the way my hands and brain work. Todd's suggestion of an alcohol burner also sounds like a stellar idea.

[Mrpickwick]

Thanks everyone for all the good ideas on bending stems and I think I'll buy a heat gun soon as that sounds like one of the best ways. Thanks for all the info and happy pipe making.