The stem is locked as solidly as if it were glued into the extension, because the mortise and tenon were made from the same material. What happened is not literally the same as vacuum welding, but it's functionally the same, and not just a known danger of using like materials in a pressure/friction joint, but inevitable. On top of THAT, the material selected was that crumbly, crappy stuff that Italy's pipemaking trade has a sexual-grade fetish for. It breaks from looking at it too hard at the best of times. Putting it a structural-strength-required situation is like putting a ten year old kid on an NFL team.
Trying to remove the stem is what broke the black "spool" inside the briar extension cap (which was slipped over and glued in place.)
Somehow, the black spool itself LOOKS like it has an elbow in it. ??????? When viewed end-on it is circular in both directions, but the centerline of the spool-half in the stummel is 15 or 20 degrees "up" from the centerline of the snapped-off spool-half. (The metal rod in the profile shot goes all the way to the bottom of the chamber. Look closely at the photo above it, and the "bullseye" in the center is light from the bottom of the chamber.)
Fixing this pipe is impossible as far as I can figure. 1) The briar extension cap has stamped nomenclature so must be preserved; 2) The stem itself can't be twisted from the extension core without shattering; and 3) Replacing the black spool-core-thing with a vulcanite one would first require knowing what direction to drill it out---on the same axis as the extension or the same axis as the airway.
Posting this mess here for two reasons: 1) Someone might think of a solution that I haven't; and 2) As an example of the kind of elaborate---but fatal--- silliness to avoid when making/designing a pipe of your own.
Actually there's a third reason: There's an outside chance Chris made this thing and sent it to someone to send it to me, as payback for all the shit I've given him the past few years. In which case, I'm officially surrendering. You win, mate!
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