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So I'm not sure if any of you have experimented with Juma (available herehttp://www.cuestik.com/store/?DEPARTMENT_ID=197) but we (J&J) have been playing with it for a year and really enjoy it. Especially the ivory stuff.
Juma feels about the same in the teeth as ebonite but doesn't oxidize, which is basically a win-win.

There are several bugaboos with it though. The "black" juma is not a true deep black like all that lovely german ebonite that we all love. It has a slightly grey tint, alothough it is quite dark. The ivory stuff is really bitchin' and has a great coloration and a very, very subtle grain to it. That's my question for you all. Laying aside any concerns for the materials longevity as a stem, take a look at the picture i put up and tell me what you think of the graining on the ivory. When buffed, it gives you some ripples in the finish as well as some slight inclusions, as I assume a piece of real ivory of comparable size would do.

Would this feature give you pause as a smoker? Does it put you off? For my personal taste, this is a feature not a bug. I think its cool. But I would love to know what you all think.

The picture is slightly messed with to show the rippling, it's a little more pale in person, but the grain almost needs a magnifying glass to be seen.

I have very little to input, but my two cents is that it depends on your market. I've been toying around with getting some juma because I know my typical clientele wouldn't be turned off by the disadvantages at all. In other circles, there are some collectors that won't give a pipe a second look if the stem isn't ebonite.

That said I believe there is a HUGE market for smokers who want something as soft as ebonite but doesn't oxidize. Trick is, are they the kind of folks who would buy your pipes?

The ripple and inclusions would put me off using it, as to customers that would be up to them but I would worry they would think it was my fault.

You just have to finish it differently than vulcanite, is all.

To avoid grain ripples, ultra-fine sand with a light touch to 2000 or 2500 using a cushion-backed stick, then polish on a low speed wheel using Menzurna fine & x-fine.

As for inclusions, I haven't seen any in what I've used so far.

Mr. Dibos! I was hoping you'd chime in. I guess I should just work on my finish in process.
So the trick is higher grits of sandpaper as opposed to working up through the buffing wheels.
What's your opinion of the stuff as a stem material? Longevity And comfort?

I have used some black Juma in the past but I quickly decided it was not a very good material for mouthpieces. I think it's a bit too soft so it requires delrin tenons (which I almost never use) and the shine isn't as good as on quality ebonite. I haven't used other colors from their range.
I could recommend you another product from the same company - Elforyn. It's a mineral and resin based ivory substitute. It comes in white, ivory and grained ivory colors. The grain is very nice, more like delicate creamy swirls which in my opinion look good and quite natural. It polishes almost as nicely as ebonite and it machines very easily. I have only used it for decorative accents so I cannot really say if it would be good for stems, but you might want to try it as an alternative to Juma.

I've worked with both Juma and Elforyn. Neither takes a shine like ebonite or acrylic in my experience. I don't like that the black Juma isn't a deeper black and I gave the rep from the company that feedback. I do like the faux ivory Elforyn (the one without the swirls) as an alternative to ivory although I have found that it is tough to get a really, really nice shine. I, personally, don't like either material well enough to make stems out of it. Here's a pipe I used Elforyn on:

bregolad wrote:
So the trick is higher grits of sandpaper as opposed to working up through the buffing wheels.

Yes. Abrasive buffing with a compliant wheel is similar to sandblasting in that hardness differences in a given piece of material are accentuated, not flattened. Look at many cheaper, high-volume pipes and notice the rippling in the briar for an example of the effect. Those factories do all the sanding work they can on a wheel, and they start coarse and push hard.

If you hand sand with firmly-backed paper to a near-polish, the troughs and peaks don't develop. Then use the wheel just to shine things up.

What's your opinion of the stuff as a stem material? Longevity And comfort?

It's good for people who like & want a Vintage Vibe, but they need to be aware the stuff isn't as durable as vulcanite or acrylic. It's better for "sippers" than "clenchers."

The funny thing is that while bone, horn, and amber were common stems in the Victorian and early Edwardian eras, ivory never was. But today, nothing says "vintage" quite like that ivory tone, so that's what people ask for.

Thanks for the input fellas.

I've had good luck with the durability, and I'm a clencher. I think the black juma is a dud (except for shop pipes, which its perfect for)
I'll keep toying with the ivory though, til I can get that shine.

I really want to try some Juma- if for nothing else, I'd love it for accent rings. Good info from George on buffing vs. sanding- it's something I've become more and more conscious of lately.

Would you happen to have an extra two inches of Juma you could send me so I could play with it?

The Smoking Yeti wrote:I really want to try some Juma- if for nothing else, I'd love it for accent rings. Good info from George on buffing vs. sanding- it's something I've become more and more conscious of lately.

Would you happen to have an extra two inches of Juma you could send me so I could play with it?

pm me your address dude.

sam a wrote:

The Smoking Yeti wrote:I really want to try some Juma- if for nothing else, I'd love it for accent rings. Good info from George on buffing vs. sanding- it's something I've become more and more conscious of lately.

Would you happen to have an extra two inches of Juma you could send me so I could play with it?

pm me your address dude.

Don't fall for it !!!!!!!!!!!!!

sam a wrote:

The Smoking Yeti wrote:I really want to try some Juma- if for nothing else, I'd love it for accent rings. Good info from George on buffing vs. sanding- it's something I've become more and more conscious of lately.

Would you happen to have an extra two inches of Juma you could send me so I could play with it?

pm me your address dude.

It's all good sam I already bitched and begged and got some Juma some from John and Jared

The black stuff is fine, but be careful with any of the other colors. The snake pattern white one and the some of the swirl ones will react and melt with alcohol or saliva and deteriorate.

Please Note: Test a material thoroughly before putting it on a pipe you are going to sell to a customer. It will bite you in the end if you do not.