Replacing a Kaywoodie Stem With Logo and Stinger.

[RustiePyles CPG]

A friend asked me to make a new stem for this 1930’s Thorn. Here’s some pictures of the logo transfer process. The new stem is black acrylic hand cut from rod stock. The original stinger was used on the new stem.

Here’s the new stem roughed out.
Removing the logo from the old stem with a very fine back saw.
Sanding the back of the removed stem section to access the back of the logo.
Setting the logo in the new stem. First it was super glued in place with a very small amount of CA leaving a cavity all the way around the logo.
Then the cavity was filled with G Flex marine epoxy w/black pigment.

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

Once the GnFlex was fully cured it was sanded back and the rest of the stem was finish sanded and polished.

 

[beefeater33]

Great work! But I gotta ask............ is the logo upside down?

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

Great work! But I gotta ask............ is the logo upside down?

KW did it both ways over the years, the customer wanted it facing down on the new stem. So to answer your question, yes it is.

 

[beefeater33]

Thanks. I don't think I've seen one with that orientation- I learn something new here all the time.

 

[didimauw]

Awesome work as always! Please keep em coming!

Kaywoodies will forever have a place in my rack. That one is a fantastic specimen.

But I gotta ask; Was it really easier to take the old logo out, rather than start new, with drilling, filler etc? It seemed overly complicated to my uncreative pipe smoking brain.

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

Awesome work as always! Please keep em coming!

Kaywoodies will forever have a place in my rack. That one is a fantastic specimen.

But I gotta ask; Was it really easier to take the old logo out, rather than start new, with drilling, filler etc? It seemed overly complicated to my uncreative pipe smoking brain.

Trying to carve the logo into the stem drilln' fill style would be nearly impossible to do from scratch. you'd have to drill it nearly perfectly and carve the tiny clover stem and then what you're left with is enamel paint that will disappear the first time its buffed. That might work ok for dots and other simple shapes but not for a complex shapes like a KW clover.

 

[LotusEater]

A very impressive bit of work. Thanks for sharing this with us. Your resto posts are like watching an episode of “How It's Made” but with an artisanal flare.

 

[Piping Abe]

Fantastic work. Thank you for sharing

 

[buckaroo]

Very cool. Always wondered if this was possible. Love my old push stem Thorn's with great blasts but not the vulcanite.

 

[orlandofurioso]

Once the GnFlex was fully cured it was sanded back and the rest of the stem was finish sanded and polished.
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Color my impressed Fletch .

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

Very cool. Always wondered if this was possible. Love my old push stem Thorn's with great blasts but not the vulcanite.

I’ve never had any problems with old KB&B Vulcanite but I have had issues with other brands that some people don’t. I think it all comes down to body chemistry and how you care for your pipes. The original stem on this one was chomped through completely so total replacement was the only option and the owner wanted acrylic.

Push stem Thorns are where it’s at!

 

[kcghost]

Mr. Kaywoodie would be proud if he ever made a stem that good. Beautiful Work, Fletch!!

 

[orlandofurioso]

I’ve never had any problems with old KB&B Vulcanite but I have had issues with other brands that some people don’t. I think it all comes down to body chemistry and how you care for your pipes. The original stem on this one was chomped through completely so total replacement was the only option and the owner wanted acrylic.

Push stem Thorns are where it’s at!

The acrylic stem is very becoming !

 

[Sobrbiker]

As usual, well done!

 

[AroEnglish]

Another exciting story of "How I Wish I Could Do That!"

 

[Bbailey324]

Beautiful work. Very impressive!

 

[ssjones]

Very cool, I think a Comoy's stem logo could also transplant similarly.