Dr. Grabow with clogged stem?

Johnny · Mon Feb 25, 2019 5:16 pm

Hey guys. I just bought a Dr. Grabow from the local Rite Aid and the stem is clogged. Won't draw at all... Has anyone ever got one possibly wasn't drilled out all the way or blocked? I'm not sure what to do. I don't think the store will take it back after I opened it...

Houtenziel · Mon Feb 25, 2019 5:23 pm

Johnny wrote: ↑Mon Feb 25, 2019 5:16 pm Hey guys. I just bought a Dr. Grabow from the local Rite Aid and the stem is clogged. Won't draw at all... Has anyone ever got one possibly wasn't drilled out all the way or blocked? I'm not sure what to do. I don't think the store will take it back after I opened it...

Call Dr. Grabow, they will set you right. That's if you can't get something through the stem to clear it.

Johnny · Mon Feb 25, 2019 5:30 pm

houtenziel wrote: ↑Mon Feb 25, 2019 5:23 pm
Johnny wrote: ↑Mon Feb 25, 2019 5:16 pm Hey guys. I just bought a Dr. Grabow from the local Rite Aid and the stem is clogged. Won't draw at all... Has anyone ever got one possibly wasn't drilled out all the way or blocked? I'm not sure what to do. I don't think the store will take it back after I opened it...
Call Dr. Grabow, they will set you right. That's if you can't get something through the stem to clear it.

I tried calling but they are closed for the day. I sent an email. I'm currently using some gimlets to try and clear the stem out.

Mon Feb 25, 2019 5:45 pm

Try hand turning a drill bit from the tenon side. Do they have another pipe at the Riteaid? Take it back, you bought it today they will remember you.

Johnny · Mon Feb 25, 2019 5:53 pm

I'm having alright luck with the gimlets. I got a 4mm in there from the tenon side. It's almost like it has cake in it. I'm running bristle cleaners through it with alcohol and they are coming out black. Turned into a project anyway

Johnny · Mon Feb 25, 2019 5:58 pm

I wonder if they pre-smoked it so much that it clogged the stem with carbon.... It's a rhodesian shape and I want to keep the pipe. Just going to take some work

Mr Beardsley · Mon Feb 25, 2019 6:21 pm

Sounds like whatever bowl coat they use got built up in the draft (if they use a bowl coat on the new ones) I'd just run a 5/32 drill bit down it by hand and then hit it with an iso soaked bristle cleaner

Houtenziel · Mon Feb 25, 2019 6:32 pm

Johnny wrote: ↑Mon Feb 25, 2019 5:58 pm I wonder if they pre-smoked it so much that it clogged the stem with carbon.... It's a rhodesian shape and I want to keep the pipe. Just going to take some work

Is the clog actually in the stem, or is it the draft in the stummel? I am fairly certain that Dr. Grabow uses a bowl coat now instead of pre-smoking(at least that is sure what the new ones look like). It would make sense that the stummel draft would be clogged with that, but I am not sure how the bowl coating would get into the stem.

Johnny · Mon Feb 25, 2019 6:40 pm

The clog is in the stem. The stummel is wide open as one would expect from Grabow. I can easily pass a cleaner through it now.

Mon Feb 25, 2019 6:54 pm

Johnny wrote: ↑Mon Feb 25, 2019 6:40 pm The clog is in the stem. The stummel is wide open as one would expect from Grabow. I can easily pass a cleaner through it now.

You are good. I have never heard of this, but things happen.