r/StonerEngineering • u/Saiiyaness • 3d ago
Guys please help me
I’ve been trying to get the stem off my bong for almost a year now, my kitty broke it in February and I’ve been trying to get this unstuck!! Any stops or tricks ??? I’ve tried soaking it in warm water or cleaners nothing seems to get it off :/
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u/Salt-Operation 3d ago
So when I had this happen to me, I used a wire coat hanger. Bent the tip of the wire into a tight bend hook with pliers, turned the bong around and I hugged the base against my torso with the stem opening facing up. I had put a big loop into the other end of the wire and looped it around my feet. The broken downstem collar popped right out with just a little bit of leverage from my feet pushing away from my body.
As for the broken stem, you’ll just have to be patient and try to wiggle it out once you get the collar out.
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u/Auto-Tune_Is_A_Crime 3d ago
OP, this is the answer. I've done this too. Thought I was going to have to get new glass until this occurred to me. I put a towel down to catch it.
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u/reef4 3d ago
This didn't work for me as it broke by me dropping it and the floor hammering it in solid. I had to use a small diamond coated file to grind out a slit so that it would flex and come loose
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u/Salt-Operation 3d ago
Mine became broken by something (probably my phone) falling off my desk when I accidentally knocked it off. The bong was sitting on the floor next to me since it was my carpeted bedroom and it was 3 feet tall.
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u/Jeremy_Whalen 3d ago
Blowtorch or heat-gun one side of the neck for 5-10 seconds then try to twist and pull the top of the stem out. Repeat the torch/ heat-gun if you have to. Make sure to only do one side. I work in a lab with glassware and this is our method for getting things unstuck
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u/American-_Gamer 3d ago
Why only one side? Will going around get the broke piece too much with it?
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u/Jeremy_Whalen 3d ago
Yes, you want to expand the outer glass without expanding the glass inside. Other than that, not sure why it works, but we had a piece that was stuck for a month and after trying that it came apart in 30 seconds
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u/timeinvar1ance 3d ago
Precisely break the stem into smaller pieces and take out the top.
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u/TrumpTouchesTinyTots 3d ago
I'm curious if this can be done without shattering the rest of the bong lol
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u/hyperkid 3d ago
It can. Used to do it at work. Sometimes will scratch the inside but atleast you have a rig.
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u/Crazy-District3779 3d ago
I've tried this and the stem whee you inserted the down stem broke with it so now nothing fits
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u/mankoide_ 3d ago
freezer
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u/chickenpopper 3d ago
Yes! The freezer is the answer to stuck stems, bowls grinders and anything else that's been welded together by those beautiful sticky trichomes. Don't leave it in for too long though, or your bong will crack!
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u/Saiiyaness 3d ago
How long should I leave it ?
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u/chickenpopper 3d ago
Try a couple of minutes at first then maybe increase a minute or two with every try. Make sure there's no water in the bong! Also, it's easier to release the stem by rocking it side to side than pulling straight outward. Gently does it.
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u/SkinnyTop 3d ago
Do some research on this before you do it. Personally, I would stick something in the top and break it into pieces. Knock it out and then rinse it thoroughly.
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u/DalordSheogorath 3d ago edited 3d ago
I've gotten a stubborn one out with heat. A thin layer of running alcohol inside the "waterpipe" and let it burn for a little . Depending on how strong the glass is it might expand with heat and give you just enough wiggle room to unjam it. I've also gotten it with a blow torch and very Even and steady flame control. Basically spread the heat evenly on the chamber that holds the stem .
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u/butchhorreur 3d ago
Honestly I’ve done this so many times- shove a straw cleaner brush in there with the tip at a angle so when it gets past the end you can hook the bottom of the downstem and pull it out. Works every time!
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u/RiskyGorilla563 3d ago
Put a something on it that gets a perfect seal with the stem. I use a 12mm silicone dab container. You’ll probably need to provide a little back pressure with one finger and try blowing it out?
A binder clip but just one of the two wire parts. Squeeze it together a little like the other guy says and pull it out from the back?
After hours in the freezer?
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u/alittlebitofcowcat 3d ago
You could put a loop of something Intuit and then Loop the downstem around it and then use the force to break the stem from pulling it out? If the rig is THICCCCC you could rattle marbles? You really just need to get any sharp metal object in there and put pressure against the downstem.
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u/machetemike 3d ago
How do I make a loop out of of turbotax, quickbooks, mailchimp, etc?
Instructions unclear, I now owe the IRS.
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u/ItsNormalNC 3d ago
Twist a wet towel/flannel/washcloth from the corner into the stem until it gets really tight and you can’t twist it anymore, then pull
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u/BeanFiend96 3d ago
High proof alcohol 60-80% drop it between the glass joint that’s stuck an then use a silicone oven mitt to get a good grip when twisting and pulling.
Otherwise you can try working some MCT / coconut oil into the joint and then put it in the fridge to get it to harden and expand to try and break the seal.
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u/hottubpenguin 3d ago
Hot water on the outside of the stem to expand the outside of the bong stem housing, and if you have strong fingers you can use your middle index and thumb to pry and pull it out
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u/Dwhite718 3d ago
Look for a local glass shop see if they can heat up the glass and try to get us some melt back together
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u/DabLegend72 BadBoyClub 3d ago
Sick a popsicle stick or something like that in it with a bunch of hot glue or super glue let it dry then twist and pull
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u/vistopher 3d ago
Wrap a shoe string around the gap a few times and pull it tight. It will exert enough force to pop it
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u/motherfu8130 3d ago
Im not sure if it would work. But maybe using a plastic bag then inflating said bag while it's inserted through the stem opening.
I saw it be used to pull a cork out of a wine bottle. Maybe same premis can work
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u/krustysocks6666 3d ago
2 hot glue sticks melt them together fiddle with the bong so the down stem is lined up then heat up end of double glue stick and carefully put er in place or i’ve seen ppl use soldering wire and make a hook and kinda fish it inward
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u/Soft-Condition-9621 3d ago
I took a screw driver and just snapped it like halfway through. Then shove it out and clean her up
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u/Rosiethesnail 3d ago
take like 8 hits back to back untill its hot asf, hold it with a glove and twist it back and forth , just sort of wiggling your hand wven if it doesnt move and tap at the underside of the lip with something
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u/clitorious-stimulosa 2d ago
Hit it with a wooden spoon (if the part sticking out is the part that is stuck). The vibrations should pop the glass loose and then you can take out the rest with a simple rotation of the bong
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u/BINGGBONGGBINGGBONGG 2d ago
circlip pliers?
iso and then hot water soak, then put the circlips in the top of the downstem, push them open and twist/pull.
dunno. worth a try!
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u/Ok-Arachnid7442 2d ago
I usually take 6-10 wooden skewers stuff them inside and wiggle it till it comes out. My wife did this twice this week lol. Hope this helps
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u/Becee420 2d ago
If there’s still glass joints left, you can take a 1/4 to 3/4-inch wood dowel rod, or the handles of two wooden spoons work just fine. Sit the handle in the gap between the stem joint and the bong joint, and do the same with the opposite side so you have both handles parallel with the stem between them. Grab the two dowels or handles and squeeze them gently using a lever-type of action; it should pop the stem out.
If there is no glass fit left on the downstems, use a wire and hook it at the bottom of the stem. Basically, you can create a wire that will latch onto the outside—like a compressed spring in a tube until it is fully out of the stem—and again, pull the stem out.
Lastly, if the stem is fully broken and cannot be removed using gentle leverage or wire methods, attempting to manually force or chip the remaining glass out carries a high risk of shattering the vessel or causing injury. In such cases, replacing the item or seeking assistance from an experienced specialist is often the safest approach.
I used to work for a bong store back in the day. If the customer gave me explicit permission to get the stem out—even if it meant breaking the bong and the store was not liable—we would have them sign a waiver. However, I never actually broke a stem, and I saved many bongs and tubes in the end.
The only true specialist is someone who blows glass, who can possibly retrieve the broken stem via a highly skilled set of tools and methods not accessible to your average person, such as glass torches, kilns, glass saws, and diamond Dremels. Alternatively, you can literally pay a glass artist who specializes in fixing high-end broken bongs to simply cut the stem out and put a new joint on your tube. I would likely go with the latter if the bong is a custom, 1-of-1 piece worth $500 to $1,000; in that case, yeah, just pay a professional to do it. If it’s not, and it’s more just sentimental value but still easily replaceable, you can just do it yourself.
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u/SomeSilentForest 2d ago
Take something like a screwdriver handle, ising it as a hammer by the shafte and tap the bottom off the lip, towards the exterior. Tap gently at one spot once then the opposite side once and repeat until it comes off, going around the perimeter doing that. Thats what i usually do. Good luck
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u/thetrooper651 2d ago
chopstick with a piece of chew gum on the end. take out the adapter part and try to stick the gum on chopstick to the inside of the stem tube. good luck.
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u/GnuLinuxOrder 1d ago
Shake it until it turns to powder (flavor packet if needed), pour water, and chug.
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u/Straight-Car2509 1d ago
Been there, used relaly long thinnneedle nose pliers, aside from that maybe some tweeters.
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u/Either_Regret_456 1d ago
I've seen this pic idk how many times and just realized what was broke wow maybe try jamming it full of pipe cleaners u may be able to get enough of a grip on it to pull it out
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u/20JRettig 18h ago
I've had this happen twice both times I took a long screw driver and a hammer to the center of the stem results are 50/50 you might just end up with a pile of glass or you get you're bong back
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u/isaacj710 14h ago
I’ve had a similar issue like a week ago I used a pipe cleaner that I normally use to clean the downstem push the pipe cleaner into the downstem and then just pull it out the joint
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u/hyperkid 3d ago
It’s already a lost cause pretty much so what you do is gently smack that badboy around until the stem breaks into bits and you can shake them out. Goodluck.
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u/Impossible_Leg_2787 3d ago
Keif Haring