Today the weather was gloomy, periods of thunder and lightning showers. A slow day to stay inside...
But the gloom lifted after my trip to the Post Office. I was rewarded with a package from Greece! It had been in transit for almost exactly a month!!! It arrived in Canada and sat in the Customs office for weeks. Boy, they must be backed up.
I opened the package and there it was; a stunning
@stardustsailor creation that he calls an RCCS (Resin composite coated stem), a titanium stem that has a bonded resin and mica coating. Mine has a combination of Bewitched and Bejeweled mica pigments.
The stem and matching mp is much more stunning than pictures can convey. The mica gleams and reveals hidden colors as you twirl it. It's hypnotic.
The resin is very hard but has a soft silky feel to it. It is grippy and has the perfect degree of traction for twirling and the slightly wider stem profille fits perfectly in my hand. The stem is warm to the touch, like wood, belying the titanium core beneath it.
I fitted the stem with a 5th generation tip and heated the cap. The vapor was cool and the stem stays cool too, the resin seems to have an insulating effect.
The mouthpiece has a matching inlay, milled into a convex band. The mp also does double duty in that it can be used to set a screen into the tip or tamp a load. Very handy and super functional. I love that mp!
I'm really loving this stem. The resin coated titanium stem is a winner.
It reminds me of this guy...
I call it my Poison Dart Cap.
So that's what I did today; tested a new stem while watching the storm clouds gather. It was a perfect day.