clean pipe

Subject: clean pipe Mon Feb 04, 2008 7:27 pm

sorry if i'm posting these questions in the wrong forum.

how should i clean my pipes?
should i take the stem off and clean after i'm done when the pipe has cooled down or just do that weekly?

Subject: Re: clean pipe Mon Feb 04, 2008 8:03 pm

I know I am not as picky as others. I just run a pipe cleaner though it. Actually clean it after several bowls. Kind of depends on how dry it's been smoking. Everyone develops a system that works for them.

I use Bee pipe sweetener. But sometimes just Vodka.
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Subject: Re: clean pipe Mon Feb 04, 2008 8:20 pm

I, too, am not picky. I run a pipe cleaner through after the smoke, usually with Bee cleaner. About once a month or so, depending on how much I smoke, I do a thourough cleaning in which I remove all stems so I can get into the shank and clean out all the gunk. I use bourbon when I do this, but I know a lot of people use Bacardi 151, I just prefer bourbon (although i can't taste it when smoked). I clean out the shank and airway until my cleaner comes out white.

I'm sure some more of the "experienced" BoBs will have some other techniques and tips to the process.

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Do not use Briar Pipe Wipe. Ever.

Use a soft cloth every now and then for exterior, or a buffer.

I run a pipe cleaner through with grain alcohol on it every now and then to clean. Do not drink the grain alcohol.

I sometimes keep a pipecleaner in my pipes when theyre not being smoked. Dont know why.

Joined : 29 Jan 2008 Posts : 17

My routine is to run a dry pipe cleaner down the stem and shank after a bowl, or before the next bowl in a particular pipe. Of course, some pipes don't allow for that without removing the stem, which I always do only when the pipe has cooled down. Also, I often bend a pipe cleaner double and give the bowl a little scrubbing.

Just about every week, I sit with a group of pipes and give them all a good cleaning with pipe cleaners dipped in Everclear, same process as above. Any build-up on the bowl rim will get remove with good old spit and a dry cloth. Saves having to get a lot more of it off the briar rim later. In addition, stems may get a going over with Murphy's Oil Soap and finished with a dab of whitening toothpaste, if they need it.

Subject: Re: clean pipe Fri Feb 08, 2008 10:12 am

Frank,

Some would probably say that I am pretty anal when it comes to keeping my pipes clean but I just find that I enjoy them much more when I am consistant about cleaning them. My wife wonders why I am not that way about other things around the house.......go figure..... Laughing

While I don't take my pipes apart after every smoke, I do run 2-3 pipe cleaners through them. It is not recommened that you take the pipe apart frequently as it will wear out the tenon and mortise. Every 2-3 months or so, I thoroughly clean my pipes by taking them apart and cleaning the airways thoroughly with pipe cleaners dipped in pure grain alcohol. Before I start the cleaning with the grain alcohol I perform any necessary reaming with a Kleen Reem tool. I repeat running a cleaner through the pipe until it comes out completely clean, finishing up with a few dry cleaners.
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Keeping my pipes clean is very simple for me and in order to determine how dirty a pipe is and what kind or rather "how thorough" a cleaning a pipe needs is a matter of just knowing what your pipe is saying to you throughout the smoke of a given pipe.

If the smoking experience that is normally delightful is harsh and you are not tasting the tastes, dimensions and body of the blend you are smoking it might be a good idea to take the pipe apart and run some cleaners soaked in Vodka through it. If that doesn't do the trick and the next smoking experience is more of the same than you might try a retort or the salt and alcohol treatment. It's just doing what works, nothing too tricky, nothing too elaborate. Most of the problems that are not related to mechanics or wood can be solved very simply and very quickly by this approach, but sometimes pipes are stubborn and they just don't smoke well with the tobacco of preference so at that point I would say either A. The pipe is still not properly broken in if it is still harsh and is heating up because the wood is not sufficiently seasoned (different pipe to pipe) or B. It's not a VA pipe, or a Latakia pipe, or a Burley pipe- and you should sell the pipe or trade the pipe to somebody else who is, and work on getting another pipe that smokes what you do like in it:)

Hope this helps:)

Subject: Re: clean pipe Sun Feb 17, 2008 10:38 am

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Subject: Re: clean pipe Sun Feb 17, 2008 1:34 pm