Taking care of bamboo. Is it OK?

Foiled Again Joined : 10 Dec 2007 Posts : 180

I always have to stop and do a double take when I see a pipe with a bamboo stem. I don't know why, there's just something about it that is very appealing to me. Someday, I would like to add a high grade pipe with a real bamboo stem to my rotation.

However, I wonder if it takes a little extra special care when cleaning it. For instance, can you take it apart as often as you do a normal briar pipe for cleaning? Or is the interface of the bamboo and the mouthpiece not up to the constant dismantling? Also, is it OK to run an alcohol soaked pipe cleaner through the bamboo, followed up with a dry one?

Silly questions perhaps, but better safe than sorry before laying down that kind of green.

Subject: Re: Taking care of bamboo. Is it OK? Mon Feb 11, 2008 3:50 pm

Yo Tin Man, I don't treat any of my Bamboo[Wangee], pipes any differently, just use the same care, respect that I do for ANY of my other pipes, Ken.
Pacem en Puffing! tongue

Subject: Re: Taking care of bamboo. Is it OK? Mon Feb 11, 2008 4:06 pm

I was always under the impression that the bamboo shanks had a metal tube running thru them for strength, etc?????? Good question Tin Man on the fit of the stem into the bamboo. Delron inserts???
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Arizona, where the temperature is always warm but the pipe smoking is always cool. Mikem

I highly recommend Scott Bundy at www.piperestore.com for all of your pipe cleaning and restoration work.

Joined : 14 Feb 2008 Posts : 7

Bamboo doesn't require special care, and contrary to how it may look is quite a strong material (think bamboo fly rod). I haven't done any testing, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if a bamboo shank was MUCH stronger than a briar shank.

Some bamboo shanks do have a tube all the way through, but many do not. It is not necessary structurally to have the tube.

Tyler

Foiled Again Joined : 10 Dec 2007 Posts : 180

Thanks guys!

Cool

Subject: Re: Taking care of bamboo. Is it OK? Thu Feb 14, 2008 8:00 pm

Good information! I have often wondered the same thing.
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"Man is the only religious animal. In the holy task of smoothing his brother's path to the happiness of Heaven, he has turned the globe into a graveyard."

Mark Twain

Joined : 14 Feb 2008 Posts : 7

To clarify, the bamboo shanked pipes that do not have a tube all the way through DO need a tube at the joint between the bamboo and briar shank. This for joint stability and surface area for gluing. Often times too, if the diameter of the bamboo is small, the tenon in the bit is tubing, and inserts into bamboo mortise.