Bent pipes - Passing a pipe cleaner

[Smokey-smokey]

about half of all my pipes are full bent. I have some lower end ones and some higher end ones.

I have never, ever been able to pass a pipe cleaner fully thru a full bent. I know some say the cheaper ones won't, but even the one Dunhill I have won't.

I've heard you have to twist it, push it, pull it, bop it, use a tapered pipe cleaner, wait for a full moon, etc.

How do you do it?

 

[Stick]

I'm with you on this one Smokey. I have one fully bent; a 'meer and it just won't take a cleaner. I've tried slightly bending the very end, twisting, sneaking up on it, and a sledge hammer. No joy...

 

[d4klutz]

I have a couple of bents that do pass cleaners, and some that don't. I wait for the pipe to cool, twist off the stem, and then run a cleaner through it. No issues with loose stems so far. Just be gentle with the twisting. If it is too snug, i don't put the stem in until it is completely cooled.

 

[RDPipes]

I have quite a few pipes that are bent some pass a pipe cleaner and I smoke them, some didn't pass a pipe cleaner and I sold them.
Most all Peterson's bent or not won't pass a cleaner, not because of the bend but, because of the there design. I have a full bent Radice, Don Carlos and Rinaldo (to mention a few) that pass a cleaner with ease. I believe if a manufacture or carver cared enough about the design of the pipe they'd all pass. I see no reason other then a well design like Peterson has that a cleaner shouldn't pass. As far as I'm concerned you can take all the pipes that don't pass a cleaner and toss them in the garbage. And I'm NOT saying because they don't pass a cleaner they won't smoke properly. I just feel there's no excuse for it if the maker cares enough in crafting a properly engineered pipe.

 

[Brewdude]

Apart from my Pete system pipes, virtually all my bents pass a cleaner without removing the stem - with the exclusion of my Edwards Oom Paul (full bent).

My Mastro Poker passes a cleaner easily with a little twisting (just tried it to make sure) and that's a full bent.

I hate removing the stem, as I've broken several over the years. Most recently a lovely Ser Jacopo Poker estate. But Mike at Walker Briar Works did magic on that one! And now I don't remove that stem and it also passes a cleaner easily.



Cheers,

RR

 

[Smokey-smokey]

I have quite a few pipes that are bent some pass a pipe cleaner and I smoke them, some didn't pass a pipe cleaner and I sold them.
Most all Peterson's bent or not won't pass a cleaner, not because of the bend but, because of the there design. I have a full bent Radice, Don Carlos and Rinaldo (to mention a few) that pass a cleaner with ease. I believe if a manufacture or carver cared enough about the design of the pipe they'd all pass. I see no reason other then a well design like Peterson has that a cleaner shouldn't pass. As far as I'm concerned you can take all the pipes that don't pass a cleaner and toss them in the garbage. And I'm NOT saying because they don't pass a cleaner they won't smoke properly. I just feel there's no excuse for it if the maker cares enough in crafting a properly engineered pipe.

Thank you all for your responses, now I know I'm not alone.

Cart: No way I'm throwing "the ladies" away. I might be picky, but dang, you take the cake. That Dunhill I have was a gift, if I lose it my wife will make me a breakfast of MY chorizo con MY huevos.

 

[RDPipes]

I have quite a few pipes that are bent some pass a pipe cleaner and I smoke them, some didn't pass a pipe cleaner and I sold them.
Most all Peterson's bent or not won't pass a cleaner, not because of the bend but, because of the there design. I have a full bent Radice, Don Carlos and Rinaldo (to mention a few) that pass a cleaner with ease. I believe if a manufacture or carver cared enough about the design of the pipe they'd all pass. I see no reason other then a well design like Peterson has that a cleaner shouldn't pass. As far as I'm concerned you can take all the pipes that don't pass a cleaner and toss them in the garbage. And I'm NOT saying because they don't pass a cleaner they won't smoke properly. I just feel there's no excuse for it if the maker cares enough in crafting a properly engineered pipe.

Thank you all for your responses, now I know I'm not alone.

Cart: No way I'm throwing "the ladies" away. I might be picky, but dang, you take the cake. That Dunhill I have was a gift, if I lose it my wife will make me a breakfast of MY chorizo con MY huevos.

It was a figure of speech sir. Real shame that Dunhill doesn't care enough to engineer a pipe properly though. Of course nowadays your paying for a name.

 

[monbla256]

Apart from my Pete system pipes, virtually all my bents pass a cleaner without removing the stem -

RR

This for me as well as all my 1/8th bent Bulldogs, Rhodesians and Pots. :twisted: :twisted:

 

[riff raff]

I run a cleaner thru my pipes after every bowl, so all of my bents will pass a cleaner. A few took some work with a needle file and the cleaner needs a little bend, but they all pass (save one Sasieni).

This James Upshall B is nearly an Oom-Paul, but easily passes a cleaner, so I have a hard time living with bents that won't.

 

[jrtaster]

sometimes I can; some pipes just won't pass a cleaner.
the odds DO improve if I use a Falcon pipe cleaner.
smaller, more flexible...??? just seems to work more often
than a regular cleaner.

 

[riff raff]

Rich Newcombe mentioned at the Richmond show that the "Pipe must pass a stem cleaner" was a fairly recent phenomenon brought on by pipe forums. Apparently in the pre-internet days, that really wasn't a common requirement or standard.

 

[monbla256]

Rich Newcombe mentioned at the Richmond show that the "Pipe must pass a stem cleaner" was a fairly recent phenomenon brought on by pipe forums.   Apparently in the pre-internet days, that really wasn't a common requirement or standard.  

THIS for sure !! But back then we were just undiscerning pipe smokers !! Not as knowledgeable as today's ! But then ignorance was bliss !! :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

 

[Richard Burley]

If a pipe passes a pipe cleaner with no problem, then that gives you an excuse not to take the pipe apart and clean it properly. If it doesn't pass a cleaner, then you must take it apart and clean it properly. Seems like a win/win either way. I prefer the former, being a lazy sonofabeesh who waits for the pipe to become rank before cleaning. I like rank. Once the pipe becomes rank, you just clean and set it aside for a month or so, and hope the airing out brings back whatever sweetness it once had.

 

[puros_bran]

Or be like that feller I met in Indiana a few years back smoking a Peterson. "I just smok 'em 'til the bowl gets filled up with that black stuff then throw 'em away"

 

[Thomas Tkach]

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GVIzoOTvVI8" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen ></iframe>

I did that video a while ago talking about this. It's not a deal breaker for me, but I really do like it when a cleaner passes easily.

The need to drill the draft hole at a different angle is an aesthetic one. Walt Cannoy drew this picture for a thread on block orientation, but you'll notice the top pipe can't be drilled without changing angles.

With different angles you can still get he cleaner to pass (Walt Cannoy showed this in a YT video, below), but it's harder on more extreme bends. I've noticed that recently some makers are doing impossible bends by just drilling twice with a cavalier-style plug to facilitate cleaning:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fc6KlSnXB50" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen ></iframe>

 

[Dave_In_Philly]

I have two Dunhills that are half bent, and each passes a pipe cleaner as smooth as any straight pipe I own. I have plenty of bent pipes that pass cleaners and some that don't. None of my Petes do, not even the non-system pipes. It annoys me, but it is certainly not a deal breaker.

 

[riff raff]

I bought this Rad Davis earlier in 2014 and it had an usual, short, stubby tenon. At the Richmond show, I asked Rad about the tenon. He said he makes them in that manner to allow for the pipe to be drilled to pass a cleaner.

 

[Brewdude]

While I appreciate the ability to pass cleaner without removing the stem (and virtually all my bents can do this) I don't feel that it's a deal breaker if they don't. Perhaps too much emphasis has been placed on this in recent years as I never even heard the phrase until I started hanging out on the pipe forums a few years ago.

Ya, fine when it does. NBD if it doesn't.

:|



Cheers,

RR

 

[RobJ]

While I appreciate the ability to pass cleaner without removing the stem (and virtually all my bents can do this) I don't feel that it's a deal breaker if they don't. Perhaps too much emphasis has been placed on this in recent years as I never even heard the phrase until I started hanging out on the pipe forums a few years ago.

Ya, fine when it does. NBD if it doesn't.

:|

Cheers,

RR

Yeah that's my view as well. If I have to wait a bit for a pipe to cool before I can clean it so be it. If it's a good smoker it gets a pass on the cleaner test, otherwise I'd have to toss my Petes.

 

[monbla256]

While I appreciate the ability to pass cleaner without removing the stem (and virtually all my bents can do this) I don't feel that it's a deal breaker if they don't. Perhaps too much emphasis has been placed on this in recent years as I never even heard the phrase until I started hanging out on the pipe forums a few years ago.

Ya, fine when it does. NBD if it doesn't.

:|



Cheers,

RR

I'll have to agree with you Dude as prior to getting on the inter-web and smokers forums, we never really had this as an "issue" with a pipe! You'd just "crank" the tip of the clnr up a bit and fiddle your way around till it passed! NBD! That's just how it was !! I've never looked on Pipe Smoking as something one had to be PERFECT!! It is , for me, something to relax and ENJOY rather than work for PERFECTION !! Kinda like the re-light "issue" !  :twisted:  :twisted:  But then I'm one of those "old codgers" who don't really "know" how to smoke !!!JMHO  :twisted: :twisted: