Cleaning briar/ cob with alchohol

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Fight'n Hampsters

Fight'n Hampsters

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Is it ok to clean the shank with a pipe cleaner and high proof alcohol? I want to make sure it will not damage the briar or wood shank of a cob.

Thanks brothers!
 
s.ireland":tgkctmt9 said:
Most clean their pipes with alcohol. I use scotch, myself.
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Can one use bourbon? does the alchohol content matter? I bet scotch or bourbon would leave a nice ghost...
 
The higher the percentage (proof) of alcohol the more effective it is. Breaks up the tars into liquid and can be cleaned out easier. Some people swear by Everclear. I just use the denatured ethyl stuff. Works great.
 
I use bourbon. It's what I have around and gives me the excuse to quality check my cleaning solvents. :D

I think about any good, non-sugary, unflavored alcohol with at least 40% (80 proof) content would be fine.
 
Just to clarify, you're cleaning inside the shank only with alcohol, right? :p
 
I use moonshine. It's what I'm drinking while cleaning so it only made sense. The peach leaves a nice flavor for the first bowl after cleaning.
 
Wow! Last night I cleaned the shank of a used pipe I bought a month ago with bristle cleaners and 100 proof vodka. The cleaners were filthy! I used about 10 of them and the first five were black. :no:

I had cleaned it when I bought it before I smoked it but obviously not with alcohol in the shank. It cleans it so much more thoroughly.

Hopefully it will remove the soapy tasting ghost that has overwhelmed any tobac I have smoked in it.
 
jdkonzem":lv0m84g3 said:
Wow! Last night I cleaned the shank of a used pipe I bought a month ago with bristle cleaners and 100 proof vodka. The cleaners were filthy! I used about 10 of them and the first five were black. :no:

I had cleaned it when I bought it before I smoked it but obviously not with alcohol in the shank. It cleans it so much more thoroughly.

Hopefully it will remove the soapy tasting ghost that has overwhelmed any tobac I have smoked in it.
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Every time I buy an estate I dread having to clean it. If you only used 10 cleaners, you're good. I've had one that I used a full pack of 40 on one time and it still had tons of gunk in the shank. I have one now that I haven't started cleaning just yet, but it was pretty nasty. We shall see.
 
Everclear or vodka for me.

Though I admit I will use one of the cleaner, used, still-slightly-damp pipecleaners to dust ash out of the inside of the bowl, helps control the cake, I think. I also try and clean each pipe the day I use it. Just keeps up the habit. :)
 
Speaking of cleaning a pipe and using 40 pipe cleaners, I have had a few I had to use a wire to puch through , I have wondered on several pipes HOW is this even possible?, How can a pipe get this bad I can't concieve being able to smoke a pipe and get it this fouled up.

At some point how could one not know a pipe needed cleaning? like trying to suck mud through a straw? but it happens the estate pipes prove it.

I can see why they gave up the pipe it no longer worked, :confused:
 
I use Everclear and sea salt on estate pipes. I put the Everclear in with an old dog syringe, so I don't get any on the polished briar, that works well.
 
I use Everclear, except for today when I ran out. The next highest proof spirit in the house was Ardbeg Uigeadail, so I finished out the rest of the pipes with that. Those briars better feel like they had a treat.
 
I use Graves Grain Alcohol 190 proof, just have to be careful not to get any on the finish of the pipe...it don't play nice with stain.
 
A pipe in Kentucky sure is lucky when it gets cleaned with Wild Turkey 101! :D
 
A while ago I had decided to try cleaning my cobs because I thought it had gone sour. I used Ancient Age which is a bourbon whiskey which actually tastes pretty darn good, *fruity drinks are more to my liking then something that strong, It's a taste thing* and I cleaned the bowl and shank which made the mortise swell. After a couple days drying it still wouldn't fit so I had to sand it down a bit and now it fits like a good shoe.

so if cleaning a cob don't leave to much of whatever you're using on the pipe cleaner and if it swells then either wait till it dries completely or sand it a bit.
 
jirohen":9l3ejlwx said:
A while ago I had decided to try cleaning my cobs because I thought it had gone sour. I used Ancient Age which is a bourbon whiskey which actually tastes pretty darn good, *fruity drinks are more to my liking then something that strong, It's a taste thing* and I cleaned the bowl and shank which made the mortise swell. After a couple days drying it still wouldn't fit so I had to sand it down a bit and now it fits like a good shoe.

so if cleaning a cob don't leave to much of whatever you're using on the pipe cleaner and if it swells then either wait till it dries completely or sand it a bit.
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I regularly clean my cobs with pipe cleaners moistened with 91% isoproply and have never had a problem. Of course I follow up with a dry pipe cleaner to absorb excess moisture and to completely clean the shank.
 
tiltjlp":ht85iljy said:
I regularly clean my cobs with pipe cleaners moistened with 91% isoproply and have never had a problem. Of course I follow up with a dry pipe cleaner to absorb excess moisture and to completely clean the shank.
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I will try this, I want my cobs to last a long while. I love cobs not because they are less expensive, I love them because they seem so... for lackof a better word, american.
 
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