Ghost from heck

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huffelpuff

huffelpuff

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Good day brothers

My problem is an old Medico Oom Paul that was given to me. I cleaned this thing with kosher salt and 151 three different times each time for a full week, topping up the 151 daily. It still has the lingering taste and aroma of potpourri. My guess is that when the owner passed on his widow must have stuck this pipe in a drawer with potpourri. The flavor and smell have improved with each smoke but the first 5 minutes is almost unbearable. I have forced my way through about 15 smokes with it. Any ideas on dispatching this ghost once and for all?

Many thanks
Jim
 
Sorry, but if what you did didn't rid the pipe of the scent, I don't think anything will unless just smoking the hell out of it works. I have a drawer full of pipes that had been kept by a non-smoker for decades. In the drawer below were kept various toiletries. They just will not smoke right. Every single one has a strange acridity to it that I must attribute to the storage conditions. I suspect that perfume has penetrated the wood completely. Saturated it, in other words. I wouldn't waste my time. Perhaps some other BoB has a more upbeat answer.
 
Try a pipe retort. You can get one on ebay, and there are videos demonstrations on youtube on how to use it. I had alot of luck with it on a tough estate pipe that was badly ghosted by aros.
 
If a pipe is ruined anyway, has anyone ever tried ammonia vapor?

Ammonia is supposed to be one of the best "descenters" out there.

I imagine not soaking the pipe in ammonia, but putting it in a dry vessel, and that into a larger vessel, making a moat of ammonia (so just the vapors are present) sealing it up for a week, letting it air out for another week, and if that might work. I've done this with smaller wooden boxes that had spices in them and it seemed to work. *shrug*
 
Does the pipe have a cake? You might consider reaming it and then continuing the cleaning process.

Another option is ozone. If you have access to a generator, pull the stem and let the bowl have 24-36 hours of exposure. If not, some of the repair folks offer this service, though it might be more costly than you feel comfortable with.

How well do you tolerate Latakia? If you can stand it, use something very Latakia forward like SG Commonwealth, or C&D Pirate Kake. If they can't take it over, I'd dedicate it as a potpourri foo-foo pipe (rack queen). Good luck.
 
First thank you all for your help. All of the suggestions are quite good.


I completely removed the cake after the first round of cleaning in hope that better access to the wood would get the funk out. It significantly improved after the next two cleanings. I hate to give up on this one as it has sentimental value. I will try vacuum sealing it with activated charcoal in the bowl and see if that helps while I wait for a retort.

I will keep you posted
 
I would have one question for you before suggesting the following, does the pipe still smell funky before you smoke it?
If you are letting the 151 soak in the pipe with salt sans heat, I don't think you will get a very deep clean. I've always been told that you needed to put the salt in the pipe (stem removed), add the alcohol, then place the mixture filled pipe in the oven and let it bake itself dry. I don't know what temp you would heat it to, but obviously not too hot.

I'm hoping someone who has actually done this will speak up. Anyway, best of luck.
 
Sounds like someone was using the pipe to smoke opium. Honestly, a pipe with a potpourri ghost that won't go away sounds like a pipe that was used to smoke opium. Scrub the shank over and over with an actual pipe sweetner (ex. pipe masters) and sand the bowl out.
 
I've got it.

Hang it from your rearview mirror as a car freshener and an awesome testament to a great hobby. 8)

(honestly, a few hot summer months in a car may purge the stink out...)
 
The rack queen has graced me with several wonderful smokes now and I wish to thank all for their advice

Jim
 
huffelpuff":ytssac5f said:
The rack queen has graced me with several wonderful smokes now and I wish to thank all for their advice

Jim
Click to expand...
So, what did the trick?
 
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