How often?

[JM]

do you clean your pipes?

 

[joshoowah]

do you clean your pipes?

I run a cleaner through mine after each smoke. I rarely deep clean my pipes unless it is needed.

 

[JM]

Cool, thanks.

 

[joshoowah]

Cool, thanks.

No problem. I do know, however, those that hardly ever run cleaners through their pipes because they find it not necessary (they told me once every 50 bowls or so). I find it a bit much considering cleaners are incredibly cheap, while a new pipe if not taken care of is not.

 

[DrT999]

do you clean your pipes?

I run a cleaner through mine after each smoke. I rarely deep clean my pipes unless it is needed.

Have to agree. In addition, in my first incarnation as a pipe smoker, over 20+ years I think I had to ream a pipe three or four times.

 

[DustyRoundup]

Howdy JM.

I'm new too..Well, I had been smoking a little Yello-Bole pipe for 3 years, but didnt know a darn thing at all. I used to wash it in the sink every now and then :affraid:

Then I bought a nice little briar, (my first briar) a few weeks back, and I decided I better research how to properly break it in, and I fell into a whole new world.

I dont know the rules pertaining to giving you other sites to read. So I will PM you 2 sites that really helped me.
They are just informational on "new pipe breakin" and "pipe smoking tips.

So, I clean after every smoke too, and in doing so , I do bend a pipe cleaner, and run it around the inside of my bowl. And I think it is helping my bowl to form a nice "even" layer of cake, whereas I do believe that if I didnt, my bowl would be rough and chunky inside.
This may be more info than what you asked for, but your profile said you were new to this, just tryin to be helpful.
This is fun stuff here, and this Forum is the best Ive seen.

See ya around.

Dusty

 

[Kyle Weiss]

After a day of rest, every smoked pipe gets stem removed, a cleaner soaked gently with Everclear, a light removal of ash in the bowl, and a quick twist with a lightly-packed wad of paper towel or newspaper.

Rest in peace, Lloyd. 8)

 

[tiltjlp]

I completely clean my pipes with Isopropyl after every smoke. I wabnt to assure that all I taste is the tobacco I load in my pipes.

 

[Hermit]

My routine is, I run a scruffy, then a fluffy after each smoke,
preferably while the pipe is warm. I also "soft ream" the bowl
with a doubled up pipe cleaner. If it seems a bit gunky, I run
a scruffy with a little Everclear. I don't take my pipes apart,
unless I have to, or if they need a more thorough cleaning.

 

[Frost]

I do pretty much exactly what Hermit does, only I use 151 since I can't find Everclear easilly 'round these parts.

 

[Boulder]

do you clean your pipes?

I run a cleaner through mine after each smoke. I rarely deep clean my pipes unless it is needed.

Same here, Cleaner after rest with everclear to keep it clean, sweet and dry.

 

[Brewdude]

This might be anathema to some, but I clean my pipes infrequently and they smoke just fine. Which is to say that I only run a pipe cleaner through them every couple weeks or less, depending on what blend I smoke in them. Lats get more frequent cleaning, 'ginnys less.

My workhorse Wiley and Stanwell seem to accumulate virtually no residue, so it's not normally necessary to fuss over them. In these cases, I pretty much smoke straight 'ginnys or VaPers. They get exercised once/daily right now, and no problem with issues related to off flavors/tight draws. These might get cleaned once/month or so.

I've a Maestro that gets daily use of English blends like P&W #78 and Churchill. Pretty much dedicated to that, and even that doesn't seem to accumulate much for cleaning once/month.

While I don't regularly smoke Lat-forward blends right now, I find that those pipes dedicated to this need more frequent cleaning depending on use. Perhaps every 3-4 pipefulls depending on the blend.

So there you have it. I don't tend to fuss if the 'baccy is still smoking sweet and fine.



Cheers,

RR

 

[Amenhotep04]

I tend to do what Hermit does as well.

:farao:

 

[clueless]

Cobs - smoked all day when fiishing or golf. wipe out with paper towel at end of day and run 1-2 cleaners through.

Merschaum - wipe out bowl after each smoke, run cleaner through after each smoke

Briars - Dump, tamp, and lightly blow out after each bowl, 1-2 pipe cleaners after each bowl

Only take pipes apart when there is a problem that prevents cleaner from going through or when I do a ream and deep clean - 1-2 times a year whenever cake buildup has gotten too thick

 

[frogjunk]

I tend to my pipe after each smoke so I don't feel the need to clean, thoroughly at least, all that often. I do go through a lot of pipe cleaners, however.

 

[mike_68]

+1 with frogjunk....a cleaner and quick wipe after each bowl...

 

[smokey422]

I run a cleaner with the tip soaked in Everclear through mine after each smoke. Overkill? Perhaps, but I've never had a pipe go sour in over 40 years.

Smokey