Keeping Your Bowl Rim Clean

[Winslow]

I just ran across this information and thought I'd share;

Keeping Your Bowl Rim Clean





A charred, sticky and caked bowl rim is nothing but an eyesore. There are a few things you can do to keep it looking good. For this article lets assume that your bowl rim is already clean or new.

First, never pack your pipe all the way to the top. +/- 1/4" from the top is ideal depending on the overall depth of the tobacco chamber. This will allow room for the tobacco to expand when you light and still not touch the top and will keep you from putting the bowl rim in direct contact with flame.

Second, take a little saliva and rub it on the bowl rim before you light. This will keep the flame from charring the briar.

And last but not least, always clean your bowl rim when you are finished smoking your pipe. While the pipe is still warm apply saliva to the rim and wipe with a soft cloth or paper towel until clean. Saliva does an amazing job of breaking down and cleaning tobacco gum and tar.

For more stubborn tar or pipes with a rusticated or burl rim an old toothbrush and saliva work wonders. I realized some of you might be put off by the use of saliva but give it a try and you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Winslow :sunny:

 

[Puff Daddy]

you might be put off by the use of saliva but give it a try and you'll be pleasantly surprised.

That's what I keep trying to tell the wife....... :twisted:

 

[Midnight Blues]

you might be put off by the use of saliva but give it a try and you'll be pleasantly surprised.

That's what I keep trying to tell the wife....... :twisted:

:shock:

 

[mark]

you might be put off by the use of saliva but give it a try and you'll be pleasantly surprised.

That's what I keep trying to tell the wife....... :twisted:

I never had any class until I started following the advice on this site,,, :cheers:

 

[Winslow]

I am a blessed man,everyday they fill a small basket near the cafeteria with
lubricants and condums for the employees.I never have to buy those things.
How times have changed,going to the drugstore when I was 16 you asked loudly "I'll have a pack of Luckies" and whispered "And some condums",which
were kept hidden in a drawer by the pharmacist.Now the condums are out in plain
view and the cigarettes are hidden. :x

Winslow :sunny:

 

[Dock]

Great topic Wislow!

It makes no difference if I'm smoking an S.Bang or a Stanwell I always keep a clean paper towel nearby to wipe off the tar build up on the rim. It's an easy thing to do at the time but a real bitch of a chore to do later once it's dried on there. Dirty/sticky rims are a real pet peeve of mine...

 

[Winslow]

I've never heard of wetting the rim before lighting the pipe,makes sense and I'll
try to do it in the future.You see it all the time in photos on E-Bay,a high grade
pipe with a charred rim. :x It takes plenty of value away.

Winslow :sunny:

 

[Wet Dottle]

Spit on the rim... nose oil for shine... that's all organic and natural. :clown:

 

[N7COF]

Great topic, I knew about saliva for cleaning rim but not before a smoke to prevent charring. 8)

 

[dougc905]

Seems to me the best way to prevent charring is to use a lighter such as a zippo for pipes. You must place the flame over the tobacco, not the pipe! Wetting the pipe rim will eventually discolour the briar, although differently than charring.

Anyway, I too was taught years ago to clean the rim with my thumb wetted with saliva. Works well and quickly too.

Doug

 

[the macdonald]

Finally something to do with my spite after I am done expressing my political opinions.

 

[GarWood]

I am a blessed man,everyday they fill a small basket near the cafeteria with
lubricants and condums for the employees.I never have to buy those things....

Winslow :sunny:

Uh, Winslow - do you mind if I ask what you do for a living?! I'm currently unemployed (I am in Michigan, after all...), and this sounds like something I may be interested in! :face:

 

[SmokeyTweed]

I am glad to hear this as i've always done it this way. I do usually start salivating thinking about a nice bowl of tobacco and idle hands are the devils playthings. :twisted:

 

[1968eric]

Video about using the spit method. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_v8N1n6QCQ