My simple pipe collection

[George Kaplan]

I had to ream out the bowl with a Kleen-Reem because it was full of purple stain. The reamer did fast work on the briar when it was wet! Still some dye in there: going to keep trying to get it out.

Those are some nice looking pipes. Go easy with that reamer, though! If it's just stain or varnish you're trying to remove, a salt-and-alcohol treatment would be much less damaging.

 

[PipeDreams]

I had to ream out the bowl with a Kleen-Reem because it was full of purple stain. The reamer did fast work on the briar when it was wet! Still some dye in there: going to keep trying to get it out.

Those are some nice looking pipes. Go easy with that reamer, though! If it's just stain or varnish you're trying to remove, a salt-and-alcohol treatment would be much less damaging.

Thanks! I agree, but for health reasons, I wanted as much of the stain out of there as possible. I'm not too worried about reaming out a $25 pipe: it did turn out quite well and got rid of the stain in a jiffy!

 

[George Kaplan]

Thanks! I agree, but for health reasons, I wanted as much of the stain out of there as possible. I'm not too worried about reaming out a $25 pipe: it did turn out quite well and got rid of the stain in a jiffy!

Ah, yes. of course. I miss-read your post and thought you were reaming the Mario! For future reference, a salt bath DOES draw the stain out of the briar, but it takes a day or two, plus drying time afterwards. Enjoy the new pipes, sir.
-G

 

[PipeDreams]

Thanks! I agree, but for health reasons, I wanted as much of the stain out of there as possible. I'm not too worried about reaming out a $25 pipe: it did turn out quite well and got rid of the stain in a jiffy!

Ah, yes. of course. I miss-read your post and thought you were reaming the Mario! For future reference, a salt bath DOES draw the stain out of the briar, but it takes a day or two, plus drying time afterwards. Enjoy the new pipes, sir.
-G

Thanks! I hear salt can actually be bad for the briar: I have soaked the inside with isopropyl, but I didn't want to leave it in there for too long in case I knocked it over!

 

[George Kaplan]

Thanks! I hear salt can actually be bad for the briar: I have soaked the inside with isopropyl, but I didn't want to leave it in there for too long in case I knocked it over!

Eeew! Isopropyl alcohol is perfumed and denatured to intentionally make it unpaletable and indigestible to humans. Not something I would put it a pipe. The trick is to use just a few drops of high-proof grain alcohol in a pipe bowl filled with kosher salt, and let the capillary action do the rest. Kosher salt has no added iodine and should be just fine for briar pipes.

 

[PipeDreams]

Thanks! I hear salt can actually be bad for the briar: I have soaked the inside with isopropyl, but I didn't want to leave it in there for too long in case I knocked it over!

Eeew! Isopropyl alcohol is perfumed and denatured to intentionally make it unpaletable and indigestible to humans. Not something I would put it a pipe. The trick is to use just a few drops of high-proof grain alcohol in a pipe bowl filled with kosher salt, and let the capillary action do the rest. Kosher salt has no added iodine and should be just fine for briar pipes.

The iso we get here isn't perfumed at all, is not denatured, and ALL isopropyl alcohol is poison if consumed. However, when used topically, it evaporates completely with no odor. I used to say the same thing, but I use it regularly to disinfect straight razors and the like: once it dries up, it's gone. The salt is actually unnecessary: you can use cotton wool instead, which is what I've been doing. The salt is much worse for the wood than the iso!

 

[dshpipes]

Just want to say that your Mario Grandi is the nicest one I've seen. Great catch!

 

[PipeDreams]

Just want to say that your Mario Grandi is the nicest one I've seen. Great catch!

Thank you! This one called to me. I smoked it today and it's my new favorite without a doubt! I know I paid a little too much for it, but I absolutely love it!

 

[George Kaplan]

Thanks! I hear salt can actually be bad for the briar: I have soaked the inside with isopropyl, but I didn't want to leave it in there for too long in case I knocked it over!

Eeew! Isopropyl alcohol is perfumed and denatured to intentionally make it unpaletable and indigestible to humans. Not something I would put it a pipe. The trick is to use just a few drops of high-proof grain alcohol in a pipe bowl filled with kosher salt, and let the capillary action do the rest. Kosher salt has no added iodine and should be just fine for briar pipes.

The iso we get here isn't perfumed at all, is not denatured, and ALL isopropyl alcohol is poison if consumed. However, when used topically, it evaporates completely with no odor. I used to say the same thing, but I use it regularly to disinfect straight razors and the like: once it dries up, it's gone. The salt is actually unnecessary: you can use cotton wool instead, which is what I've been doing. The salt is much worse for the wood than the iso!

I stand corrected. Enjoy those pipes, sir! I do admire your collection.
-G

 

[PipeDreams]

Thanks! I hear salt can actually be bad for the briar: I have soaked the inside with isopropyl, but I didn't want to leave it in there for too long in case I knocked it over!

Eeew! Isopropyl alcohol is perfumed and denatured to intentionally make it unpaletable and indigestible to humans. Not something I would put it a pipe. The trick is to use just a few drops of high-proof grain alcohol in a pipe bowl filled with kosher salt, and let the capillary action do the rest. Kosher salt has no added iodine and should be just fine for briar pipes.

The iso we get here isn't perfumed at all, is not denatured, and ALL isopropyl alcohol is poison if consumed. However, when used topically, it evaporates completely with no odor. I used to say the same thing, but I use it regularly to disinfect straight razors and the like: once it dries up, it's gone. The salt is actually unnecessary: you can use cotton wool instead, which is what I've been doing. The salt is much worse for the wood than the iso!

I stand corrected. Enjoy those pipes, sir! I do admire your collection.
-G

Thank you! I also stand corrected: I learned a lot more about isopropyl alcohol tonight than I probably need to know!

From Wikipedia:

Isopropyl alcohol in particular is popular for pharmaceutical applications,[5] presumably due to the low toxicity of any residues.

I also flush out all the excess with lots and lots of water. The residue from evaporation is supposed to be very minor; tobacco smoke's a lot worse for ya!

 

[BuckeyeBoy34]

Nice collection you have thats a lot of pipes in a very short time. I am a fan of the Mario Grandi freehand very nice.

 

[PipeDreams]

Thank you! I've been smoking Missouri Meers recently, but I'm down to 2-3 bowls a month (I've been working out hard and eating right, so it doesn't leave me much time for leisurely pipe smoking)!