Is it because of the iodine in table salt? If so, what effect does iodine have on the pipe?
I've been using coarse sea salt. Just wondering.
I've been using coarse sea salt. Just wondering.
Salt And Alcohol Treatment. Why Kosher Or Sea Salt And Not Table Salt?
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Yes, that is my understanding. A chemist could better answer what if any are the health effects of residual iodine that has leached into briar.
I'd be warier of the sugar in table salt than of the iodine.
From my understanding, it's due to the larger granules of kosher salt.
Regular table salt granules are so small that they could get stuck in small cracks in the cake or briar. This would be bad if that happens because when they expand from the moisture, they will expand the crack if they are in one.
Also, larger granules are easier clean-up when your done and will help ensure that there is none left in the bowl when you are finished cleaning it.
Regular table salt granules are so small that they could get stuck in small cracks in the cake or briar. This would be bad if that happens because when they expand from the moisture, they will expand the crack if they are in one.
Also, larger granules are easier clean-up when your done and will help ensure that there is none left in the bowl when you are finished cleaning it.
Not really. I stopped buying Windsor regular table salt after I read the Ingredients section: it listed sugar along with salt. Why would they put sugar, however small the amount, in their salt packages is beyond me. I've been using nothing but La Baleine sea salt ever since.
Morton® Iodized Table Salt contains 0.04 percent dextrose or 40 milligrams per 100 grams of salt. Morton® Plain Table Salt contains neither iodine nor dextrose.
I use Kosher salt for the reasons stated above by @python.
I use Kosher salt for the reasons stated above by @python.
I have used plain non iodized Morton’s salt since around 1980 Why? That is what I was instructed to do by a pipe smoking mentor. It worked, why change? Never had an issue that would seem to dictate trying kosher salt, sea salt, rock salt, whatever. Others seem to get good results with coffee grounds, cotton balls, who knows what else. My results using what I was taught suit me.
Whatever you use—and coffee grounds are the least harsh treatment— a hot water flush following the treatment will finish the deal as fresh as daisies.
I use the coffee ground trick as well. That works very well. But before that I used kosher salt for the reasons python mentioned above.
Not sure how “harsh” can be measured or why it is relevant, but the last time I did a salt treatment I did use a warm water flush and it worked fine. But so did swabbing the bowl out with a damp paper towel, my previous method.
I'm no expert, but my guess is because if you are going to fill your pipe with salt and alcohol, you want it blessed by a Rabi.
I'm not sure if it matters in the pipe cleaning application, but the geometry of Kosher salt crystals have a higher surface area per mass (typically pyramidal), whereas typical table salt crystals are cubes. Thus Kosher may dissolve faster and if added as a finish to plated foods, it isn't as harshly "salty" tasting.
There's also many brands of Kosher and sea salt that are packaged without the anti-caking agent. This chemical agent will turn canned foods cloudy if present, but again I don't know what affects may occur when cleaning pipes.
There's also many brands of Kosher and sea salt that are packaged without the anti-caking agent. This chemical agent will turn canned foods cloudy if present, but again I don't know what affects may occur when cleaning pipes.
I've skipped salt altogether and use cotton balls.
I stopped doing bowl treatments altogether -- just focus on keeping the cake thin. I've found that cleaning the shank with alcohol will keep the funk away just fine.
+1...Unless it is an estate pipe.
I can’t recall ever using it on other than an estate piece once I was past the newb stage. Keep the stem and shank clean, the cake thin, and don’t overlook giving the mortise a good cleaning every now and then.
Agree on that point. I will have to do the fresh water flush, that would save some time and no harm done. I then run a small diameter brush thru the shank, wiping it each time, till it comes out relatively clean (residue at first is like black tar). Then, scrunched up paper towels dipped in alcohol, till they come out clear. That typically yields a ghost free smoke.
Same here, just at the beginning of my pipe smoking journey. I did it a few times to get rid of ghosts. Now I just smoke through any ghost that I come across.
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