About cleaning the bowl...

monty55 · Apr 20, 2014

I have read and have seen many You Tube videos that recommend and show the cleaning out of the bowl with grain alcohol. I understand the need to clean the stem out and the shank and to get any moisture out of the bowl. But I'm a little dubious about using alcohol in the bowl. Now obviously we are not talking about a new or unsmoked bowl right? I mean if I clean my bowl out with the paper towel, tissue, or whatever with alcohol on it I would never get a cake built up correct? So if I assume everyone is talking about a bowl already broke-in and has a cake formed then my question is why? I mean are you using alcohol in the bowl to aid in drying the bowl out (I can handle that), or are you saying that your actually "cleaning" the bowl out? Which to me seems a bit silly.. I mean unless your going to continue to clean it until you have no black stuff on your rag or towel or q-tip or whatever then there is really no point is there? A simple once over wipe in the bowl with Alcohol as I have seen so many do does not to me seem logical, that it is actually cleaning anything at all. Am I wrong? I feel probably so.. why? Explanations?

goldsm · Apr 20, 2014

Yes, If you do clean your bowl with papertowel everytime you smoked you don't need

that much necessary with grain alcohol treat.

My case some time I do smoke aromatic like a strong cherry flavor that leave some a ghost in my pipes.

Once I do finished that tin or can of tobacco I do usually alcohol treat.

and only once in a year I do clean all my pipes with grain alcohol to get lid off

the bad smell,tar,nics etc.. and to get a fresh smell and sweet taste in my pipes.

Just don't forget fully dry after treat about a week or so.

redbeard · Apr 20, 2014

Alcohol should only be used when cleaning an estate you just aquired or as a cleaning when wanting to change tobacco and a heavy aromatic or English blend has been smoked out of it. It is not needed as a daily thing. You might want to run a pipe cleaner with alcohol on it through the stem every once in a while though to rid of any buildup.
If you use it in the bowl often yes, you won't be building a cake.

monty55 · Apr 20, 2014

Thanks guys. Appreciate your help.
Redbeard, that's about the way I decided to approach it. I was just confused because it seems many recommend cleaning the bowl out with it often.

brudnod · Apr 20, 2014

I use the alcohol treatment on 2 occasions: first is on acquiring a "new" estate pipe - no matter who it was purchased from (even blood kin), and second when I stick the pipe up to my nose and I don't like the smell. That frequently happens when the pipe has 2 very divergent tobacco blends smoked in succession. Other than that you probably will not need the "cure".

foggymountain · Apr 20, 2014

Use alcohol and the pipe will taste like alcohol for a long time. The bowl does not have to be cleaned. Just empty it fully when finished and clean the draft hole with a pipecleaner. "That's all folks."

smokeyweb · Apr 20, 2014

For what it's worth, I dip my pipe cleaners in Jack Daniel's to clean the stem and shank after each and every smoke, and find it imparts a nice taste and freshness that enhances my smoking experience.

dottiewarden · Apr 21, 2014

I've seen several pics on the net where old timers have smoke so much over the years that the caking overtakes the chamber. I've also heard of people having to ream out the chamber.
If I had as many pipes as foggymountain I'd never even think about it, but with the few pipes I have in my quiver, I'm worried the caking will grow out of control.

cortezattic · Apr 21, 2014

I did the periodic salt & alcohol bowl soak for a while. But several years ago I changed to a bi-weekly (or so) alcohol

cleaning of just the stem and shank -- on the theory that foul tastes really originate there, and not the bowl. Haven't

had any issues with bad tastes, so I conclude that soaking the bowl is pointless in normal situations.
I think the Old Cajun uses a retort, but I don't know how often.

dread · Apr 21, 2014

I use alcohol in the stem and shank about every 2 or 3 months and do a full blown salt treatment on all new estates. Otherwise I just wipe the bowl with a folded pipe cleaner and run a cleaner through the stem and shank after every smoke.

foggymountain · Apr 21, 2014

What is the problem with cake? I get it too, even with 160 pipes. You just ream a little before it gets out of hand. Be careful not to go too far so you don't damage the briar.

apatim · Apr 21, 2014

Forgive my complete ignorance but wouldn't wiping the bowl after each smoke defeat the build up of cake which is, I understand, essential for briars?

ejames · Apr 21, 2014

But several years ago I changed to a bi-weekly (or so) alcohol

cleaning of just the stem and shank -- on the theory that foul tastes really originate there, and not the bowl. Haven't

had any issues with bad tastes, so I conclude that soaking the bowl is pointless in normal situations.

I agree, Keeping the shank and stems clean, IMO, will go a long way toward preventing a skunky pipe.

I seldom use alcohol in the bowl, only in the case of extreme ghosting, and do that mainly so that the shank can get a good soaking.

What is the problem with cake? I get it too, even with 160 pipes. You just ream a little before it gets out of hand. Be careful not to go too far so you don't damage the briar.

Yeah,what is the problem with cake? Doesn't take much effort to keep it in check and, IMO, protects the briar from possible burnout.

mso489 · Apr 21, 2014

To cake or not to cake, that is a question. I'm one of those who wipes out the bowl after every smoke,

keeping the cake very thin but not eliminating it. This imparts good smoking characteristics and eliminates

the need to ream; I don't own a reamer. But a lot of pipe people want a good thick cake, which they like for

the flavor it imparts or improves (by their lights). That's fine too. I just like the minimal cake. I only use

liquid (bourbon) when a pipe gets funky, and it seems to solve the problem.

monty55 · Apr 22, 2014

Um, there is no problem with cake. Sorry if I wasn't clear. I love cake. I want my cake and smoke it too!
Apatim, that was pretty much my original question or issue. I think I got too wordy and it got lost. No worries, I understand what everyone meant tho.
Thanks again everyone.

brudnod · Apr 22, 2014

Now this is a totally unresearched hypothesis BUT I'll bet that those who appose to the concept that the bowl needs to be cleaned with any frequency blow the moisture in the stem and shank into the bowl as a part of completing a smoke; clean out the dottle and blow the moisture down the stem. That gunk is pretty nasty stuff and spoils the bowl. I'm also guessing that those who use a absorbent pipe cleaner and do not blow do not have to alcohol treat the bowl... Just a theory.

goldsm · Apr 22, 2014

I just smoked Lane 1Q in a Cesare Sabbiata 104.Sandblast Chimny which I did

clean using pipe brush with Rum a week ago.
OMG !!

Taste of briar is so fresh and sweet combine with tobacco taste make A DREAM SMOKING.
May be this could be a explain everything about pipe cleaning to me.

andrew · Apr 22, 2014

Keeping the cake in check is a good idea, I have a kaywoodie that my older brother gave me, my first pipe, and it got to the point where I couldn't get a tamper down the bowl anymore the cake was so thick. This is the only time I've reamed a pipe and now the bowl is about 3 times the size it was before. I find a light reaming before it gets out of hand is the best, but now that I wipe out the bowl after every smoke it keeps the cake down to a nice even level.

instymp · Apr 22, 2014

I do what Foggy & Ejames does. But I don't wash my car twice a week either.

carcosa · Apr 23, 2014

Some new pipes like Petersons come with stain in the bowl and you should wipe that out with alchohol, but after that there is noneed unless your pipe goes sour.

About cleaning the bowl...

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