Alcohol Cleaning

I just started using Everclear. Its an all grain alcohol. Most people suggested it. But you can use Bacardi 151. The higher the proof the better. As far as how often; that's personal preference. Some will dip a pipe cleaner in the alcohol and run it through the pipe after every smoke. Some will do this weekly and some will only when the pipe tastes sour.

1) What type of alcohol?

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It seems the majority of folks use food grade alcohol with a fairly high alcohol content like Everclear. For folks that don't have access to Everclear, Bacardi 151 is the next best thing as far as alcohol content. Some will use other spirits like rum or whiskey but be aware that they can impart some flavor. Some use rubbing alcohol. Whether that is a safe practice is debated occasionally. I, personally, use Everclear.

2) Do you do this instead of Pipe Sweetener and or addition?

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I don't use pipe sweetener so will defer to those more experienced with it.

3) If I only smoke a given pipe twice a week, how often is this suggested?

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The answer will depend on what you smoke, how you treat your pipes before and after smokes, and how clean you are willing and like to keep your pipes. Some tobaccos leave more byproducts that can clog up your pipe than others. I have found that blends high in latakia do this for me. My pipes dedicated to latakia blends need cleaned more frequently than my Virginia pipes for example. Running a pipe cleaner through your pipe after each smoke and allowing it to dry thoroughly can prolong the need for a deep cleaning. Some guys like their pipes immaculately clean and clean their pipes with alcohol after every smoke. Others prefer to smoke a grungy pipe and never clean them until something goes wrong like a clogged airway. Then there are others that fall somewhere in between. Bottom line is that you'll have to find out what works best for you. Some guys love the ritual of cleaning their pipes and do it often. Any activity that allows them to tinker with their pipes brings them joy. Some prefer the flavor of a clean pipe. Others view their pipes as strictly utilitarian tools and are fine throwing them in the dashboard of their car when they aren't using them. Some (like me) like the flavors of a uncleaned (I call it seasoned :lol pipe. For that reason, I don't clean my pipes with alcohol unless they really need it. I keep the tobacco chamber reamed and will use alcohol in the airway if it seems to be getting restricted. I primarily smoke Va's and have found the residue buildup is slower than other tobaccos. But that's just me and I'm likely in the minority. YMMV.

I use 91% isopropyl alcohol, no sweeteners. That works fine for me.

I use 99% isopropyl alcohol.
I don't use sweeteners.
I only do a salt and alcohol treatment or a retort when refurbing estate pipes, or when I have a particularly nasty ghost in a pipe, and want to smoke a new/different tobacco in it.
-- Pat

I use 99% isopropyl. Booze is too expensive in Canada to go anywhere other than in my belly!

In my personal and not quite so humble opinion, :D ... if you're running dry pipe cleaners through these pipes shortly following their two weekly smokes, an alcohol based cleaning should only be required every few months or more. It would also depend on how much moisture is generated in the pipes you speak of. In short, you should do what makes you happiest. Whether or not it pleases you to treat your pipes as precious gold, or to treat them as tools, is up to you.

Harold, high proof alcohols can be used inside the bowl and shank for cleaning. It can be used both inside and outside the stem.
It should not be used on any external surface of the wood...it will remove the stain.
Chris

Also, I don't see it mentioned, that he reason one uses such potent alcohol is because the water content is so low......if the briar absorbs water it can be damaged. I have a friend who damaged a pipe with 50% isopropyl. So it has low h2o, and evaporates quickly.
As to the salt treatment: Essentially you remove the pipe's stem, and plug the shank with cotton, a q-tip, paper towel, etc- then fill the bowl with a "rough" salt- sea salt or rock salt. Then the salt is saturated with high proof alcohol such as evercleer or 90+% isopropyl- and this is allowed to soak for several hours. The idea is that it leaches out nasty ghostings and flavors from the bowl. After several hours the salt will be brown and nasty- dump it out, clean it up with some pipe cleaners and there you have it.
Care must be taken not to spill the alcohol on the outside of the bowl. Most people use a syringe to apply alcohol to the salt.
Chris

Hey Haroldt,
As to salts... exactly what Tarak said. It should be noted that some pipes need multiple salt and alcohol treatments to leech the nastiness out of a pipe. I always let my bowls with salt and alcohol sit for at least 24 hours to make sure that the alcohol has completely evaporated before dumping the salt and using a paper towel to do a quick bowl ream. Generally, as a last step, I use fresh alcohol on a pipe cleaner and quickly line the inside of the bowl that torch it to do a finish clean on the inside of the bowl/shank.
-- Pat

Good on ya haroldt! Keep it up and you'll be a master of the bowl in no time.
I also came back into the hobby via the purchase of estate pipes on ebay.
Welcome back, and have fun.
-- Pat

Yes - water messed up my new pipe so now will send it along with some oldies to walker briar works - no one in canada with this mans process.
Deniclean & some booze left flavor in my pipe so ran the whole thing under luke warm water - got out the unwanted flavor but got rid of the briar qualities that give the flavor from the tobacco - became hot & tasteless.

Dont do this at home kids - as the man says

I usually use isopropyl alcohol (92%) and Kosher salt. Works great. I salt threat the stem/shank as well as the bowl. Make sure to wait 24 hours as it makes cleanup a breeze...just dump the salt out, run some pipe cleaners soaked in 151 rum through the pipe and done. The most I've ever had to repeat this treatment was three times. Always wait another day after the treatment before smoking the pipe, though.

"shank brush" never heard of them - are they a necessity for good cleaning?

Haroldt the information about Everclear was a riot, I laughed so hard reading that. Thanks that made my day.