Best Way To Remove The Goop In A Pipe?

carolinachurchwarden · Dec 27, 2018

I know we all have those tobaccos that we love to smoke that might have a little goopiness to them. I have a couple of pipes that are gathering this sort of slightly sticky, damp, residue on the inside of the bowls from some Black Cavendish tobacco that I was given for Christmas. I like to smoke on the go and I don't always have access to a wet paper towel or anything to wipe down the bowl when I finish one.
What's the best way to get rid of it? I have been just using my round tipped knife to scrape it gently from the sides of the bowl. If I don't, I get this almost nasty, gross, moist feeling against my fingers as I fill the bowl the next time. Makes me almost want to hold the bowl upside down and flame a match inside until it dries.
Anyone else get this?

anthonyrosenthal74 · Dec 27, 2018

Letting the tobacco dry more (perhaps a lot more depending) will probably help.

sablebrush52 · Dec 27, 2018

Anyone else get this?

I get that with a few blends, like 515 RC-1. A bit of paper toweling works for me, though it can be pretty stubborn to remove if allowed to build up. Perhaps keep a few sheets of PT with you when smoking a goopy blend.

ashdigger · Dec 27, 2018

I have a maid that uses this awesome cleaner.....

jeff540 · Dec 27, 2018

I'm a hot water convert now. Do it, if you dare you won't go back :twisted:

jpmcwjr · Dec 27, 2018

Don't smoke that stuff!

Doc- "It hurts when I move my arm like this.... What do you prescribe?"
Patient- "Just don't move your arm like that."

carolinachurchwarden · Dec 27, 2018

Well drying does work, but even after drying for hours, it still leaves this behind after several bowls.
Water would work in my briar that has it, but not in my cob. I can use a wet paper towel, but like I said, a lot of the time, I'm on the road smoking these just cause they smell so damn good. One is Prince Albert Soft Vanilla and the other is Super Value Black Cavendish, which I believe is Sutliff. They both smoke and smell great, but even drying several bowlfuls all afternoon when I got them, they're building a slight goopy residue I don't like. Taking paper towels with me can work if need be, but just like Jesse said, the build up can be a bit stubborn over time.

piper64 · Dec 28, 2018

Like what you did there ash :clap:

mikethompson · Dec 28, 2018

Is this a sticky residue left over in the bowl? I can't say that's happened to me.
I've heard of 'goopy aromatics' and assumed it was them that left a syrupy goo. Kind of like dried honey. Is that it?

carolinachurchwarden · Dec 28, 2018

Maybe? I'm not really sure, haha, it's hard to describe when I can't think of anything similar to it that I've encountered before.
It's not hard, but it's not too soft either. If I can wipe out the bowl after dumping while it's still hot, even then it can tend to stick to the paper towel and leave rubbed off pieces behind in the bowl. It's almost like if I had a wet towel, that would take it out, but a lot of times I don't have access to that.
I could flush it and wipe it out if I had hot water and it was my briar, but I'm not doing that to my cobs. The stuff never seems to dry either. It's like it's transfered whatever made it a little goopy to the inside of the bowl mixed with ash and that would be okay if I wanted cake, but I'm not okay with whatever this is. It stays somewhat damp and moist and feels nasty on my finger when I tamp in the next bowl. I've been scraping it down with a knife until I get it cut back to a level that actually will dry out.
Could be more like dried pancake syrup mixed with ashes so it's black.

jeff540 · Dec 29, 2018

In all likelihood it's propylene glycol added as a humectant. Some blends have it more than others, and the way it makes my mouth feel is one of the reasons I avoid blends that contain excessive amounts.
I don't know of any way to remove the residue "on the road." I used to do the salt and alcohol treatment until I became a hot water convert. With cobs, I just tossed them once the buildup became excessive.

carolinachurchwarden · Dec 29, 2018

Well, that's good to know. I wouldn't mind tossing a cob if it were a cheaper one, but it's in my Charles Towne Cobbler and that one was more premium quality.
Maybe I'll just scrape it down again once I'm able and then just won't smoke these overly humectant doused tobaccos in it anymore. I'll just keep it simple with non-aros from here on out. I have a bunch of other cobs I could smoke them in anyway. Thanks for the opinions fellas!

cajomu · Jan 1, 2019

Rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol) will remove the goop from a pipe. Put a pipe cleaner in the stem and then carefully pour in a little of it -- use an eyedropper if possible to avoid spilling it on the outside of the bowl, because it will remove the finish on a pipe. Let it sit for a few minutes then dump it out and swab out the bowl with paper towel. Repeat as necessary until the pipe is clean. Let the pipe dry out for a day or so. The alcohol will evaporate and not leave taste in the pipe.
You can accomplish the same thing with Everclear (190 proof ethanol), but rubbing alcohol can be purchased at any drug store and is a lot cheaper.

huntertrw · Jan 1, 2019

Best Way To Remove The Goop In A Pipe?

I glanced at (and misread) the title of this thread and initially thought that it might be a follow-on to the one titled Things to do after your pipe fall (sic) inside a toilet.

saltedplug · Jan 1, 2019

I had this happen during my last year from smoking 1792. It's cased, and I made sure to ream with a pocket knife at a 90 degree angle to the wood and got most of the goop out, followed of course by a thorough bath in water from the kitchen faucet, which never failed to render the pipe squeaky clean. Contemplating the success of this revolutionary technique, I reasoned that if some water was good, more water would be better, and thus I repaired to my fishing tackle box for an assortment of sinkers, a few of which I put in the pipes' bowls. I sunk them in water in a utility bucket for 24 to 48 hours, which proved to be an absolutely astonishing success. My pipes looked brand new, and the ones that didn't had to breathe underwater for another 24 hours.
I've got a lot of water but ran out of sinkers after a half-dozen pipes. I'm looking online for 5 lbs cheap.

sablebrush52 · Jan 1, 2019

I found that wiping the chamber walls with either a couple of pipe cleaners or a wadded bit of paper toweling after each bowl help me to avoid the build up of gummy residue on the chamber walls. With a meer you want to avoid using alcohol as much as possible.

jpmcwjr · Jan 1, 2019

In both cases, briar and meer, a hot water flush will be a great start, followed by wiping with paper towel. If I smoked cobs, I'd do it with those, as well.

Chasing Embers · Jan 1, 2019

If I smoked cobs, I'd do it with those, as well.

That may dilute the white glue around the shank and make it come out.

bnichols23 · Jan 2, 2019

5 words: Black Frigate Brand™ Cleaning Fluid.
Or isopropyl alkyhaul, take yer pick. It's probably healthier, even if you drink it!
B

leafsmoker · Jan 2, 2019

I have never had sticky residue. The cheapest I smoke are Sutliff blends.I never get sticky bowl from it for some reason.Good luck I hope you find a 'solution'....no pun intended

Best Way To Remove The Goop In A Pipe?

Log in

SmokingPipes.com Updates

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Site Sponsors

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Lifer

Lifer

The Bard Of Barlings

Lifer

Part of the Furniture Now

Moderator

Lifer

Starting to Get Obsessed

Lifer

Lifer

Part of the Furniture Now

Lifer

Starting to Get Obsessed

Lifer

Lifer

The Bard Of Barlings

Moderator

Captain of the Black Frigate

Lifer

Can't Leave