Darn Cotton Balls

madox07 · Jul 31, 2019

I've been meaning to write a thread about this one for a while now. Who else gets annoyed by cotton balls left in the draft channel of the stem, that are left over from a fluffy pipe cleaner? I have a few pipes that have pretty narrow draft holes in the stems and when I run a fluffy some cotton gets left behind. Not only that it clods your stem, but if it gets a tad wet with tobacco moisture it tastes as crap on your tongue when you try to unclog it.

Chasing Embers · Jul 31, 2019

I've never had it happen.

blues4goose · Jul 31, 2019

That happens to me with the Decatur tapered pipe cleaners. Usually there's a loose bit of fluff on the end of the cleaner I can pick off before I run it through. Other times, I just blow a short puff of air back through the stem to dislodge any pieces left over, then take a cold draw on the empty pipe to dry any moisture I reintroduced by blowing through.

These were born out of necessity, from sucking that resin-soaked cotton ball one too many times.

madox07 · Jul 31, 2019

I always had my doubts about the Bouts Choquin brand quality in general. Their cleaners are rather flimsy, but they are the only fluffies I can get around here.

jpmcwjr · Jul 31, 2019

A hot water flush may do the trick as well as removing tiny bits of ash and tobacco bits.
Also, running fingers over the cleaner (similar to stripping tobacco!) will help remove loose fibers.

voorhees · Jul 31, 2019

Before using a pipe cleaner I run them between my fingers to remove any excess loose fluff.

Chasing Embers · Jul 31, 2019

I'd just blow through the stem after using a pipe cleaner.

ukbob · Jul 31, 2019

I do the same as Embers.

ben88 · Jul 31, 2019

Water flush + air from a can. My pipes never felt better.

craig61a · Jul 31, 2019

The pipe cleaners that have the stuff bristles will grab those wooly booger’s... just spin and pull them out.

p40warhawk · Jul 31, 2019

Never had THAT happen!

I just dip the end of a good pipe cleaner into some bourbon/whiskey, swish it around and when dry, I use some canned compressed gas and it works like a charm...

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