First Estate - Did I Summon a Ghost?

jfred

Starting to Get Obsessed

Apr 30, 2018

118

6

• May 5, 2019

• #1

I recently purchased my very first estate pipe, a nice Becker & Musico bulldog with a silver spigot.

It arrived looking like new, very clean and with no smell at all coming from the chamber.
I still wanted to give it a good cleaning of my own and for that I invested in a small bottle of Brebbia Pipe Clean.

I cleaned it a couple of days ago, and it did have a light peppermint scent when I left it to dry, but not too unpleasant.
Today I'm having the first smoke, and there is no mistaking it: My otherwise sweet and gentle Virginia flake has a not so subtle aftertaste of toothpaste! 8O

Does anyone have experience with this brand of "sweetener"? Will the taste go away after a few bowls?
On the positive side, the draw is perfect and the blast feels really nice.

 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings

Jun 15, 2013

19,768

45,347

Southern Oregon

jrs457.wixsite.com

• May 5, 2019

• #2

I don't use pipe sweeteners for cleaning. I either use alcohol for deep cleaning estates before I use them, or a warm water rinse.

 

didimauw

Moderator

Staff member

Jul 28, 2013

9,964

31,881

34

Burlington WI

• May 5, 2019

• #3

Oh man, I was hoping for a story of the haunted pipe! That would have been so cool!

 

jfred

Starting to Get Obsessed

Apr 30, 2018

118

6

• May 5, 2019

• #4

Yeah sorry, no cool story here, but at least my breath is cool/mint! And I think I figured out the picture...

 

didimauw

Moderator

Staff member

Jul 28, 2013

9,964

31,881

34

Burlington WI

• May 5, 2019

• #5

ooo like the pipe though! I would use that as Asian excuse to not brush my teeth! Haha

 

jfred

Starting to Get Obsessed

Apr 30, 2018

118

6

• May 5, 2019

• #6

Haha :D

I am getting more Virginia and less mouth wash as I am finishing the bowl. Maybe there is still hope.

 

redglow

Lifer

Jan 7, 2019

1,823

4,066

Michigan

• May 5, 2019

• #7

Hopefully, you can smoke your way out of that Minty Fresh experience.
That is a cool pipe though. ::

 

mau1

Lifer

Jan 5, 2018

1,124

837

Ontario, Canada

• May 5, 2019

• #8

I really like that pipe. Traditional yet techy looking.

 

bnichols23

Lifer

Mar 13, 2018

4,131

9,554

SC Piedmont

• May 5, 2019

• #9

Surprising as it may be, mau, I absolutely concur! I'm not usually a huge fan of metallic, "machine" looking pipes, but there's something about that one that I like! Serious looker.
Bill

 

jfred

Starting to Get Obsessed

Apr 30, 2018

118

6

• May 5, 2019

• #10

Thanks for the comments guys.

I usually associate silver spigots to classic, older pipes, not so much "techy" or "machine" looking. But I guess an aura of modernity isn't too bad, so I'll take it ::

 

mso489

Lifer

Feb 21, 2013

41,210

60,459

• May 5, 2019

• #11

That's a spared-down nifty pipe. Thanks for fair warning on the cleaner; I presume the flavor won't linger long.

 

jpmcwjr

Moderator

Staff member

May 12, 2015

24,735

27,332

Carmel Valley, CA

• May 5, 2019

• #12

Yes, you have got the photo thing, and here it is a bit bigger. Nice pipe.
Even now a hot water flush after smoking might remove more of that fresh minty taste. Alcohol no longer touches my pipes.

 

lraisch

Part of the Furniture Now

Jul 4, 2011

625

1,221

Granite Falls, Washington state

• May 6, 2019

• #13

I have used Everclear and several other pipe sweeteners and the only one I ever had trouble with was Brebbia. It took 5 or 6 bowls before that awful menthol taste went away.
Rest assured though,it will fade away eventually.

 

cigrmaster

Lifer

May 26, 2012

20,249

57,280

66

Sarasota Florida

• May 6, 2019

• #14

Great looking pipe, congrats. I use Everclear to clean my pipes. I have never nor would I ever use a pipe sweetener. You should grab some Everclear and re clean your pipe. Why waste good tobacco trying to smoke through the menthol?

 

jfred

Starting to Get Obsessed

Apr 30, 2018

118

6

• May 6, 2019

• #15

Thanks Iraisch, that is assuring. I did have a second bowl today and the menthol had faded a bit, but still very much present.

I'm gonna go with Harris' suggestion and give it a new cleaning. I don't think I can get Everclear here, but Stroh rum (80% alcohol) is available. That should do the trick, no?

 

jpmcwjr

Moderator

Staff member

May 12, 2015

24,735

27,332

Carmel Valley, CA

• May 6, 2019

• #16

Yes. But a hot water flush requires no purchase, leaves no taste, and helps clear the mortise hole with the running water.

 

jfred

Starting to Get Obsessed

Apr 30, 2018

118

6

• May 6, 2019

• #17

That sure is a lot of good points for using water. But with this menthol thing, I suspect I need something stronger.

I tried the hot water flush on another pipe a while ago, and it worked very well. Only concern was that it seemed to dull the finish of my shiny pipe a little.

 

PaulTheScandinavian

Lifer

Jul 28, 2016

7,633

36,765

Finland-Scandinavia-EU

• May 8, 2019

• #18

But Thats a nice looking pipe,spigot might be a good option for me who have broken several stem tenons down during the years

as for menthol ghosting, I'd smoke some burley OtC's in this, Prince Albert or Mc Barens Golden extra(Blend)actually some fresh menthol taste might add some interesting note to plain burley blends,I recall there is one G&H menthol spiced pipe tobacco existing

 

jfred

Starting to Get Obsessed

Apr 30, 2018

118

6

• May 10, 2019

• #19

Thanks, I really like the spigot, feels very sturdy.

I will give it a shot with a burley blend instead of my subtle Virginia.

Paul, is Prince Albert available in Finland? I'm curious to try some, but it's not on the shelves anywhere here in Denmark.