Pipes Magazine » Pipe Repair and Maintenance

1. 

   waznyf
   

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   Hey everyone,

   Recently saw a post about using rubbing alcohol to clean pipes and it got me to thinking.
   I used to use alcohol every time I cleaned my pipes, given that this could be after every smoke or even a couple days apart.
   Recently when talking to some other pipe smokers, they informed me that they only use a paper towel and pipe cleaner after each smoke. This confused me and now I've decided to ask because I want what is best for my pipes as do all of us.
   What do you guys do? Is it a paper towel and pipe cleaner every time, and alcohol cleaning once a month? Let me know.

   "The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the iniquities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know I am The Lord when I lay my vengeance upon you."

   Posted 11 months ago #
2. 

   tbradsim1
   

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   I believe IMHO once a month is enough, the most important thing a lot of pipe smokers don"t do is a-tip the inside if the shank where the tendon mates inside of the shank, a lot of heavy deposits lurk there, just running a pipe cleaner doesn"t get that, run a q-tip around that next time you smoke and see what you get there, the old cajun

   The Old Cajun

   Posted 11 months ago #
3. 

   dhizzy
   

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   It seems that alot of pipe smokers have varying opinions here. I am guilty of going a bit too long between alcohol cleanings but do not believe that it is necessary after each smoke. I'd say it depends on how much you smoke the pipe. Maybe every 5-7 smokes sounds resonable but I should take my own advice.
   

   By the eternal! There is a man whose form should be cast in deathless bronze and the statue placed in every college in the land. It is not book-learning young men need, nor instruction about this and that, but a stiffening of the vertebrae which will cause them to be loyal to a trust, to act promptly, concentrate their energies; do the thing - "carry a message to Garcia!" Elbert Hubbard "A Message to Garcia" 1899

   Posted 11 months ago #
4. 

   Spyder
   

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   Good advice Cagun.
   I double over a pipe cleaener to get the gunk out. I smoke any given pipe 2-4 times in a day and I use three or more pipes in a day. Every morning over coffee and my first bowl I clean yesterdays pipes with 91% rubbing alcohol and pipe cleaners. The clean ones then sit til the next week. I got in the habit of using two certain pipes on mon, tue, etc... so that I know they have rested well between smokes. This topic has been gone over and I suspect there will be tons of different methods described here shortly.

   "I used to cry because I had no shoes. Until I met a man who had no feet"- My favorite and I use it to get by...
   
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   Posted 11 months ago #
5. 

   dhizzy
   

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   Yes it has. And some say rubbing alcohol is bad. I stick to Everclear.

   Posted 11 months ago #
6. 

   waznyf
   

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   Yes it has. And some say rubbing alcohol is bad. I stick to Everclear.

   I too use everclear. I will the good ol' cajun's advice. I know that opinions vary but I want to run with the majority haha

   Posted 11 months ago #
7. 

   kabong30
   

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   The shank thing is one of the reasons I prefer system pipes. I have better access to all parts of the pipe.

   Posted 11 months ago #
8. 

   Yavuz
   

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   you can use little amount of alcohol on the bowl ( outer skin) of your higest quality (those from sarısu village named sarısu meerschaum blocks ) meerschaum pipes.

   Good meerschaum is capable of absorbing a reasonable amount of alcohol.

   just be sure to rest it for about a week to avoid moisture "while smoking"..The alcohol will last more when applied on yr meers than your briars.It will be smelling alcohol.

   Those meers that would not resist a reasonable amount are carved out of Sepetci or other low quality blocks.

   Yavuz Korpefiliz
   Owner of Storient Meerschaum Pipes

   Posted 11 months ago #
9. 

   pipedreams101
   

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   First off I pick a pipe for a given day and I smoke the hell out of it for that day, so by the end of the day its pretty nasty. I use alcohol at the end of the day to clean the pipe i have chosen for that day. I used to use pipe sweetener, or liquor but i recently switched to mentholated rubbing alcohol with no ill results. So short form, I use alcohol daily....

   I have some friends, some honest friends, and honest friends are few: My pipe of briar, my open fire, a book that is not too new.

   Posted 11 months ago #
10. 

    Yavuz
    

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    and dont forget rewaxing after appliance of reasonable alchol on the meerschaum bowl since alcohol or any kind of chemicals are not friendly to the beewax previously applied on the meerschaum pipe.

    Posted 11 months ago #
11. 

    tiltjlp
    

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    I completely clean every pipe after every use, which means using 91% Isopropyl, pipe cleaners, and dry reaming the bowl. That way I never have to worry about ghosting or sour pipes. I’ve done this for over 50 years with no problems.

    John : The CobFather : Have Cobs, Will Smoke
    
    

    Posted 11 months ago #
12. 

    skyblue
    

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    For me it's a lovely Sunday afternoon/evening ritual to clean all my pipes thoroughly using a wee dram of whiskey to dip cleaners into. They tell me they enjoy it. So I have a few with them

    Posted 5 months ago #
13. 

    rothnh
    

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    Haha -- I pretty much do the same every week or so, only I use 151 Bacardi Rum on the pipes.

    Posted 5 months ago #
14. 

    mrenglish
    

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    I clean my pipes with denatured alcohol after 1-3 smokes. The main reason is they are easier/faster to clean than cleaning them once a month or whatever. I only remove the stem occasionally though.

    Posted 5 months ago #
15. 

    mlyvers
    

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    i think the shank gets very dirty. i take a paper towel and twist the corner, then add alittle everclear onto the towel. i insert the towel into the shank and turn around several times. this will clean inside the shank by removing all the gunk. this also saves on pipe cleaners. i will cut the paper towel into 4 squares. it works great for me.

    mike.

    Posted 5 months ago #
16. 

    cajundad
    

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    I would not use the menthol alcohal , because it is 30 to 50% H20 , and could raise the grain of your briar . The menthol is also residual . Not knocking anyone who chooses to use it . I just wouldnt recommend it to anyone . Iso alcohal at 91% or greater is ok in my book . It evaporates very quickly without leaving behind large amounts of water unlike the 50 - 70% iso alcohal . Add methyl salicylate/wintergreen oil [ witch is whats in the menthol alcohal , and you have even more residual . I like to use everclear and/or 151 Rum as rothnh mentioned . Grain alcohal is recommended by most Online retailers of briar pipes . http://www.smokingpipes.com/information/howto/cleaning.cfm
    Again no disrespect to whomever chooses to use this . In regaurds to your question , I think The Old Cajun and rothnh and a couple others answered it . The only think I may add is to be careful not to clean out your cake with a new pipe .

    "A pipe is the fountain of contemplation, the source of pleasure, the companion of the wise; and the man who smokes, thinks like a philosopher and acts like a Samaritan."
    -Edward George Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton

    Posted 5 months ago #
17. 

    yazamitaz
    

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    For me it's a lovely Sunday afternoon/evening ritual to clean all my pipes thoroughly using a wee dram of whiskey to dip cleaners into. They tell me they enjoy it. So I have a few with them

    I love that Sky

    Posted 3 months ago #
18. 

    kashmir
    

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    I'll run a cleaner through after every smoke, and swab the bowl. Ever Clear Grain alcohol after every four or five bowls.

    The pipe eases you into the present moment - savor your pipe & you'll savor this moment.

    Posted 3 months ago #

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