How DO You Clean A Calabash?

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plugugly

Starting to Get Obsessed
Mar 9, 2015
280
32
I got one, and like my dog when he finally caught a squirrel, I don't quite know what to do with it! It's an estate like most of the available ones that won't cost my kids college fund and the bowl and stem are the easy part. But the barrel of the gourd? What's up with that? I got no clue guys!
Plugugly

 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,253
108,359
Remove the bowl and stem. Place the gourd in a secure upright postion, and partially fill it with a high proof potable alcohol such as Everclear. Allow to sit for 30 minutes, pick it up and swirl it a few times like a snifter with brandy, careful not to get it on the cork seal, and drain via the stem end. This is a great time to condition the cork seal with lanolin as well.

 

foolwiththefez

Can't Leave
Sep 22, 2015
380
3
Sunny FL
You got me, condorlover1. I googled that to make sure it didn't exist. Well played. I did find this thread though in my "fruitless" search:
http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/cleaning-a-calabash

 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,253
108,359
When you say "condition the cork seal with lanolin," do you mean just rubbing a thin coat of lanolin on the cork?
You got it. The lanolin keeps the cork soft and keeps it from crumbling.

 
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