Pipes Magazine » General Pipe Smoking Discussion

1. 

   loseth
   

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   I haven't been smoking pipes for too long, off and on for a few years, so I'm a little 'unlearned' in some areas. What used to be my main pipe is a hand me down from an Uncle, pretty cheap one I think, I can't even find a brand name though I think it may possibly be a Dr. Grabow. Anyway, the last several times I had used it I noticed an extremely bitter taste as I'd smoke it. It seems like it's coming from the stem, it almost seems acidic. I don't remember it being so bad. Is this likely a vulcanite stem? It has discoloured as well, greyish green almost. My other two pipes, a corn cob (plastic stem obviously) and a Brigham Algonquin #247, which seems to have a different stem material than this other one. My brigham is pretty new and I haven't dealt with anything like this. I have another pipe coming in the mail which has a vulcanite stem, so I suppose I'll find out if its the same material when it comes.

   I have seen some adds on this site about stem polish. Is that the answer? Any old tricks to cure this?

   Posted 4 months ago #
2. 

   Chris
   

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   Its oxidation..you'll need to clean it well before you go any further

   The most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen...not necessarily in that order

   Posted 4 months ago #
3. 

   rothnh
   

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   Welcome to the PM Forums, Loseth!

   Are you thoroughly cleaning your pipes after every smoke? That's a must. Clean out the bowl (some use a pipe clenaer bent in a "U" in the shape of the inner bowl sidewalls -- I just use a clean paper towel), use pipe cleaners in the stem and shank until they come out clean. If you haven't done this in a while, you'll need to get some high percentage alcohol and a shank brush to use along with the pipe cleaners. A clean pipe is a requirement for a good smoke -- clean your pipe after every smoke.

   The stem on your uncle's pipe is, from what you describe, likely made of rubber (vulcanite). A badly oxidized rubber stem can ruin the smoking experience too, as the stem oxidizes on the inside (airway) as well as the outside. There's some very good tips under the "Pipe Repair" topic on this forum you should research. You might also want to search some videos as well, such as this one http://www.smokingpipes.com/blog/1/2010/08/Video-Estate-Restoration-at-Smokingpipescom-Part-III.cfm

   There's really no easy "silver bullet" -- this will require some heavy lifting, i.e., work, on your part. But not to worry, it will become second nature to you soon enough and well worth the effort. Keep your pipes clean and they will serve you well with many years of sweet smoking.

   Posted 4 months ago #
4. 

   nsfisher
   

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   @loseth

   Hey mate, welcome to the forums, hope you enjoy your time here. Lots of good info to be had and given. Sounds to me as though the stem is very badly oxidized. If you need help tackling it, just hollar. If you wish, you can send it to me and I'll fix er up for you, you just have to cover the shipping.

   If at first you don't succeed, have another bowl.

   Posted 4 months ago #
5. 

   Jud
   

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   Welcome to the forum.

   Thought in the early morning, solace in time of woes,
   Peace in the hush of the twilight, balm ere my eyelids close
   Rudyard Kipling

   Posted 4 months ago #
6. 

   troutface
   

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   +1 on the cleaning. My pipes turned very sour last week and then I realized I hadn't cleaned them in ages. Pulled out the Everclear last night and went to town. Tonight all is well.

   Bogie-"And remember, this gun is pointed right at your heart"
   Rains-"That is my least vulnerable spot"

   Posted 4 months ago #
7. 

   05venturer
   

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   Gotten More Bitter??? Are you saying you always have a hint of bitterness? I am new to pipesmoking but have never had a bitter taste yet.

   Kent
   
   

   Posted 4 months ago #
8. 

   rothnh
   

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   I am new to pipesmoking but have never had a bitter taste yet.

   Likely because you religiously clean your pipe after a smoke

   Posted 4 months ago #
9. 

   05venturer
   

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   Likely because you religiously clean your pipe after a smoke

   My pipe routine is this, I smoke anywhere from 5-10 bowls daily, pipe gets cleaned at the end of the day and I grab a new one from my rotation for the next day. Approximately once per week they get a deeper cleaning with vodka/pipe cleaners.
   No problems thus far

   Posted 4 months ago #
10. 

    nashvilleric
    

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    Most likely your pipe only needs a through cleaning. You also described some stem oxidation which is common on vulcanite bits. There are plenty of stem polishes out there that will clean up the external appearance of the vulcanite. Ideally, to get your bits back to the mirror finish of a new pipe you will need to use a buffing wheel with EEE compound followed up with Diamond E compound. I've used simple rubbing compound and some elbow grease followed up using a stem polish with acceptable results.

    You are getting most of the bitter/sour taste internally from your shank and stem. Grab a handful of bristle type pipe cleaners and your favorite hard liquor, (preferably 90 proof or greater - 151 rum or ever-clear works best). Soak the pipe cleaner in the booze and commence cleaning the shaft and stem. Repeat the process with new pipe cleaner until the pipe cleaners are coming out clean after the scrubbing. The first ones will be filthy and will get better with each subsequent cleaner.

    Next, carefully open your pipe. Using Q-Tips repeatedly clean the mortise (opening the stem fits into) until the Q-tip returns clean.

    More than likely you will also need to ream the cake in the bowl. Be careful not to go so far to remove any of the briar. Ideally you should leave about 1/4" of cake. Get yourself a pipe reamer and ream the bowl. If you intend to ream, do this first before cleaning.

    I hope this helps. PM me if you have any questions.

    One good thing about having a lot of pipes, your wife doesn't notice when you get a new one.

    Posted 4 months ago #
11. 

    rothnh
    

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    Great advice, Nashvilleric and welcome to PM Forums!

    I'd like to make a couple comments though.

    The buffing wheel and all those substances are sometimes a bit overwhelming for new puffers (hell, I've been smoking a pipe for many decades and it's intimiadting for me!)

    I recommend (and use) Walker Briar Works' Stem Cleaning Kit to clean and polish the exterior of rubber/vulcanite stems. A kit restores 50+ pipes. It works very well and it's easy to use with a clean cloth. The kit is $22, including shipping: http://www.walkerbriarworks.com/html/stem_restore_kit.html

    To keep the rubber stem in decent shape, Obsidian Pipe Oil is a good choice, also easy to use (just a drop is all you need) and the $8 blue bottle lasts a long time.

    Ideally you should leave about 1/4" of cake. Get yourself a pipe reamer and ream the bowl. If you intend to ream, do this first before cleaning.

    I think 1/4 inch od cake is too much, IMO. I keep the cake the thickness of a dime; many recommend keeping the cake between the thickness of a nickel and a dime.

    I don't use a pipe reamer, but I've used a dull Peterson pipe knife and it's worked fine for me for many years to maintain the cake the way I prefer it. But sure, if restoring a pipe with too much cake, a good pipe reamer; I recommend the Senior reamer (about $18-$25 or so new) does a great job, but as Nash said, be very careful -- a good reamer can damage your pipe if you're too aggressive.

    Posted 4 months ago #
12. 

    cigrmaster
    

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    loseth, welcome to the site. You have received some great advice. I would like to add a couple of thoughts. When I am done smoking a pipe, I will let it cool for at least a few hours then take it apart. I will take a fluffy pipe cleaner, double it and run it around the inside of the bowl to get rid og ash and loose tobacco. I then blow through the shank to blow out any excess. I then take a bristle pipe cleaner, double it and run that through the shank and keep using a new bristle cleaner until it is clean. It usually takes 2 but sometimes three to get it clean. I will then take a bristle cleaner and run it through the stem, then take a fluffy and run that through the stem. I do this religiously after every bowl. After 7-10 bowls in the one pipe I will then do a deep clean. I get my Everclear( grain alcohol) shank brush, bristle pipe cleaners, Obidisian stem oil( for vulcanite stems) and Denicare briar polish and then proceed to clean my pipe. If you follow this type of routine( everyone has their own ways but are similar to this) you will never have a bitter pipe again. Pipe tobacco is not cheap so making sure you have a clean pipe is essential to getting the most out of your favorite blends, nothing will make a blend taste worse than a dirty pipe. I use the BJ Long tapered bristle and extra fluffy pipe cleaners that I buy from smokingpipes.com. At 1.99 for the 80 tapered bristle pack and 100 tapered extra fluffy pack, represent the cheapest prices on the net. I go through hundreds of pipes cleaners a month and usually buy 20 of each when ordering. I have never had a pipe turn sour or go bitter on me ever.

    nashvilleric, welcome to the site. I tried using the Q tips like you suggested but found that quadrupling a bristle cleaner soaked in evercelar gets my mortise cleaner with less work. It is interesting how we all have our little ways of cleaning that works best for each of us.

    Harris

    Posted 4 months ago #
13. 

    baronsamedi
    

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    I'd give it a bath in some Oxy-Clean. You'll be amazed at the funk that comes off your stem. Soak it in the Oxy-Clean for a few hours, then scrub it with a wash cloth and hot soapy water. That will get the worst off. Use some bristle cleaners and everclear to scrub the inside of the stem after that. Then you can oil it up until it's shiny again.

    Do a thorough cleaning on the bowl and shank like the others said, too.

    If you find the stem showing too much oxidation after that, it may have to be sanded off, which you can do with some water and varying grits of sandpaper (1000 to start and work up to micro-mesh).

    The easy way is to send it to Walker Briar Works and he'll make the pipe and stem like brand new for about $15 or $20.

    Proud Member of the Blackblood Society

    Posted 4 months ago #
14. 

    nsfisher
    

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    Greyish, Green Stem and bitter taste = Oxidized stem. You may be getting some nasty flavours from a dirty shank as well, but most of your "Bitter" taste is coming from the Oxidization. I'll be willing to bet that the "taste" is more on the lips and tounge tip than the inside of the mouth.

    Posted 4 months ago #
15. 

    loseth
    

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    You're right, then taste is definitely on the lips and tongue. Awesome advice from everyone, i'll be trying some of these methods and/or PMing some of you for further help, thanks a lot.

    Posted 4 months ago #
16. 

    loseth
    

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    Holy man, I bought some oxy clean, soaked it for about an hour, bought some 600 sand paper (finest I could find) and scrubbed the living crap out of it, I can't believe how well it worked, it took a lot of scrubbing but it worked. I don't have stem polish but it still looks much better. I have some other questions about the pipe but I think I'll start a different thread about it, seeing as it will be getting quite off topic.

    Posted 4 months ago #
17. 

    Mike
    

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    bought some 600 sand paper (finest I could find) and scrubbed the living crap out of it

    you'll want to order micro mesh off ebay or amazon to finish the job

    Mike
    
    Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery. -Winston Churchill

    Posted 4 months ago #

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