Pipe Storage

blackbeard · Sep 13, 2015

Everyone talks about tobacco storage, and how to maintain it....but never really about pipe storage. I understand the importance of a pipe stand on actively smoked pipes. However, what do you do if you are moving? Does the climate where your pipes are make a difference? If there is build up, and your pipe is left alone for a while...is it a problem? AND if you go outside in the cold and smoke, then go inside....is this a bad thing?

captainprophesy · Sep 13, 2015

I've lived on the west coast, east coast and in the south.... I've never had any issues with any of my pipes in my 23 years of smoking. Ive lived in dry west coast, muggy south and where it snows and gets down below zero... Again I've never had any issues with any if my pipes.

fadingdaylight · Sep 13, 2015

Generally the weather climate shouldn't have too much effect on your pipes. As far as storage goes, I have on of those little plastic things with 5 drawers that you can get at Wal-Mart. I keep most of my pipes in there, minus whatever 3 have most recently been smoked, those are in the stand to dry.

jkrug · Sep 13, 2015

All my pipes are stored in stands/racks at all times and these racks are stored in my pipe cabinet. I live in southwestern Ontario and here we run the gamut as far as weather is concerned, hot and humid, cool and less humid and frozen snowy winter. My pipes have not suffered any ill effects from the changes in the weather. I smoke both indoors and outdoors and bringing them back and forth from in to out does not seem to cause them any harm either. : puffy

:

clickklick · Sep 13, 2015

I'm in Minnesota. Don't leave your pipes outside, don't leave them in the garage, don't leave them in the car. Other than that, smoking outside and going inside shouldn't make any difference.
Also, best way to store is in a stand bowl down, stem up, tobacco chamber pointing opening at the top. You also need to keep them out of sunlight, away from fluorescent lighting, and if in a cabinet, you should have some way to allow air in and out.

buster · Sep 13, 2015

I have my pipes in a big mixing bowl in my closet on top of my gun safe. I need a rack but my 10+ pipes fit ok in there for now. I only smoke once or twice a week so my ten pipes are never over smoked.

blackbeard · Sep 13, 2015

Probably my fault for sour pipes then....My grandpa didn't want the pipes inside...set in his ways, staying with him for a bit. They have been in the garage -_- I figured it would be bad. Guess when I get them clean, will just sneak them in and let him fuss if he finds out. Big change in humidity and temperature + there may have caused the frustration I am enduring.

fnord · Sep 14, 2015

Tyler:
A lot of smokers will disagree with my thoughts, so let'em.
After my pipe cools, I break it down, grab a cleaner, dip it in my wife's brandy bottle, run it through the mouthpiece and then the stummel. I'll take the heftier end, make a few passes around the inside of the bowl, reassemble said burner and shelve it for a week.
Life is good.
There are no temperature extremes because I smoke inside. (Wait one.) But I still do the same for my car pipes and any burner left in the garage.
Fnord

warren · Sep 14, 2015

Fnord: You don't double dip that cleaner in the brandy do you?

blackbeard · Oct 3, 2015

Wanted to add another question here. Why should you store pipes bowl down? Wouldn't it make more sense to store it stem down, then clean so nasty oils/saliva dont absorb in the bowl? Opinions/answers?

ray47 · Oct 3, 2015

I store my pipes stems down, away from any sunlight, in room temperature. I don't smoke outside in cold weather so I can't comment on that question. I don't know that it matters if your store your pipes with stem up or down. I store my pipes both ways and don't see any difference. The reason I store my pipes away from sunlight is to cut down on stem oxidation.

Chasing Embers · Oct 3, 2015

Bowl down means that any residual gunk you may have missed in the stem or shank will drain into the bowl, and not sit and sour in your shank. Also, with the bit and airway open pointing upwards, airflow will allow moisture and humidity to dissapate more rapidly.

brudnod · Oct 3, 2015

If smoking outside is bad for the pipes, all of mine are screwed! The only way I get to smoke in the cold seasons in outside. But never had a problem. As for stem up or down, I prefer the "goo" to drip into the bowl and not muck up the shank, the hardest part to completely clean/dry, as chasingembers does. I have stored pipes in all kinds of off beat places for decades, and remember many of these estate pipes which many of us so cherish, have spent some of the not-so-golden years in less than splendid surroundings...

macaroon · Oct 3, 2015

I have limited shelf space and no real stands, so right now I let my pipe sit out on the shelf over night after a smoke, then it goes into a paper bag with my pipe cleaners. It's a little janky, but I'm hoping it won't be too detrimental to the pipe.

blackbeard · Oct 3, 2015

Macaroon - Go to more yard sales and antique stores. 2-10 dollars will get you some good ones believe it or not. If you can't find any, find something around the house that fits it. I have a little wooden piece of art and a piece of driftwood I used before I got my stands. Lots of things can be used

Spencer - I have actually found leaving my cobs out in the sun does wonders recently...though not so much if you leave out overnight...not a great mistake. As far as others, a little airing out happened recently by setting them in the sun, though it did seem to maybe fade ones finish a little wouldn't do it with a prized pipe. However, a little oxidation on the stems was probably my easiest feat in cleaning up a pipe.
chasingembers - That is a good answer, appreciate the input and answered my question pretty directly.

scrooge · Oct 3, 2015

good one warren!

danb77 · Oct 4, 2017

Instead of making a new post Ill resurrect this one.
Is is ok when Im done smoking a pipe and cleaning it with a pipe cleaner to let it dry out with a pipe cleaner in it? Like run a new one through it and then put it in the rack to dry?
Also Ive noticed the room where I keep my pipes pretty much smells like ash now and was wondering if there are any tips for that? Is there a way to dry the pipes out without leaving them out or is this just something I will have to deal with. Thanx for any advice

cortezattic · Oct 4, 2017

I've read that leaving a pipe cleaner in the pipe, for more than an hour or so at any rate, will trap moisture in the stem -- which is not desirable.

cortezattic · Oct 4, 2017

GL Pease touched on this subject in the following article:

http://pipesmagazine.com/blog/ask-g-l-pease/ask-g-l-pease-volume-34/

cosmicfolklore · Oct 4, 2017

Actually, I find that the slew inside the draft just after smoking has moistened and softened, so that if you stick a pipe cleaner down the draft... and leave it for some reason, it will harden as the slew dries and it will pull out the bristles on the pipe cleaner as you remove it. And, then you are stuck with a pipe with little hairs to become an obstruction and create moisture latter on. Do Not leave a pipe cleaner in your airway. There's just no good reason to do it.
Just clean the pipe directly after smoking it and throw the cleaner away.

Pipe Storage

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