Purple Compound Inside a Pipe Stem?

hoppes · Oct 29, 2017

I'm cleaning up a Millville Standard pipe. In cleaning the inside end of the stem with ethanol patches, I'm getting a lot of purple material coming off the briar. This is coming off the inside of the wood from the last inch of the stem.It is not from the outside stain and is not coming from the finish on the outside. It looks like potassium permanganate in color. I have cleaned many pipes but have not run into this before. Any ideas? Is the pipe safe to smoke? Thanks, Hoppes

Edited by jvnshr: Title capitalization.

balkisobrains · Oct 29, 2017

It looks like some dye or stain started to creep in there when it was applied. I would not be concerned about smoking the pipe because of that. If you clean the airway in the shank regularly with alcohol, you'll pull that stuff out pretty quickly.

nevadablue · Oct 29, 2017

I think that is the stain from the coloring on the pipe.

agnosticpipe · Oct 29, 2017

Interesting to see that. I bought an estate Millville Unique pipe and ran into the same situation. I didn't find as much dye as you found, but it surprised me to see it. I'm thinking that maybe the stummel was dip stained, or just some of the dye got into the end of the shank. No way to know for sure, but I've been smoking it for a while and haven't noticed any weird flavors, or had any ill effects. In fact I like the way it smokes!
Let us know what you think of it after a few bowls.

jpmcwjr · Oct 30, 2017

I think I've seen that color in some pipe cleaner liquid that's sold commercially. If used, and the mortise isn't swabbed out, that coloring will happen.

cosmicfolklore · Oct 30, 2017

Captain Black Grape or Captain Bob's Blend?

mso489 · Oct 30, 2017

I'm guessing stain too, and I think a few repeated cleanings will leach it out. You don't want to smoke a lot of random residue, but I think this will dissipate.

hoppes · Oct 30, 2017

Thank you all for the comments. The problem still remains in that this is not from the stain used on the outside of the pipe. I have cleaned all the outside with the same ethanol patches and there is no purple discoloration at all. I wonder if the end of the stem was not treated with some chemical to harden it or protect it. Another possibility is a drilling fluid that was used on the drill bit when the mortise was drilled. Since Orley had the same findings with his Millville pipe it may well be something that was used in the manufacturing process ?? Any other Millville owners with similar experience? Thanks, Hoppes

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