Salt & alcohol treatment...

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ben88

Lifer
Jun 5, 2015
1,323
544
Quebec
I noticed some members mention non-iodized salt when it comes to deep cleaning the pipes.

Is there a reason for that? Does iodine interferes with the process?

 

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,570
27,077
Carmel Valley, CA
I doubt it, but to be very safe....
Also, wet coffee grounds left to dry in the chamber for several days may do the trick, too.

 

tbradsim1

Lifer
Jan 14, 2012
9,093
11,012
Southwest Louisiana
Kosher salt has bigger chunks and was used in preparing meat and does a better job in drawing out the blood, that's why it draws out the impurities in the pipe bowl, both can be used but Kosher is better.

 
Jun 27, 2016
1,273
117
Coffee grounds sounds interesting. I use epsom salt since it was what I had, and I didn't want to use iodized. Is that a problem? Epsom Salt Magnesium Sulphate vs. Kosher Sodium Chloride?

 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,254
108,359
Well, I have heard smoking has a laxative effect. Combine that with magnesium? Oh, my! 8O

 

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,570
27,077
Carmel Valley, CA
jp, that's the oldest and best trick in the books! I've used wet coffee grinds for years. Never a foul odor or residue either.

You must be as old as me...lol
I am older than a lot of dirt, but healthy.

And I have a daily fresh supply of grounds, both espresso and drip grinds!

 
Mar 30, 2014
2,853
78
wv
I've always used kosher salt and denatured alcohol. It's works pretty good. You may have to administer more than one treatment up to several depending on how much the pipe was maintained.
I plug the shank, fill the chamber halfway with salt, then use a dropper and wet down the salt but not completly saturate the salt. Fill to the top with salt and wet the rest. This gives the entire chamber an even distribution instead of soaking the top and leaving the bottom dry.
In a day or two when the salt has completly dried out, remove and repeat. When the salt stops turning brown after drying, it should be as clean and fresh as a summers eve.

 

ben88

Lifer
Jun 5, 2015
1,323
544
Quebec
1coyote - thank for the explanation. Alcohol that I use is a 94% so I know it will evaporate

within few hours.

 

pagan

Lifer
May 6, 2016
5,963
28
West Texas
Its said that iodine from the salt may be deposited in the briar, don't now if it makes a difference but I use Kosher salt cause that is how I was taught and the bigger chunks make it easier to clean up

 
Mar 30, 2014
2,853
78
wv
Here's a pic of the 3rd salt treatment on a tired old Pete.
vG6jLJQl.jpg


 

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,570
27,077
Carmel Valley, CA
About coffee grinds - I always thought that water is a no-no for the pipe?
That's one of the silliest of myths. You can thank Cardogan (and perhaps others) for printing it in their literature; thus it's become gospel to many. I often simply rinse out the chamber and airway, then dry and am good to go right after if I wish. (Though I tend to rotate so most pipes get several days rest.)
And when I use the sea salt and Everclear, I rinse it thoroughly after the salts no longer look gross (in hot water, drying immediately.)

 

mortonbriar

Lifer
Oct 25, 2013
2,652
5,663
New Zealand
here is a post from a couple of years back throwing the same kind of solutions around, with some variations

old post
also here is the pease article to appease.

pease
Personally I did not know better last time I got estate pipes and after reaming I basically smoked through the old flavour over six months or so, and eventually i realised the taste was gone, I dont recommend this though!

Isaac.

 

shutterbugg

Lifer
Nov 18, 2013
1,451
21
One time I used the salt+alcohol tx to fumigate a calabash bowl. Cracked the sonofabitch in two. It was before Google, nothing out there to warn about doing it in a meer. Luckily the superglue I used to put it back together has held up for years of smoking.

 
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