The Ghost of Aros Past

ignaciojn · Jan 31, 2017

Back when I started, I smoked a lot of aromatics on a cheap pipe (Peterson Deluxe, Irish Whiskey, Sherlock Holmes, and some nasty Skandinavik vanilla stuff).
I've switched to english blends, and I decided to try my old cheap pipe. It tasted like candy. I rimmed it almost to bare wood, did a salt & alcohol treatment, and it improved a little, but the sweet is still there.
Should I put it to rest?

pagan · Jan 31, 2017

May be residual in the stem, try a retort and another salt bath before you give up

sallow · Jan 31, 2017

Just smoke through it. I'm not afraid of ghosts.
In fact, I enjoy it when I stumble on a phantom topping.

cosmicfolklore · Jan 31, 2017

+1 Sallow, I enjoy smoking Latakia on top of an aromatic ghost sometimes, and a Virginia on top of a Latakia. But, I have gotten a few pipes that were obviously enjoyed by Lakeland smokers. I tried retorts, salt and alcohol, reaming, and finally I had to just soak the whole stummel in acetone and then scrub it out till it was devoid of anything but briar. I restrained it, buffed it out and it was like a new pipe. But... the Lakeland still pokes its dirty filthy taste up every now and then. Aromatics are the worst. Some pipes just have to be put out of their misery and crushed beneath a sturdy boot. YMMV
The moral to the story is that what you enjoyed yesterday, may never go away. And... don't smoke lakelands. : puffy

:

sallow · Jan 31, 2017

The most persistent ghost I have encountered came from an estate Digby that used to belong to Captain Black. It took about half a dozen bowls to exorcize but it was enjoyable while it lasted.
As for Lakelands, I'm glad they still exist and feel fortunate every time I light one up.
P.S. The Stanwell estate I bought recently from the Danish pipe shop had the most beautiful ghost in it, sort of a sweet perique blend, as far as I could tell. I wish I knew what was smoked in it, I would buy some.

ignaciojn · Jan 31, 2017

Good advice.

I'll take the zen attitude and try to befriend the ghosts.

toobfreak · Jan 31, 2017

Meers and Cobs don't seem to ghost as easily.

madox07 · Feb 1, 2017

ignaciojn you are right, skandinavik is some nasty stuff .. I stay away from it, as it is a good way to ruin a briar. What I find is that while your traditional deghosting recipes may not work 100% every time, if you smoke the same english blend after deghosting, after some time it goes away ... or you just get used to it, I haven't made up my mind yet :puffpipe:

condorlover1 · Feb 1, 2017

Every pipe I own tastes of Condor and people I have given pipes too remark on the strength of that tobacco's ability to ghost a pipe.

mso489 · Feb 1, 2017

If it really revolts you, you have to discard or trade off the pipe. But you could use it as a change-up for a non-aromatic blend with your aromatic bowl. Likely it will fade with use, but in the meantime, it could be a flavor option. Boy, am I being optimistic. I smoke only tobacco forward aros, and not too many, along with my favored non-aromatics. I haven't noticed any ghosting.

toobfreak · Feb 1, 2017

I wonder what would happen if you sprayed a little Fabreeze on a pipe cleaner and rag and ran them through the stem and bowl then let the pipe breathe for a few days.

madox07 · Feb 1, 2017

toobfreak I hope you are not serious ... Fabreeze is nothing but chemicals. So I suppose that in addition to ghosting your pipe even further, you may have an extra tongue growing or the old one may fall out, either way not willing to find out :P

cossackjack · Feb 1, 2017

Exorcising ghosts:

1. Ozone Treatment: Walker Pipes: Ozone Treatment
2. Activated Charcoal: fill the bowl with activated charcoal (carried by aquarium suppliers), bake in a low-oven (200-250F) for 4-8 hours - may need to be repeated 2-3 times

I have used this as an alternative to Ozonation for mildew smell in estate pipes.
3. Baking Soda + Hydrogen Peroxide: same technique as salt-alcohol treatment - may need to be repeated 2-3 times.

I have used this as an alternative to Ozonation for mildew smell in estate pipes.
4. Coffee Grounds: pack the bowl with used, moist coffee grounds, & remove after 1-2 days (or when dry) - may need to repeat 2-3 times.

toobfreak · Feb 1, 2017

I hope you are not serious

I don't know, just a thought. Most of those techniques above are to pull the ghost flavor out of the pipe into another medium and remove it---- I've had those ion generators that clean the air but you can't get that into a pipe. But I think Febreeze clings to odor molecules and pulls them out of the air, who can say that it wouldn't pull a taste and odor out of a pipe into the pipe cleaner? It might be worth a try on a throwaway pipe that you can't un-ghost any other way and see what it does. If it fails, so what? You never know.

mawnansmiff · Feb 1, 2017

"Back when I started, I smoked a lot of aromatics on a cheap pipe (Peterson Deluxe, Irish Whiskey, Sherlock Holmes, and some nasty Skandinavik vanilla stuff)."
"I've switched to english blends, and I decided to try my old cheap pipe. It tasted like candy."
That is known as Devine retribution for smoking such muck in the first place :wink:
Seriously though, after a few smokes of proper unflavoured tobacco your pipe should soon catch up and settle down.
Regards,
Jay.

The Ghost of Aros Past

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