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The Pipecleaner Debate

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cosmicfolklore

cosmicfolklore

Lifer
Aug 9, 2013
33,998
75,745
Between the Heart of Alabama and Hot Springs NC
...well not so much a debate as a question. I know that we've had a few discussions about these things over the years, but I keep seeing B.J. Long Regular cleaners recommended to folks. I occasionally will get a pack given to me, with a new pipe, or just thrown in with a tobacco order, or someone just tosses a pack at me over the years. But, these things are so thin that they only really work on a couple of factory made scruff pipes with tiny draft holes that I don't really use that often because they are like drinking a soda with a coffee stirrer. My handmade pipes all are drilled out at such a diameter that these regular pipecleaners never even touch the walls of the draft or stem, even doubled over is not muych of a cleaning for me. They may be good on just the button of the stem, but useless for keeping a stem and draft properly clean, IMO.
Do you guys really use these? Do you feel that they adequately wipe down the inside walls of the stem? I use both the BJ Longs Extra Fluffy and tapered. The tapered allows me to clean the draft on most of my pipes (sometimes doubled at the thick end) as well as use the small end to clean the button. Then a Fluffy allows me to clean the draft on the stummel really well. Do you guys just not worry about getting the draft cleaned thoroughly? Maybe I am just being too OCD, but if I don't give m y pipe a thorough pipecleaner wiping, my pipes will stink.
I don't like the scratchy ones, because I feel like those are causing ruts inside the soft stem material that will cause turbulence and possibly might make a nice pipe into a gurgler. And, even on the BJ Longs, I will always run a finger over the end part to make sure it wasn't crimped when the machine cut it, and possibly scratch inside my stems also. Usually just pinching the end with my finger will straighten out a crimped pipecleaner.
I also will ream my pipe chambers with a paper towel also, but I understand why cake lovers don;t do this, but regular pipecleaners? Really? Do these even touch the walls of your stems?

 
J

jitterbugdude

Part of the Furniture Now
Mar 25, 2014
993
8
I use BJ Longs and they work well. I only have Meers and cobs (with Ebonite stems). So the real question is: What type of pipe cleaner do you use for your hogged out pipe stems?

 
tbradsim1

tbradsim1

Lifer
Jan 14, 2012
9,104
11,063
Southwest Louisiana
+1 Mike for the Extra Fluffy, Q-Tips wet with spit inside shank, then same on rim, I cut ends of fluffy with small wire cutters. Small cleaners are reserved for smaller diameter pipe bits and shanks. Most Meers take the small ones for the bits, Fluffy for shank

 
texmexpipe

texmexpipe

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 20, 2014
998
246
I tend to use the regular ones during the course of a smoke. I don't smoke very wet but sometimes certain blends need the help. As for cleaning and really getting in there I agree that the tapered and extra fluffy work best. But I don't deep clean but a few times a year unless I need too.

 
condorlover1

condorlover1

Lifer
Dec 22, 2013
8,066
27,345
New York
I use the long soft ones as they are (a) a perfect fit for ancient pipes (b) unlikely to cause any of my stems or mouth pieces to break. The OTC cleaners sold in drug stores are just ghastly and I will not have them anywhere near my pipes.

 
B

bigpond

Lifer
Oct 14, 2014
2,019
13
I use the regulars exclusively and have no issues. I make a wide fold to clean mortises but for stems I simply move the cleaner around a bit to hit the whole stem. This keeps my pipes clean enough that I never have to deep clean after the point of purchase. It takes me about 2-3 minutes tops to clean post-smoke and I used perhaps 2-4 pipe cleaners/smoke. I dunno how this compares to others.

 
skraps

skraps

Part of the Furniture Now
Sep 9, 2015
790
5
I buy the BJ Long Extra Long. They are the same diameter as the regulars, but they are 8 in. length I believe. The standard "regular" cleaners never make it to the bowl with the average length of my pipes being 7 in.

 
S

shutterbugg

Lifer
Nov 18, 2013
1,451
21
I use the regulars. Considering they come out brown and gunky I've no reason to doubt they're doing their job. I use the long ones on my Bings.

 
jpmcwjr

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,735
27,330
Carmel Valley, CA
I use 'em all, but prefer the fluffy well made ones. If it's not gross I'll let it dry in a box in my supply drawer and reuse. Q-tips to clean and dry the mortise, sometimes a doubled over pipe cleaner. Hot water run through chamber and airway, then towel drying the chamber is my preference, but doesn't get done that way over half the time as I am outside or away smoking, not in the kitchen.
I don't believe that the scouring type of bristle can score the airway such that it causes much turbulence such that it creates condensation in the amount to be a problem. In any event I don't worry 'bout that; I am worried The Cubs will lose the next game.

 
fitzy

fitzy

Lifer
Nov 13, 2012
2,937
27
NY
I use the regulars but sometimes need to double them up. I'll have to give the fluffy one's a shot. I never use the bristles.

 
clickklick

clickklick

Lifer
May 5, 2014
1,700
212
Xtra Fluffy for me. Except on some really restricted machine made airways . . . which come to think of it, I really have stopped smoking those altogether.

 
northernneil

northernneil

Lifer
Jun 1, 2013
1,390
1
I have and use all styles of pipe cleaners; extra fluffy, regular, tapered and bristled. They all have a different purpose in the cleaning process. The fluffy cleaners are for the stem / mortise cleaning (bristles doubled over for deep cleaning), tapered for the tighter airway stem / mortise cleaning, and lastly, regular and bristled cleaners doubled over to clean the inside of the bowl.
I tend to avoid the bristle cleaners in the beginning, until a pipe is well broken-in. I find the regular and fluffy cleaners work great until you have a little extra cake built-up, that is when the bristled cleaners come out.

 
bluegrassbrian

bluegrassbrian

Your Mom's Favorite Pipe Smoker
Aug 27, 2016
6,101
53,807
41
Louisville
I do like the BJ longs, as many of my pipes are between 6.5 and 8 inches. Plus, on a short pipe you get 2 uses out of each cleaner

I do want to try the fluffies for some of my bigger stummels.

 
hmhaines

hmhaines

Part of the Furniture Now
Sep 5, 2016
900
1
CT
I had issues with getting pipe cleaners into a too-small draft hole with my old Peterson, so I have stuck with the regulars. The regulars do the job well for me, but perhaps that's because I don't appear to have any really big draft holes.
Also, the scratchiness has bothered and worried me as well. That Pete didn't pass a pipe cleaner wothout the stem getting scratched, so I've become paranoid about ruining the inside of the stems on my briars. Taking care of the flubbed ends is a small precaution that has a tiny potentional to maybe do some good, so I bend them straight if I can.

 
ophiuchus

ophiuchus

Lifer
Mar 25, 2016
1,559
2,057
I use Long's of different flavors, though I think they shed lint like hell. I use the regulars on my Falcons, for the most part, and fold them to clean out MM cobs sometimes; I prefer the fluffier ones otherwise.
Count me in the group that don't like the bristles.

 
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