What do you do to keep your pipes pretty and sweet tasting? I pass a pipe cleaner through the stem (obviously), wipe the inside of the bowl with a towel and put some grease on bowl and stem. Would you say this is enough? Too much?
What is your after smoking pipe cleaning routine
- Thread starter thomasmartin
- Start date
SmokingPipes.com Updates
Watch for Updates Twice a Week
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
Site Sponsors
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
- Status
Grease? What kind of grease?
I run a pipe cleaner through the stem and shank, and use saliva on the rim if there was any char/tar buildup.
After a handful of smokes in any particular pipe, I'll remove the stem and use an Everclear dipped pipe cleaner. If a pipe is especially dirty I'll use Everclear and some small bristle brushes (like the Neerup branded ones from smokingpipes.com).
I run a pipe cleaner through the stem and shank, and use saliva on the rim if there was any char/tar buildup.
After a handful of smokes in any particular pipe, I'll remove the stem and use an Everclear dipped pipe cleaner. If a pipe is especially dirty I'll use Everclear and some small bristle brushes (like the Neerup branded ones from smokingpipes.com).
When you say grease, do you mean wax?
I just got it with a pipe cleaner afterwards. And that's not after every smoke.
I just got it with a pipe cleaner afterwards. And that's not after every smoke.
Three or four pipe cleaners through the stem and mortise / shank, then fold the used pipe cleaners into a "loop" and use them to scrape the bowl. I wipe the stem with a clean cotton cloth and use some "Obsidian Oil" if needed. That's it. Then the pipe is put up to rest for no less than three days before being reused. I have never had to do a salt treatment on any of my pipes. I have sent a few newly acquired estates out for "Ozone Treatments" and professional cleaning before smoking them myself.
Pipe cleaners to clean the shank and a screw of tissue in the bowl.
Reassemble, blow through to check for blockages and i am good to go again.
Reassemble, blow through to check for blockages and i am good to go again.
Grease? I use nose grease. After a few bowls I run a cleaner through the stem and put the pipe aside for a Sunday cleaning.
Just after a bowl, while hot, run HOT tap water through bowl and out airway. Paper towel in chamber and pipe cleaner (really, one is all that's needed) in airway. Stem wiped thorooughly, esp around button. A touch of mineral oil every now and then for both stummel and stem. Since the bowl is dry after a full-bowl smoke*, the water run through doesn't stick, and the pipe can be smoked right away, though I usually rotate it out for a while.
* A main cause of stankiness is smoking wet or moist tobacco and not to the bottom. Thus, the bowl never fully dries out.
* A main cause of stankiness is smoking wet or moist tobacco and not to the bottom. Thus, the bowl never fully dries out.
1. Pipe Cleaner thru stem
2. Bend pipe cleaner and swab bowl
3. Wipe down stem with cloth
Pipe breakdown and deep cleaning every 3 months. It's not Rocket Science.
2. Bend pipe cleaner and swab bowl
3. Wipe down stem with cloth
Pipe breakdown and deep cleaning every 3 months. It's not Rocket Science.
This is among the three or so most-asked questions on posts, so I feel like I'm repeating myself too much, but since you ask ... first, I scoop the bowl empty usually with a pipe nail. Then I wipe out the bowl with a paper napkin or towel; I'm one of those who doesn't build cake, just maintain a thin carbon layer, and then don't have to ream. Then I run a pipe cleaner through the pipe, and usually one is plenty. Then I polish up the pipe with a dry bandana or polishing cloth. I'd avoid adding wax, polish, grease or anything else on a regular basis. This just prompts residue and after a while will cause the pipe to look less rather than more bright. A little wax or something on an annual basis for a heavily used pipe might work, but I'd recommend against anything on a bowl-by-bowl basis. More elbow grease, less other stuff, product or whatever.
M
mothernaturewilleatusallforbreakfast
Guest
I lightly pick out and dump the ash, blow through the pipe, run a cleaner through it, and wipe off the stem with my shirt. :
:
:
The "grease" I use is Murray's superior hair pomade. Don't laugh. It's basically petrolatum jerry (Vaseline). It was lying around and I found that it worked well against stem oxydation and it keeps the wood shiny.
I'm only about a month and a half into this whole thing, but I run a pipe cleaner through, use a tissue to clean out the bowl, and let it dry with a pipe cleaner pushed into the pipe. Next day, I'll take out the pipe cleaner and blow through it to get any little fluff pieces out and smoke it again.
Leaving the pipe cleaner in the stem impedes drying. There's no upside, and a tiny bit of downside to that practice.
Sorry, I charge $45 for revealing my pipe maintenance routine. Payment details supplied upon request.
jpmcwjr, REALLY? Oh god, I'm gonna stop doing that ASAP. I was watching videos online on how to take care of your pipes and it seemed that a lot of people kept the cleaner in to absorb the moisture after smoking.
1. Pipe Cleaner thru stem
2. Bend pipe cleaner and swab bowl
3. Wipe down stem with cloth
Me too. Then everclear on a pipe cleaner every 10 bowls or so, clean out stem, shank, and replace bit. I clench A LOT.
2. Bend pipe cleaner and swab bowl
3. Wipe down stem with cloth
Me too. Then everclear on a pipe cleaner every 10 bowls or so, clean out stem, shank, and replace bit. I clench A LOT.
Every 2-3 bowls
1. Pipe Cleaner thru stem
2. Bend pipe cleaner into a 'U' and swab bowl
Once a week, sometime longer
I break the pipe down, dip a pipecleaner in alcohol and clean the shank and stem more thoroughly. I need to get a pipe knife or reamer for the bowl.
No idea if this is standard, but my pipes taste fine.
1. Pipe Cleaner thru stem
2. Bend pipe cleaner into a 'U' and swab bowl
Once a week, sometime longer
I break the pipe down, dip a pipecleaner in alcohol and clean the shank and stem more thoroughly. I need to get a pipe knife or reamer for the bowl.
No idea if this is standard, but my pipes taste fine.
After each smoke, I'll typically boil my pipes in a mixture of reverse osmosis purified water and sea salt. Then I'll set them aside for 6-12 months to dry naturally on linen cloth.
Exterm: Not to worry. No harm, just an unneeded step, and waste of time. Or maybe you were being amusing. My method I posted a day ago. It really works well.
I also follow perique's method, though I use domestic Morton's salt, well water, paper towels, and dry for only three months- otherwise I'd need 600 pipes instead of the 300 in rotation.
I also follow perique's method, though I use domestic Morton's salt, well water, paper towels, and dry for only three months- otherwise I'd need 600 pipes instead of the 300 in rotation.
- Status