Water Rinse Cleaning

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Mar 13, 2020
2,752
26,763
missouri
I'm not an advocate for the water flush like some. I really don't care either way what you do with your pipes, but, it's not like you're taking your pipe and submerging the thing for hours or days at a time. You turn your faucet on, barely i might add, and run water through the bowl and shank. Like it's been stated before, briar is very dense. I wouldn't let this whole water in the pipe thing keep anyone up at night.
 
Jan 28, 2018
12,954
134,633
66
Sarasota, FL
My pithy remark about water flushing is, don't. Water and wood don't mix. And just because this remark really pisses some off, let me say it again: water and wood don't mix. I've read that the Vikings seasoned their boats with a mixture of lard, bear fat, snot and toejam. They knew the ravages of water on wood, but wood was all they had.

I wonder what the yearly combined amount is for all the compounds sold to protect wood from water. The Vikings would have been a great customer.

All in all I must question the usefulness of an intellect that pairs the ancient antagonists of water and wood gladly.

The Viking boats mostly were used in salt water, big difference. And wood treatment products are mostly used on more pourous, soft woods. It bothers me not that you don't agree with the water flush technique but at least get your stories straight when dissing it. I've been using it for 2 years now on $300 to $500 pipes with zero negative experience. I realize old myths and traditions die hard. Many people feared the horseless carriage and electricity when first introduced.
 
May 2, 2020
4,664
23,771
Louisiana
I'm not an advocate for the water flush like some. I really don't care either way what you do with your pipes, but, it's not like you're taking your pipe and submerging the thing for hours or days at a time. You turn your faucet on, barely i might add, and run water through the bowl and shank. Like it's been stated before, briar is very dense. I wouldn't let this whole water in the pipe thing keep anyone up at night.
Exactly. I’m really not trying to push anything on anyone, but a little water through the bowl and stem isn’t going to do anything to the integrity of the wood. If the water is really hot, I could see how it might strip or dull a wax finish, and I probably wouldn’t try water on horn stems, but the briar will not be harmed by warm tap water, and neither will any finish that I’ve encountered so far (though I have certainly not seen it all).
If I’d have had different results I’d say so. ?‍♂️
 

telescopes

Pipe Dreamer and Star Gazer
This is easy. If you don't believe in it, want to do it, or think it doesn't make sense - don't do it. But to argue the merits of not doing it when others so clearly find it helpful and beneficial makes you look.... obtuse.

I have yet to read one person who did this thing regularly write about how it absolutely ruined a pipe. Rather, I read ridiculous and copious amount of statements to the contrary.

In the face of evidence to the contrary - direct testimony and pictures of how a briar pipe was ruined, diminished, or made less smokeable because of water rinses, - it is best to probably not argue so strongly against it. It would be better to simply say, "Although there is no empirical evidence that suggest water baths are harmful to pipes, I refuse to take my vaccination."

Leave it at that.
 
Jan 28, 2018
12,954
134,633
66
Sarasota, FL
I'm not an advocate for the water flush like some. I really don't care either way what you do with your pipes, but, it's not like you're taking your pipe and submerging the thing for hours or days at a time. You turn your faucet on, barely i might add, and run water through the bowl and shank. Like it's been stated before, briar is very dense. I wouldn't let this whole water in the pipe thing keep anyone up at night.
I turn the faucet on full force and flush for about thirty seconds. Warm but not hot water. I like to see the water geysering out the top of the bowl, I think that will help loosen more of the ash.
 
Mar 13, 2020
2,752
26,763
missouri
I turn the faucet on full force and flush for about thirty seconds. Warm but not hot water. I like to see the water geysering out the top of the bowl, I think that will help loosen more of the ash.
Right on. The few times I've done it I set the water to where it never flows over the top, buy steadily through. And here is good to know that going full force doesn't affect it any different
 
Mar 2, 2021
3,476
14,247
Alabama USA
This is easy. If you don't believe in it, want to do it, or think it doesn't make sense - don't do it. But to argue the merits of not doing it when others so clearly find it helpful and beneficial makes you look.... obtuse.

I have yet to read one person who did this thing regularly write about how it absolutely ruined a pipe. Rather, I read ridiculous and copious amount of statements to the contrary.

In the face of evidence to the contrary - direct testimony and pictures of how a briar pipe was ruined, diminished, or made less smokeable because of water rinses, - it is best to probably not argue so strongly against it. It would be better to simply say, "Although there is no empirical evidence that suggest water baths are harmful to pipes, I refuse to take my vaccination."

Leave it at that.
Their too embarrassed
 
Jan 30, 2020
1,850
6,090
New Jersey
So historical references about the centuries long battle of protecting wood from water, all the while everyone is setting flame to embers inside their wooden pipe and that's ok.

If a little water is such a problem, I'm surprised there's no such discussion on the fact you are putting fire to it. Wood houses burn all the time. Wooden forests burn regularly. I use scrap briar as kindling to get rid of some of it during the winter time in my stove (guess what, briar burns just fine against the myths out there that it's somehow fire retardant).

Water won't do anything except maybe mess up your finish if you get sloppy on the water. The wood will be just fine.
 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
19,626
44,846
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
Frankly, I was skeptical of water cleansing and it was about a year before I gave it a try.

Now, water cleansing is firmly ensconced among the methods I use to keep my favorite pipes in tiptop condition. I like the freshness I get after a water cleanse. None of my pipes has suffered in the least.

A pipe that can take exposure for 45 minutes to 2 hours of superheated steam can withstand a minute of warm water running through it.

I still use alcohol from time to time, but when I want to really freshen and neutralize a pipe, water does a better job for me.
 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
19,626
44,846
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
It’s been recommended to wipe the tenon with a wet q tip to swell the wood to repair a loose stem. So, how does a hot water flush have no effect?
I’m familiar with that recommendation and it mostly doesn’t work, or does so for a few minutes.
Different pieces of briar respond differently to immersion in water. Some of my pipes fit back together almost immediately after I‘be completed clean, some need a few minutes, one or two 20 minutes.
Ever pipe has retained its fit. No problems with tenon/mortise fit.
 
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