99% Isopropyl Alcohol for Meerschaums ?

[smokertruck]

i saw in an earlier post suggesting PGA to use cleaning meerschaums - is ISOPROPYL 99% a pga - pure grain alcohol -

i run a dry cleaner thru each time i smoke meerschaums but it will be time to clean after about 20 or smokes but never used alcohol -it is time -

can i use isopropyl ?
thanks

 

[cobguy]

In the stem and shank are ok (small amounts) but avoid the bowl all together.
A light scraping follow by twisted paper towel works well in the bowl.
Happy Smoking! ::

 

[pruss]

My meer has an acrylic stem with a delrin tenon. I would separate the stem and clean it with 99% Iso no problem, but as Cobguy stated, I keep my meer far away from alcohol. Gently scrape and papertowel ream is the way to go.
-- Pat

 

[smokertruck]

didnt think of amount - for briars i load the cleaner 4" then squeeze off excess - would that be too much for the meerschaum stem & shank ?
i guess bacardi 151 would not be good instead of isopropyl due to water content even if only in stem & shank of the meerschaums - ?

i prefer the taste of 151 to iso which i taste after in the briars - the 151 seems to add a bit of sweetness.

 

[pruss]

smokertruck, you might want to peruse the info in this old link before you get any alcohol near your meer.
http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/salt-and-alcohol-treatment-on-meerschaum
-- Pat

 

[trailspike48]

Do not use alcohol on any part of a meerschaum. It will discolor the meerschaum. One of our members posted pictures of a meer he cleaned with alcolol, after smoking it was a purple black.

 

[smokertruck]

ok no alcohol in bowl
even though i use a cleaner through the entire pipe after every smoke -

based on the link, i assume the shank can take a small amount of 151 bacardi every 20 or so smokes but must be dried out thoroughly
these are new meerschaums - dont wish to mess them up. -
maybe best is just "dry clean " the whole pipe after each smoke also preventing cake buildup.

 

[foggymountain]

Purple-black? Sound like a trend.

 

[dochudson]

is ISOPROPYL 99% a pga - pure grain alcohol

no.. you want Ethanol 190 (everclear at a liquor store or ethanol 190 from a chem supplier) but neither do you want around a meer

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Keep in mind that some states, like mine, PGA is to be found nowhere. (It must be a Bible belt thing) So, Isopropyl is the best thing available.

I had posted once that I had used Sailor Jerry's Spiced Rum, and publicly spanked for using something with sugars.

 

[starcat]

I never use ISO but only alcohol that one can drink. White rum always works without any problem for me.