Alcohol & Salt treatments "Don'ts"

[nsfisher]

the draw is terrific its about a 60 yr old brigham (i think the age is bout right) alum shank an so on. i cleaned with alohol, then brandy, but no luck so far. by the way nice to meet u both an thanks for the reply

 

[juni]

I always use cotton balls now and haven't noticed any difference from when I used salt. Why risk ruining the bowl?

 

[hauntedmyst]

juni,
Salt wont ruin the bowl. Any bowl that gets ruined by the salt treatment most likely has a flaw anyway or wasn't cleaned properly after the treatment. Salt ruining pipes is one of those internet myths that just keeps floating around without merit.
ns, is the aluminum shank removable like a filter or is it permanent? I can't figure whats making it give tongue bite. The only thing I can think of try is to get a set of needle files and flare the bit internally so it spreads out through your mouth rather than streaming. Did you strip the stem down on the outside and then rebuff it? They could have cleaned it with some chemical that is causing the stinging.

 

[hauntedmyst]

You have to clean them well when the process is done. I've done the process nearly 100 times and never split a shank.

 

[pentangle]

I smoke the same tabacco in the same pipe or at least natural-aromatic-english mix in the same pipe always.Don't think the alchol/salt treatment it's a good thing but simply a metropolitan legend.I clean the bowl with paper every time i smoke and i get pipes reamed. Only shank and stem needs over a couple of smokes to be cleaned with alchol.I think briar like to have contact with tobacco nothing else.But of course everybody do what he likes

 

[nsfisher]

thanks for reply hauntedmyst, i actually soaked it in table salt water and alcohol water mixture last nite for about 2 hours then cleaned an rubbed it well with cotton swabs and scraped the bowl and shank. now its great lol no bite and no afterburn so i think problem is solved. I also bought a new brigham voyager today and i think i am in love, hahaha no more medico's for me. so far the brighams have changed my preference. but i will continue to look for and collect estate pipes.

 

[uberam3rica]

Nice pipes. I really like the look of the first one. I've been thinking of getting a canadian for some time. Glad you were able to save them.

 

[modernchicago]

I've snapped a balloon over the stem and filled the bowl with alcohol (put cotton ball in bowl to prevent splashing), letting it trickle into the balloon (water balloon size). Then you can carfullly squeeze the balloon and flush-out the shank, like a fuel line pump on an outboard motor.....

When finished, just pull the balloon off, tie a knot in it, and toss it in the bonfire.

 

[nsfisher]

sometimes i wrap bowl in saran wrap and put elastic over saran wrap on shank so no leakage. hold palm tight over saran wrapped bowl and shake it like hell. sloshing alochol loosens up gunk and pour her out, re rinse then swab and ur good to go

 

[tokerpipes]

Another no no. I was desperate one afternoon to clean one of my trusties and could get my hands on any alcohol, so i grabbed the hand sanitizer...bad idea. now every time old trusty is smoked I taste the other stuff the sanitizer left behind. I think I am going to dunk in alcocal and refinish.

 

[hauntedmyst]

Rather than salt and alcohol, use baking soda. Take the baking soda and pack it tight in the bowl. Add a few drops of dish washing liquid and let soak in. The pour vinegar into the bowl and let it sit. Your bowl will be spotless.

 

[baronsamedi]

You're evil, hauntedmyst! It did make my billiard into a volcano, though!

 

[tokerpipes]

Lol I was waiting to see if some one would try. Basic chemestry 101. Lol.

 

[ssjones]

I add the Everclear with a pet syringe (we had an old dog, plenty of those scattered about the house). That way I can put in a precise amount (1/8" - 1/4" below the bowl top is usually my fill mark) No drips or spills on the bowl top/sides this way.