Ashy Taste

[OzPiper]

User groups are an amazing source of info for any hobby.

You may get your leg pulled or tail yanked from time to time.
But there are a lot of generous, helpful and knowledgeable members here

 

[OverMountain]

I run a pipe cleaner wetted with gin through my Grabow pipes.

Dr G makes a time tested product. Don’t give up the ship just yet.

 

[anotherbob]

User groups are an amazing source of info for any hobby.

and disinfo too.

 

[Sgetz]

I water flush. I find my pipes stay sweet and don't smell. This is a great plus for my wife. Briar is a very dense wood and does not absorb any significant amount of water. So it dries quickly even in rainy uk

 

[Streeper541]

As already stated... opinions on this vary, but I regularly use Tito's vodka when I deep clean my pipes. It evaporates quickly & leaves no residue or taste.

 

[bullet08]

One pipe I dropped in a mug of coffee resulted in dull finish. With a lot of working with wax and a rag, it came out ok. But I won't risk any water. But that's just me. I'm sure water will do wonder. I sort of like sweet smelling tobacco on my pipes. When that goes sour, I'll probably use some rum very carefully.

 

[PipeIT]

Alcohol may affect plastic/acrylic stems

Here’s the trick I do, with acrylic/vulcanite/cumberland stems...

I place the stem under the kitchen sink faucet with the water running slightly onto the stems, as I push a cleaner through dipped in Everclear.

The water running on the stem will keep any dripping alcohol away, of course, only dip a small part of the cleaners in the alcohol and then give them a shake to get off any excess.

Works all the time, I’ve never wrecked a stem, just go slow, it’s easy to do.

 

[OzPiper]

Here’s the trick I do, with acrylic/vulcanite/cumberland stems...

I place the stem under the kitchen sink faucet with the water running slightly onto the stems, as I push a cleaner through dipped in Everclear.

The water running on the stem will keep any dripping alcohol away, of course, only dip a small part of the cleaners in the alcohol and then give them a shake to get off any excess.

Works all the time, I’ve never wrecked a stem, just go slow, it’s easy to do.

You need to take care with old(er) vulcanite stems
Warm/hot water will cause the stems to oxidise or bring oxidation to the surface.

 

[PipeIT]

You need to take care with old(er) vulcanite stems
Warm/hot water will cause the stems to oxidise or bring oxidation to the surface.

I use cold water...

 

[Doctor Chopper]

I rinse my pipes every evening, have been for years now. And, I have some very nice pipes. It has been the best thing ever. There is absolutely nothing bad that can happen, unless you use boiling hot water on an old vulcanite stem... just don't do that.
But, my pipes all smell fresh, and taste great.
But, if someone doesn't want to use water, that's fine with me. But many forum members here do it, and have been doing it for years. So, there is nothing wrong with it.

Don't take this as criticism, this is a serious question-

You rinse the pipes every day, and I know that you like your tobacco bone dry. Could it be that your pipe has extra moisture influencing how you like the tobacco?

 

[cosmicfolklore]

@Doctor Chopper well… my goal is rinsing them every night, but life gets busy sometimes. I have over a hundred pipes, so not all pipes get smoked every day.

 

[biodarwin]

Man I feel like I have abused my pipes. Ive had most of them for 6 years, I deep clean them with alcohol once a year and thats it, well, other than cleaning with pipe cleaners after every use.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Man I feel like I have abused my pipes. Ive had most of them for 6 years, I deep clean them with alcohol once a year and thats it, well, other than cleaning with pipe cleaners after every use.

None of my newly purchased ones have ever had alcohol used on them. If cleaned after each smoke, there's no need and many of them I've had since the early '90s through 2000.

 

[anotherbob]

I haven't had to use alcohol on a pipe since learning to swab the mortise. I still do it every once and a while but more cause I like the next couple smokes. But a wipe after every smoke has kept the pipes nice and sweet. The daily light cleaning of any smoked pipe seems keep them in really good shape.

 

[fishmansf]

I have one pipe (a Dr. Grabow) that has developed an ashy taste.
I’ve used the hot water rinse and cleaned the mortise with Qtips . Unlike the other pipes I’ve rinsed, this one still has a dark coating on the bowl after I wipe it out. Do I try wiping it out with alcohol next, or something else? The stem is black plastic. I can taste it if I draw on the pipe before filling and through as much as I can stand of the bowl.
It was a cheap pipe, but it fits well in my hand (it’s tiny), so I’d like to save it if possible.

Thanks for any suggestions.

I'm surprised at the lack of responses that address the speed at which you are smoking. Regardless of what you're smoking, if your cadence is too fast all you're going to taste is hot air and ash. I generally like to follow the three breath rule: one sloooooooow draw in, wait three breaths and then draw again. Also the breath method is nice.