Best Way To Clean Up Rim Darkening?
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How there are 40+ responses to this question amazes me… But I’ll nevertheless add my own, just in case it hasn’t been mentioned before:
Q-tips moistened with saliva, along with a damp paper towel.
I find that Q-tips allow you to really dig into char build-up in a helpful way. But you can’t be stingy with them; if you’re talking about months (or years!) of build-up, it may take six Q-tips (using both ends) for you to see much progress.
You just have to be mindful to always stick the “clean” end into your mouth to moisten.
Q-tips moistened with saliva, along with a damp paper towel.
I find that Q-tips allow you to really dig into char build-up in a helpful way. But you can’t be stingy with them; if you’re talking about months (or years!) of build-up, it may take six Q-tips (using both ends) for you to see much progress.
You just have to be mindful to always stick the “clean” end into your mouth to moisten.
Add another vote for spit. But I use an old face cloth, sturdier than paper towel and the texture of the cloth helps the cleaning immensely. And yes, elbow grease!
Yes, and you would think after 20+ years of smoking a pipe- "Don't fill it all the way to the top" would be an obvious way to avoid rim charring that I would already know... but my mental response was still "Oh, yeah, that's probably a good idea."
That helps in keeping down lava, cake, accretion, what ever, but isn't the whole story. You have to hold the flame away and draw it down to the tobacco.
I am afraid most of us say "rim charring" when it's not that at all.
I’ve had some luck with cutting board “butter” … food grade mineral oil and beeswax. Just put a little on rim and polished with toilet paper or microfiber cloth.
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What I have been doing lately after being a non water flushing opponent forever is when the pipe is cool & I am done with it, if seeing a build up on the rim is to run it under the kitchen sink and rub the rim with my finger till the build up is gone. Short time, 3-5 minutes. dry everything with paper towels & pipe cleaners.
For decades used spit & q-tips.
I realize the above post is a joke but if you wife has makeup removal wipes they are great for cleaning pipes. They have mild solvents and at least the ones in this house are really durable when they are dry for things like wiping out bowls after a smoke. I dont use them on the outside of clean pipes becuse it would probably remove wax.
They are a nice mix of being very thin but absorbant and tough. I use a dry one repeatedly in the bowls after smoking. Paper towels are often too thick if they are decent and the thin ones rip up easily.
For restoration Id test on a beater pipe first to determine if/when it starts to remove color. Thats the case with most methods. Ive often had to recolor tops at least a little when doing super heavy cleaning. Its handy to have some dyes around.
They are a nice mix of being very thin but absorbant and tough. I use a dry one repeatedly in the bowls after smoking. Paper towels are often too thick if they are decent and the thin ones rip up easily.
For restoration Id test on a beater pipe first to determine if/when it starts to remove color. Thats the case with most methods. Ive often had to recolor tops at least a little when doing super heavy cleaning. Its handy to have some dyes around.
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I don't have the photos on hand but I discovered a very efficient method of removing rim carbon deposits using strong organic acid. Will post photos later.
I cleaned the rim of this burnt-out pipe with glacial acetic acid (ultra-concentrated vinegar) on the left, and with alcohol on the right. The acid melted away the carbon deposits while leaving the briar underneath unaffected. The dark ring in the bowl is burn out.
Great illustration. Also shows real rim char!
How concentrated is the vinegar and where do you find it?
I was surprised to discover that you can buy it off Amazon and from other lab supply companies. I got mine from the lab I work at. This stuff will melt plastic and has a very strong smell, so it must be used in a well-ventilated area. Treat it with the same caution you'd give concentrated muriatic acid (hydrochloric acid), otherwise known as "pool acid."
Another important comment I'd make is that you want to be sure to use Q-tips and apply it only to the rim. Avoid the finish and any shellac, as it can strip it. I follow up with water and alcohol afterward to remove residual acid, which has a vinegar smell.
Just my two cents.... spit and Q-tips work great. Another great resource I've found is reborn pipes.com
As mentioned previously, Saliva and a paper towel works wonders. There are pipe cleaning solutions and waxes for this purpose without stripping the finish off a pipe.
However, I've never found these products necessary. Avoid using any product that contains solvents like acetone or alcohol as these will remove the finish.
If the thought of using saliva seems unhygienic, you could always use a touch of vinegar diluted with water or a vitamin C tablet crushed and dissolved in water to clean the rim with a paper towel. Just be certain to remove the residue of the vitamin C tablet with a moistened paper towel afterward to avoid the residue becoming a further cause of the issue you are attempting to ameliorate.
However, I've never found these products necessary. Avoid using any product that contains solvents like acetone or alcohol as these will remove the finish.
If the thought of using saliva seems unhygienic, you could always use a touch of vinegar diluted with water or a vitamin C tablet crushed and dissolved in water to clean the rim with a paper towel. Just be certain to remove the residue of the vitamin C tablet with a moistened paper towel afterward to avoid the residue becoming a further cause of the issue you are attempting to ameliorate.
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I know you're likely advocating a very tiny amount being used. But II would be concerned regarding the possibility of heated petroleum removing the finish from the rim, or making its way into the bowl over time.