BJ Long Quality: Have You Noticed A Difference?

[americaman]

Have any of you noticed a marked change in the quality of BJ Long pipe cleaners?

Maybe it was just a bad batch they produced recently, but a couple of months ago I got some more and they are leaving fat chunks of lint everywhere, clogging the airway. I have to scrape down every single one before use. Anyone else experiencing this? If so, I would love to hear of some other brands you use.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Not just you. I was actually searching to buy some BJ Long in bulk and read these complaints in a number of places. Unfortunately, what's 2nd best pretty much sucks as well in my own experience.

 

[donjgiles]

I have the habit of always running the pipe cleaner through my fingers a few times to remove the excess fibers on softies. I like Dill's the best, but even they too, shed.

 

[fightnhampster]

I have the habit of always running the pipe cleaner through my fingers a few times to remove the excess fibers on softies. I like Dill's the best, but even they too, shed.

+1

 

[unadoptedlamp]

Vauen makes the best pipe cleaner I have ever used. Tried BJ long, but the quality didn't compare.

Tough to beat German engineering.

 

[tradition]

BJ Long = Low cost

 

[Chasing Embers]

BJ Long = Low cost

Were cost the case, Dunhill pipes would be amazing.

No issues here other than the occasional fluffy mixed in with my bristled cleaners.

 

[bluegrassbrian]

Vauen makes the best pipe cleaner I have ever used. Tried BJ long, but the quality didn't compare.

Tough to beat German engineering.

Yeah Blitz (my preferred cleaner) and Vauen are hands down the most durable and effective pipe cleaners on the market.
I won’t buy anything else.

 

[Country Bladesmith]

I bought some a couple of months ago and they’ve been fine. I rarely get any lint in the airway. Maybe mine were new old stock if there’s been a recent drop in quality. ?‍
All I can say is mine have worked just fine.

 

[3rdguy]

I have noticed quite a bit coming off them but I also run my fingers across them before use.

 

[Sloopjohnbee]

You are not alone- I tend not to use pipe cleaners anymore unless ultimately necessary during a smoke- typically I'll use them to clean the pipe and stem prior to/after use

 

[Country Bladesmith]

Using one now. I even pulled at the cotton to see if I could make lint come off. Nothing. These are my regular non-bristled pipe cleaners. Never had an issue. I don’t know. ?‍
Maybe QC has dropped, or maybe y’all just got a bad batch.

 

[anotherbob]

or the place you get them stored them under a heavy box or a tank.

 

[lightxmyfire]

I've never liked BJ Longs regular pipe cleaners, I've always found them to be shedding, they fold in on themselves with out much pressure making them damn near impossible to get all the way through even a Semi-tight air way. I do like and use their bristle cleaners but other wise try to avoid them.

My favorites are the Decatur tapered cleaners but I haven't been able to find them anywhere in months! It's got me worried that they might never be coming back.

In the interim I bought a few bags of the brigham pipe cleaners and they're better than the BJ longs for sure but still aren't a replacement for the decaturs.

 

[BROBS]

Yeah Blitz (my preferred cleaner) and Vauen are hands down the most durable and effective pipe cleaners on the market.
I won’t buy anything else.

Absolutely. From what I can tell the blitz are probably produced at the same place. Probably also the John Aylesbury ones. ?

 

[BROBS]

And I absolutely hate BJ long. Their ends are always sharper and more ragged than shit too.

also the wires are wimpy.

 

[condorlover1]

I buy those long modeling pipe cleaners as they don't f*ck with amber stems too badly!

 

[anotherbob]

the worst pipe cleaners I've encountered where whatever came with my Churchwarden really fluffy and way to thick to fit any pipe I've ever seen that was for tobacco. Seriously they seemed ornamental.

 

[mtwaller]

I’ve only ever used BJ Longs, and they never fail to irritate the crap out of me with the excessive shedding. I can’t count how many times fluff has clogged up the airway and I sucked it into my mouth upon test drawing before the next smoke. I’m going to buy a bag of the Peterson tapers and see how those are.

 

[logs]

I’m going to buy a bag of the Peterson tapers and see how those are.

Peterson tapered are decent. I started using them because the tapered end is one of the few that's thin enough to make it through small bowled pipes with micro-stems (think vintage Kaywoodie) They're definitely better than BJ Longs but also cost a bit more.