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Spavilla

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jul 6, 2020
156
316
Gulf Coast of Florida
Good morning gentlemen! I am simultaneously experimenting with many blends and trying to break in quite a few new pipes. Spreading the wealth, so to speak (thoroughly enjoying a bowl of JFH Bombadil in a Chacom Berlingot 1513 right now). In an attempt to take care of my little treasures, I have gotten Into the habit of using a bowl brush after smoking. While I do understand there are differing schools of thought on cake, I wonder if this habit will, as I believe, create a more uniform layer of the inevitable cake or mostly prevent its development. More importantly, I question if this will interfere with my pipes break-in. Regardless of where you stand on the cake debate I welcome commentary on how you believe this will affect pipe break-in. Thanks in advance!
 

Spavilla

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jul 6, 2020
156
316
Gulf Coast of Florida
Ha! Getting the impression I am the only one doing this...While I am a believer that my “tools” are designed to serve me. I was taught early that if you take care of your tools, they will serve you longer.
 
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pappymac

Lifer
Feb 26, 2015
3,273
4,269
I find it easier to just wipe out the bowl with a paper towel or tissue.
I do have a small brush I use for cleaning the shank when I run out of bristle pipe cleaners though.
 

Spavilla

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jul 6, 2020
156
316
Gulf Coast of Florida
I find it easier to just wipe out the bowl with a paper towel or tissue.
I do have a small brush I use for cleaning the shank when I run out of bristle pipe cleaners though.
I initially tried the paper towel method but disliked the residual little “cling-ons” left in the bowl that forced me to then use my finger to remove. On a side note, of all of the products and their uses seen today on commercials, two recent ones that particularly offend me are the Toilet paper bear family discussing their issues with “cling-ons” and of course the Pepto-Bismol men in pink spandex singing about diarrhea. Bad taste knows no bounds.
 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
I'm in the paper towel or tissue school with pappymac. The brush strikes me as too messy, slinging ash round on the stiff bristles, and not cleaning evenly enough. The advantage to the paper towel routine is that it leaves a thin carbon layer that protects the briar but doesn't reduce the size of the chamber for the life of the pipe, and it alleviates the need for a reamer unless you are reconditioning estate pipes, and eliminates any damage done by a reamer by inexperience or too much zeal. Frankly, though the commode brush is previously unused, I find the visual a little unappetizing, the same way I wouldn't use a commode brush in cooking even when it serves the purpose. Fastidious devil that I am.
 

fightnhampster

Part of the Furniture Now
Aug 14, 2019
920
2,562
Indiana
I have one of those and use it occasionally, but not after every smoke, maybe every couple of months. I think they are useful to have on hand.
 
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