Clean Your Briar Pipes the "New Way".
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I have used hot water at times both for restorations and for maintenance. I do think it cleans well. I also think it swells the mortise, so I prefer to keep the stem in place when using hot water, if possible. Hot water will tend to precipitate oxidation in vulcanite that's near the surface, but I don't think it causes oxidation. As for water versus alcohol, water is a smaller molecule than alcohol, so it will absorb into briar more readily than alcohol. I imagine that means a greater potential for removing soaked in tars and also for swelling fibers. Does it swell fibers significantly more than alcohol or the moisture that occurs during smoking? Probably not for a 30 second rinse.
Ironically, I've also had mortises swell from dry heat and adding moisture actually helped the wood return to its original state. I discovered this while trying to rid some pipes of a musty aroma using low heat from an incandescent lamp.
Ironically, I've also had mortises swell from dry heat and adding moisture actually helped the wood return to its original state. I discovered this while trying to rid some pipes of a musty aroma using low heat from an incandescent lamp.
Some of you may find this interesting. The link shows three pipe bowls that were cut in half. These are very old and very much abused pipes, clearly smoked too hot. Years of heat and steam. You will find the article about half way down the page.
pipe autopsy
pipe autopsy
Here's another cross section of a different pipe.
Either the pipe is quite small, or the draft hole is (was) huge, no? Though it's so gunked up I doubt there was much of a draw.
Either the pipe is quite small, or the draft hole is (was) huge, no? Though it's so gunked up I doubt there was much of a draw.
Y’all can use water if that floats your boat. I’m going to continue to use Everclear, shank brush’s, q-tips, bristle pipe cleaners and fuzzy pipe cleaners. It has worked for me for over 50 years and I hope the next 50, but I doubt that long.
I'm a convert to the rinse method... at least for my beater briars. Pipes smell fresh, look great, and smoke dry. Super quick and hassle free. Sometimes it's refreshing to treat a pipe like a simple smoking tool and not like a precious, soiled toddler that has feelings and needs naps.
Nice turn of phrase!
And why not 50 more years?! Good luck to you!
Of course. There's plenty of folks who have just a few years' smoking and are also completely set in their ways.
And why not 50 more years?! Good luck to you!
"I know that the new wave is water, but like microwaving tobacco, liberal use of water to clean wooden pipes doesn't work for me. I subscribe to smoking tobacco with moderate moisture and follow the "no" method of deep cleaning. I'll wait until my pipes sour as they taste fine to me for that. "
I too use the old method when needed. I have used soap & water on some stems though. Occasionally.
Any humidifier, CPAP or devise similar recommends distilled water. Guess that's so no minerals, chlorine or other build ups?
I too use the old method when needed. I have used soap & water on some stems though. Occasionally.
Any humidifier, CPAP or devise similar recommends distilled water. Guess that's so no minerals, chlorine or other build ups?
The chamber and airway are open enough so they air out, unlike devices that have internal parts that can freeze up when they accrete minerals. Dissolved solids in water may adhere briefly to the chamber wall, but are dispelled during the next smoke. I've been on well water for some time, with about 250 ppm dissolved solids and no adverse consequences.
I don't consider the hot water rinse a deep cleaning, but it sure delays the necessity of doing so!
I don't consider the hot water rinse a deep cleaning, but it sure delays the necessity of doing so!
As John knows, even at 225 parts per million, you need to evaporate a boatload of water to get a mineral buildup. We also have well water with a lot of dissolved solids and see buildup on the shower heads, toilet tank and kitchen faucet, but that's the result of hundreds and thousands of gallons of water passing through. Rinsing and then drying the pipe removes almost all the water from the briar, so exceedingly little dissolved solids are left behind.
What would really be a kick is if someone chimed in with information that he's been conducting experiments for the last twenty years that prove conclusively that adding a small amount of dissolved solids to briar or to the cake extended the life of the pipe and made it smoke sweeter..... Not gonna happen, but, well, it could.
So I tried to clean my pipe the “new way” and I have to say, I am not a fan. The water hardly does anything to flush the resins and oils out of the pipe, in fact I don’t think it did much of anything other than really soften up my cake. I would say that I need to let this pipe sit for at least three days before I try smoking it again so the cake has plenty of time to set. Anyway, I’ll be sticking to just running a pipe cleaner through my pipes after I’m done smoking them. I’ve been using that method for a good 8 years now and I have yet to sour a pipe (knock on wood).
To those that prefer this method, do y’all build up cakes in your pipes? If so, how has this affected your cake?
To those that prefer this method, do y’all build up cakes in your pipes? If so, how has this affected your cake?
Interesting. I have experienced exactly none of that. I don't build up thick soft cakes as I wipe off the bowl after smoking, so over time a thin hard carbon layer forms and it's not been affected at all by a hot water rinse. The soft gunk layer that some blends deposit on the chamber walls is more easily wiped off after the rinse when drying out the pipe. Pipes smell fresh and are ready to go within a few minutes of being washed.
I agree with Sable, I wipe out my pipes each time with a cleaner so as to build little cake.
As someone who’s recently interested in this cleaning practice, I tried it on a pipe with nasty gunk from an aromatic (Autumn Evening).
The water method worked like a dream, but I could imagine it not doing so well with a preexisting cake already in the bowl.
As someone who’s recently interested in this cleaning practice, I tried it on a pipe with nasty gunk from an aromatic (Autumn Evening).
The water method worked like a dream, but I could imagine it not doing so well with a preexisting cake already in the bowl.
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