Clean Your Briar Pipes the "New Way".

[jpmcwjr]

One aspect of cleaning with hot tap water is you can do it immediately after finishing a bowl, while it's still hot, even very hot. Just get the hot running up to temp. I have dropped two pipes with embers going into 75º water by mistake, and no harm done, but don't recommend wading in a pool with a lit pipe.

 

[instymp]

Some gunk is water soluble and some alcohol, I believe. At least with things not pipe related.

 

[themitch]

Came to this thread after the recent experimentations about pipes and water in the forum. I must say that I like the flushing idea, but am trying to decide between leaving the stem on or removing it...

Does the water oxydize or dull the ebonite? Does the mortise get a better cleaning without the stem?

Hoping for responses from expert flushers :D

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Does the water oxydize or dull the ebonite?

I don't use very hot water, just warm. So, I have never had an issue. But, I imagine really hot water "could" increase oxidization. I would remove really old vulcanite stems that may already have issues with oxidization. Better to be cautious.

Does the mortise get a better cleaning without the stem?

The only way to clean the mortise is to remove the stem. You have to be able to access the mortise, and I like to run a little wad of paper towel in there to get any gunk and dry it out really good before putting the stem back in.
I hope that helps.

 

[themitch]

Thank you very much! This afternoon it will be put to practice.

 

[sablebrush52]

I'm also a convert to the water rinse. In my case it's warm, not hot, and I always remove the stem. Hot water will cause older vulcanite to go gray. So I remove the stem and use a bit of alcohol on it. Acrylic stems get warm water, not alcohol.

Depending on the particular briar in a particular pipe you may need to wait a few minutes for the wood to lose the very slight swelling before reinserting the stem's tenon into the mortise. Don't force it. Not all briar reacts to environmental changes in the exact same manner. So while the majority of my pipes just fit right back together immediately after drying, there are a few that need 20 minutes or so further dry time and then reassemble perfectly.

 

[themitch]

That's good to know, I will be careful with older stems, Thank you!

I tried it on a few pipes today and liked the early results so far.

 

[woodsroad]

Jesse, once the older vulcanite goes gray, what can be done to restore it? Asking for a friend.

 

[ashdigger]

once the older vulcanite goes gray, what can be done to restore it?

I use Just For Stems. It's the commercially available product that generations of pipe smokers have come to rely on.

 

[Chasing Embers]

once the older vulcanite goes gray, what can be done to restore it?

Barkeeper's Friend and toothpaste.

 

[davet]

Just For Stems.

:rofl:

 

[woodsroad]

"Ironbinder Fly Paper: The product that you've slowly grown to trust over lo, these many years"

 

[donjgiles]

Whatever you use on the stems, go easy on any transition areas, especially those with sharp edges and angles.
Don

 

[woodsroad]

Good advice, Don

 

[Chasing Embers]

Whatever you use on the stems, go easy on any transition areas, especially those with sharp edges and angles.

That's why I quit using sandpaper and micromesh. Barkeeper's Friend and toothpaste won't deform a stem. The past few times I've done a clean up I've used a lighter and a wet paper towel for oxidation removal. Even less of of a chance of deforming a stem when you take your time.

 

[ashdigger]

After learning about the resiliency/memory of vulcanite I ordered a cheat hot air gun and have been extremely impressed with what it can do.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I love those for shaping vulcanite and fixing loose tenons.

 

[woodsroad]

School me on using heat to remove oxidation.

 

[Chasing Embers]

School me on using heat to remove oxidation.

Read it here, tried it and like it.
https://www.rebornpipes.com/2012/06/14/a-bic-lighter-and-oxidation&

 

[ashdigger]

I fixed a Peterson P-lip that felt a litte constricted by straightening it out. Scrubbing the crap out of it and then rebending it was a game changer.