Clean Your Briar Pipes the "New Way".

[Chasing Embers]

I fixed a Peterson P-lip that felt a litte constricted by straightening it out.

I straighten bents during a clean up and scrub them with a bristle cleaner and toothpaste. Makes the work a lot easier.

 

[ashdigger]

Duane, now YOU TELL ME. It actually worked out great. I purchased the pipe at steal because the seller thought the stummel wasn't drilled properly. It was the stem filled with crap.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I've just been winging it though restorations. Sorry.
:mrgreen:

 

[Chasing Embers]

Oh, have you came across one that had an airway completely filled with cake? The drill bit on a senior reamer works like a charm!

 

[donjgiles]

Do you find that heat softens sharp edges? I have to admit, I am now on high pucker factor when working on "sharp" stems.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Do you find that heat softens sharp edges?

I only work small sections at a time, only "painting" the stem with the flame, but never long enough to smell hot vulcanite. Just a few quick back and forth swipes before wiping with a wet paper towel.

 

[woodsroad]

Wouldn’t a heat gun be a better choice over an open flame?

 

[Chasing Embers]

Tried the heat gun. Too much surface area exposed to heat, and didn't help lift the oxidation for some reason.

 

[ashdigger]

Because of this ^^^ I use toothpaste now because of Embers

 

[donjgiles]

Sounds like too thin a line of "room for error" for me. Fire, rubber ... danger

 

[Chasing Embers]

Sounds like too thin a line of "room for error" for me. Fire, rubber ... danger

You do have to be very careful and work very slowly.

 

[jpmcwjr]

I use hot tap water on the inside and outside of both stummel and stem, but keeping the stem in at all times. After drying, or just letting dry, the vulcanite on some pipes with that material they turn grayish. A tiny bit of mineral oil will shine them right up.
Michael- Water flush will reduce the gunk in the mortise, making deep cleanings less frequent.

 

[Chasing Embers]

A tiny bit of mineral oil will shine them right up.

That's only masking the oxidation.

 

[sablebrush52]

After drying, or just letting dry, the vulcanite on some pipes with that material they turn grayish. A tiny bit of mineral oil will shine them right up.
That's only masking the oxidation.

Which is why I always remove the stem before performing a warm water flush.

 

[jpmcwjr]

A tiny bit of mineral oil will shine them right up.

That's only masking the oxidation.

Really! It makes the pipe look great, and lasts for weeks, perhaps months. And it removes no material.
Folks, if you haven't tried it, please do so and report back.

 

[brian64]

Only extreme stem torture testing is going to settle this.

 

[davet]

Only extreme stem torture testing is going to settle this.

Oh damn, more science ! 8O

 

[craiginthecorn]

Those of you using warm water flushes regularly, do you find that it's sufficient to do this occasionally and use plain pipe cleaners in between deep cleanings? Or do you find it's just as well to flush after every smoke?

 

[ashdigger]

Only extreme stem torture testing is going to settle this.

Doing horrible things to wood is one thing. Doing horrible things to vulcanite requires a couple of eBay shitshow sacrifices. Luckily, I have a couple.
I also own thermocouples, if I get time I'll do a proper heat experiment.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Craig-
I now save up until I have a dozen of so that need cleaning, so some have been smoked once, and others several times. I am sparing on the pipe cleaners, and don't use them after each flush. For my "deep cleaning" I will remove the stem and swab out the mortise, and paper towel the chamber, pipe cleaner run through the airway.
So far, after two years of hot water flushing, I've not had the need to use any harsher cleaning methods.