Cleaning / Sterilizing

[Ksigel]

So far I have mainly bought new or estate pipes from retailers like SmokingPipes. I have just gotten more adventurous and have a pipe from an antique store, I have cleaned it up and it looks great. How can I make it “sterile”? Will a wipe down with Everclear alcohol, inside and out, do the trick. New to this and want to keep it simple. Thanks.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Yes except I wouldn't wipe the outside of the briar with Everclear. Could affect the stain and not necessary.

 

[leonardbill1]

With estate pipes I run some pipe cleaners with Everclear though the pipe and wipe the end of the bit off with a cloth and some Everclear. I use my daily tobacco to test the taste. If the taste is off I'll give the bowl a salt and Everclear treatment.

 

[OzPiper]

You will find that the dirtiest part of any pipe is the airway - shank, mortise and stem.
Look into the airway with a strong light. If it is clogged, be prepared to use smaller jeweller's screwdrivers or drill bits to unclog the muck.
Pipe cleaners and q-tips soaked in alcohol or Everclear should complete the job.
I stuff the bowl with cotton-balls and do an alcohol soak. You can use coarse salt or fresh used coffee grounds, but the cotton-balls leave less "mess"
DO NOT use alcohol on the outside. If it looks dirty, soap and an old (electric) tooth brush is more than sufficient.

 

[kcghost]

I just run a pipe cleaner with some alcohol on it to clear the airway.

 

[Chasing Embers]

 

[Gavrin]

You will find that the dirtiest part of any pipe is the airway - shank, mortise and stem.
Look into the airway with a strong light. If it is clogged, be prepared to use smaller jeweller's screwdrivers or drill bits to unclog the muck.
Pipe cleaners and q-tips soaked in alcohol or Everclear should complete the job.
I stuff the bowl with cotton-balls and do an alcohol soak. You can use coarse salt or fresh used coffee grounds, but the cotton-balls leave less "mess"
DO NOT use alcohol on the outside. If it looks dirty, soap and an old (electric) tooth brush is more than sufficient.

Is there a recommended video posted somewhere on doing a pipe and stem cleaning with all these techniques ie the salt and alcohol etc?

 

[OzPiper]

Is there a recommended video posted somewhere on doing a pipe and stem cleaning with all these techniques ie the salt and alcohol etc?

Most of the techniques I use were picked up by reading through the numerous posts on Rebornpipes - excellent step-by-step instructions.

Salt and alcohol soak:
1) block up the shank with pipecleaner or paper or cotton ball
2) fill bowl with coarse (NOT table) salt (I use cotton balls - easy to remove, less mess)
3) carefully fill bowl with alcohol vodka/Everclear (I use a clear fruit brandy) - taking care NOT to get alcohol on outside of bowl
4) length of soak depends on how dirty the bowl is. I usually leave overnight. I repeat the process if it is warranted.

Cleaning airways:
1) examine mortise and shank with a strong light
2) clean with pipe cleaners and q-tips soaked in alcohol
3) if airways (shank, mortise) are filled with gunk, getting rid of most of that gunk with hot water flushes, carefully scrapping out with dental tools or small drill bits or jewellers screwdrivers will save a lot of time, pipe cleaners and alcohol.

 

[anotherbob]

So far I have mainly bought new or estate pipes from retailers like SmokingPipes. I have just gotten more adventurous and have a pipe from an antique store, I have cleaned it up and it looks great. How can I make it “sterile”? Will a wipe down with Everclear alcohol, inside and out, do the trick. New to this and want to keep it simple. Thanks.

really shouldn't have to. Cleaning it should be good. Nasty things die and a pipe isn't really a place where germs and bacteria live very well. For example no one recommends sanitizing your own pipe between smokes just cleaning it. Tobacco also is pretty good at sterilizing things so smoking it would probably work too if you need that extra reassurance.

 

[OzPiper]

really shouldn't have to. Cleaning it should be good. Nasty things die and a pipe isn't really a place where germs and bacteria live very well. For example no one recommends sanitizing your own pipe between smokes just cleaning it. Tobacco also is pretty good at sterilizing things so smoking it would probably work too if you need that

The vast majority of my pipes are estates. A few (a handful) arrive in pristine, ready to smoke condition.
Most are in ‘not quite clean, but smokeable” to “so putrid, the airway is completely clogged” condition.

I don’t have a germ phobia, and don’t have OCD re:cleanliness.
Just telling it as it is

 

[Gavrin]

Most of the techniques I use were picked up by reading through the numerous posts on Rebornpipes - excellent step-by-step instructions.

Salt and alcohol soak:
1) block up the shank with pipecleaner or paper or cotton ball
2) fill bowl with coarse (NOT table) salt (I use cotton balls - easy to remove, less mess)
3) carefully fill bowl with alcohol vodka/Everclear (I use a clear fruit brandy) - taking care NOT to get alcohol on outside of bowl
4) length of soak depends on how dirty the bowl is. I usually leave overnight. I repeat the process if it is warranted.

Cleaning airways:
1) examine mortise and shank with a strong light
2) clean with pipe cleaners and q-tips soaked in alcohol
3) if airways (shank, mortise) are filled with gunk, getting rid of most of that gunk with hot water flushes, carefully scrapping out with dental tools or small drill bits or jewellers screwdrivers will save a lot of time, pipe cleaners and alcohol.

In the salt and alcohol soak step 2, I am confused. You say fill bowl with coarse salt but you also say you use cotton balls. How does that work? Are u putting salt in the bowl then topping off with cotton balls that are soaked with alcohol? Or?

 

[karam]

In the salt and alcohol soak step 2, I am confused. You say fill bowl with coarse salt but you also say you use cotton balls. How does that work? Are u putting salt in the bowl then topping off with cotton balls that are soaked with alcohol? Or?

It’s an either/or, salt or cotton plus alcohol.

 

[Ksigel]

It’s an either/or, salt or cotton plus alcohol.

Ah thank you. Still looking for first fixer upper

 

[karam]

Ah thank you. Still looking for first fixer upper

No worries, personally I find that a reaming and scrubbing with almost boiling hot water and bristle brushes about once per month is as good as I need to keep briars being nice and fresh.

 

[OzPiper]

In the salt and alcohol soak step 2, I am confused. You say fill bowl with coarse salt but you also say you use cotton balls. How does that work? Are u putting salt in the bowl then topping off with cotton balls that are soaked with alcohol? Or?

Coarse salt OR cotton balls.
I prefer cotton balls as they are easily removed and don't leave a mess.
Some also advocate the use of fresh used coffee grounds (same messiness as coarse salt)

 

[woodsroad]

The only way to sterilize a pipe is to autoclave it. High pressure steam and heat for an extended period of time, like running it through a pressure cooker. Totally unnecessary and highly unrecommended. Clean it well, that’s sufficient!