Cleaning The Rim Of Your Pipe Bowl

[mp31guitar]

Most of us have heard of using spit to clean the rim. I myself don't care to much of that practice. I was just now sitting here claeaning a few of my pipe stems with brebbia stem polish and noticed the tube said " pipe and stem polish". I used it on the rim and it did a nice job of cleaning it. You have to rub it in for a bit then wipe clean and buff with a clean towel. It does a much better job than spit in my opinion. Just a little friendly advice.

 

[mso489]

Just gave the Brebbia treatment to my three oldest pipes. We're talking pipes pushing 40 years old. It

brightened them up nicely. I may try a bit of it on the char stains around the top of the bowl. I thought

of it as I was working on the stems, but didn't try it. Amazing how good these briars look after decades.

These are what is probably a Chacom sold as a house pipe by Tinder Box that the in-house historian at

Tinder Box told me was priced at about $16.95, and two Savenelli pipes sold unfinished, that are now

a golden brown.

 

[cavendish]

I just use my saliva and a bounty paper towel to clean the oils and 'tar' off. Works great.
I was wondering if I could use the Brebbia polish in the brown tube on my bowls? Or the same cloth I use to polish my stems with just no more added polish?

 

[lordnoble]

I have a tube of that in on my shelf collecting dust! Thanks for the tip, I'm going to check this out this week. Maybe I'll even remember to take some pics!
-Jason

 

[waznyf]

When restoring pipes I start with the traditional saliva method. After I have done this a couple of times and let it soak in, I take a full exacto knife and ever so gently scratch, what has become loose, away. I may even use dental tools. The list of what I do to clean the rim goes on. I will experiement with this thank you. But first, I must scour eBay for more estate pipes!
-Frank

 

[topd]

I've just about always had the habit of 'doing little circles' on the thigh of my jeans when I

finish my smoke in a brier. Keeps the rim mostly clean and shinny, lengthening the time between

proper rim cleaning. But stem polish is a great idea.

 

[tbradsim1]

I have found that while the pipe is hot, while you are smoking it if you take a Q-Tip and moisten it with your saliva the gunk comes off like magic, pipe must be hot! The old cajun

 

[cortezattic]

Thanks for the tip on using stem polish to clean the rim. I was using Q-tips with spit, and lately, lemon juice;

but I'll give the polish a try. I'm also gonna try doin' it while the pipe is still hot.

 

[jll346]

I still use the saliva method but always used my finger. Going to try out some of the ideas suggested.

 

[andrew]

Yes, if the pipe is hot it makes a huge difference.