Hi pipers... When I finish a bowl, I know to let it cool before taking apart to clean. But is there any need to cool before I dump the ash or lightly scrape the bowl? How long should a cool down take? Thanks!
Tom
Tom
Cool Down Time for a Pipe
- Thread starter Tommydawg
- Start date
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Not that I know of, I just dump it after I'm done and do a quick swab with a pipe cleaner.
If I need to I take the pipe apart when warm/hot, clean (dump and run a cleaner if necessary) and reassemble before it cools too much. But, they are your pipes, there is no "user's manual", only the anecdotal info, assorted "old wive's tales", and such from other smokers, do as you see fit.
Cool down time would depend on how hot you let the bowl get while you smoked, and how warm the environment is. I generally let my pipes cool down to room temperature before I will take a stem off for cleaning.
I dump the ash and dottle, brush out the bowl, and run a pipe cleaner through the stem right after I finish the smoke. Every 3 or 4 smokes with a pipe I'll do a more thorough cleaning.
I dump the ash and dottle, brush out the bowl, and run a pipe cleaner through the stem right after I finish the smoke. Every 3 or 4 smokes with a pipe I'll do a more thorough cleaning.
If it’s cool to the touch, then it’s cool enough to disassemble. It doesn’t have to be cool to dump and lightly scrap to bowl.
To your original question, you can dump ash or scrape the bowl during or after smoking with no issue. Disassembling while hot may crack the shank, but it may not. I dump ash hot, run a pipe cleaner both ends, form a U and wipe the bowl.
I empty the chamber, disassemble the pipe, wipe out the chamber with a paper towel, run a pipe cleaner through the stem and draft hole, wipe out the mortise with Q-tips, and reassemble immediately after smoking.
When possible and if I'm at home, I use to rotate three pipes during the day,right before I go to sleep, I'd take them apart and fully clean the shank and stem,although right after I'm done with the bowl I use to run pipe cleaner thorough the stem
The latest trend is to rinse out your pipe out with water as soon as you're done the bowl.
I haven't tried it myself (a pipe cleaner dipped in alcohol seems adequate) but as of yet no one has reported breaking a pipe from rinsing it with water.
(Also go ahead and smoke the pipe 24/7 if you want, the idea of resting pipes is most likely nothing more than a sales tactic.)
As best as we can tell almost all of the pipe cleaning protocols established 100 years ago have never been established in scientific fact.
If I'm smoking a meerschaum pipe I'll leave the ash/dottle in the bowl until I'm ready to smoke it again (could be the next day). I find it helps with the coloring. With briar I let the pipe sit for 20 minutes and then stir and dump the ash. With cobs there isn't any time limit, but I generally dump right after I finish, wait 10 minutes and then load and smoke again if I want another bowl.
I’ve been taking them apart right after smoking. My pipes never get real hot while smoking and the shank is always cool during and right after a smoke. On that when it’s said to let the pipe cool down I always assumed people meant the shank not the bowl.
I learned a lesson by emptying a pipe to soon, an ember started the cork knocker smoldering big time!
That's a good lesson to share, never can be too careful when it comes to fire.
I have the opposite happen to me if I get busy and puff away mindlessly. Gotta dump that glowing lava like briquette before it melts it’s way through the bottom of the bowl
Seriously though. If my smoke was cool and sweet I’ll let it sit. If it was hot, wet and harsh, I’ll dump it an wipe it as soon as I stop
From what I read, for not damaging a pipe is clean when cool. Not sure if true but that's what I do. Right after I smoke smoke I lightly scrape, dump and blow lightly to get anything chunky or ash out. Later on when I am smoking another pipe I clean the cooled down ones. This way when I am jonesing to smoke I already have a clean bowl to smoke.
My girlfriend has a Great Pyrenees. I don’t wait for those steaming piles to cool either. If it’s nasty dump immediately.
Been a dog guy my whole life. Sickingly enough I prefer hot to cold. Either way my dog looks back at me like I am a poopaphiliac degenerate
I’ve also been a dog guy my whole life. Whenever I see people letting the dogs lead them and then they pick up after the dog I alsways think that the dog looks back thinking “who’s really the alpha here” lmfao