That filter area in the shank of a cob is so cavernous .. even a fluffy pipe cleaner hardly touches the sides in there when run through. I used to do like you do, but at some point I was so taken aback by the amount of moisture/tar in there that I began removing the stem after most smokes, folding a pipe cleaner and swabbing it out.Most of my cobs have filter accepting shanks, which I use without filters. Once in a great while, when I sense the need or feel ambitious, I remove the stem and work with Q-tips to clean out the gunk in the shank. Sometimes I use a Butner to remove excess cake in the bowl. Many times I've had to use a tea candle to heat a stem that I've chewed closed, and reopen it.
I do the same with my briars and meers and assorted other woods.
I like to bend and twist a fluffy pipe cleaner when swabbing out the shank with alcohol. In fact, I think I'll do a couple now.That filter area in the shank of a cob is so cavernous .. even a fluffy pipe cleaner hardly touches the sides in there when run through. I used to do like you do, but at some point I was so taken aback by the amount of moisture/tar in there that I began removing the stem after most smokes, folding a pipe cleaner and swabbing it out.
What does the sunshine portion do? Also, do you have them sit in indirect sun near a window?Moonshine and sunshine is how I do mine (well, Everclear until my buddy runs another batch ). I take care not to soak the glued stem/bowl junction.
I suspect the fresh air from actually putting the pipe outside does as much, or more, than the sunlight itself.What does the sunshine portion do? Also, do you have them sit in indirect sun near a window?
I think many pipe smokers are like this about their pipes in general, briars included.I use a pipe cleaner to clean out the stem and wipe down the bowl after every smoke. If it gets to the point that more intrusive cleaning is required the pipe gets trashed and a new one broken out. A cob will normally last me 4-5 years.
You gave the best explanation I’ve ever heard of as to why we clean pipes, because of bacteria and the natural junk left behind.It's important to understand why you clean pipes in the first place.
The main reason is pipe smoking leads to a lot of moisture, in-between combusting tobacco in a concave chamber and our disgusting mouths it can cause bacteria and other natural junk to build up. Usually in the stems and shanks.
This is the main reason for letting pipes rest/rotation. It dries them out and helps reduce bacteria build up.
Alcohol is a really easy way to kill any bacteria without damaging the pipes or leaving weird flavors behind. So it's the go to when drying alone inevitably doesn't get everything.
So feel free to run some alcohol dipped pipe cleaners or paper towel through the stems and shanks of even cobs.
Tar and cake build up is a whole other thing you don't really need to worry about until you're farther down the road.
Cobs are the "rode hard and put away wet of pipes" though. Don't feel like you need to baby them at all. Most guys treat them worse than their red headed step children and they smoke just fine.