Designated Aromatic Pipe?

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BarrelProof

Lifer
Mar 29, 2020
2,701
10,579
39
The Last Frontier
It really depends on the type of aromatic. For example, i sometimes smoke devil's holiday which is a strongly flavored aromatic, it does, to a certain extent ghost a pipe. However, the flavor is so pleasant that i don't mind. After a bowl or two of something else, it goes away. On the other hand, i could not believe how much ghost was stuck in a pipe from rattray exotic passion, C&D dreams of celephais and the one and only bowl i ever smoked of capt black grape. For the most part, i don't usually deal with residual ghosting as i clean my pipes on the morning following. I run cold water through the stem and use several pipe cleaners to swab out the stem, mortise and bowl followed by a paper towel "reaming" of the bowl. I then frequently use a bit of whiskey, rum or brandy in the bowl allowing it to run out of the stem. This is followed by vigorous use of pipe cleaners through the stem and into the bowl. While i have read that acrylic and alcohol do not mix, i have never had a problem with any acrylic stem. The one part of this i really recommend is running cold water through the stem as well as rinsing it under the faucet.

I just realized my pipe-cleaning routine is woefully inadequate.
 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,459
My post smoke cleaning is minimal by Forums standards, but there's a key point. I scoop out the ash, then I wipe out the bowl with a dry paper towel. This results in maintaining a thin carbon layer but not cake. My chambers remain almost exactly the size they were when new. Then I use a pipe cleaner and buff the whole pipe -- bit, stem, and briar -- by hand with a sightly abrasive and then a softer cloth. Without the cake, ghosting is far less likely. In addition, the relatively large number of pipes in rotation lets them rest for weeks or months, so they dry out completely. It may be that my taste is not terribly sensitive, but I enjoy a variety of blends, and they all taste distinct and unique to me. From time to time, I remove stems and do a more thorough cleaning, sometimes with a water rinse. I do not use wax or product. Pretty Spartan, but for me, sufficient.
 

BarrelProof

Lifer
Mar 29, 2020
2,701
10,579
39
The Last Frontier
Nah, after a couple of smokes it's gone. Unless you have a fairly large cob, you won't get much smoking time with aromatics as they need to be packed very lightly to keep lit.

I’ve found my larger cobs to be ideal for aromatics for that very reason. Started out with aromatics, like most folks who smoke a pipe. Quickly moved on to non-aros as a means to “truly” smoke a pipe. Have recently learned that, when done properly, QUALITY aromatic blends are absolutely amazing.

Also, I haven’t yet experienced a ghost from anything other than Frosty Mint. Although, I do support buying up a bunch of small, cheap cobs to try a new blend with. Worst case it puts a ghost in there that Ajax won’t take off. Best case, ghosts aren’t real anyways and you end up with more pipes.

That reminds me, I need to go order some cobs.
 

mordy18

Can't Leave
Mar 12, 2019
381
1,369
Northern New Jersey
I think the key is not letting sludge or liquid sit in the bowl or stem at the end of the smoke. As soon as im done i get all the dottle and tobacco bits out or the bowl and run a clean dry pipe cleaner through the stem and i wipe the bowl with a paper towel. When the pipe cools, if its been a goopy smoke i take of the stem and make sure the mortise and tenon are clean and run another pipe cleaner through with just a drop of everclear and occasionally a drop of vanilla flavored liquor. Thats it. Never had a problem or need to dedicate pipes to aros, although i do tend to smoke them in a filter pipe.
 

Dan-o$

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jan 2, 2021
147
153
Gardnerville, Nevada
heard if you want to taste a new aromatic a guy should get a new corn cob because a new aromatic can leave a permanent taste in a pipe. then designate one pipe for only one blend as they will tend to mix together so that you lose the original intent of smoking that blend in the first place
don't know if cleaning these with vodka or everclear takes it out of there or not
 
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