Disinfecting Estate Pipes

[cmdrmcbragg]

I could've done more to them in making them shine, but I decided not to invest that much time, money and effort into it. I cleaned and disinfected, sanded down teeth chatter and hit the entire pipe up with some Burt's Bees to give it some shine and bring the color of the briar back out.

 

[dread]

Bacteria, diseases. Someone show me a documented case where pathogen a passed from a pipe disinfected by any one of the many described methods to a human being and caused some sort of disease. There are enough people doing this, that have been doing this for quite some time, that if it were the case we would know about it. If you think it is "icky" then you think it is icky so don't do it. Otherwise don't sweat it, learn how to do it and enjoy it.

 

[Tito_Berto]

How about putting in into a microwave oven?

 

[sablebrush52]

I've restored dozens of estate pipes and actually enjoy the process. I never use bleach. Every restorer I've dealt with in the past says the same thing, bleach destroys vulcanite. Go onto the Walker Briar site and see what they say: bleach destroys vulcanite.

Depending on the condition of the pipe I will use a variety of treatments. For really filthy pipes, I'll ream out the old cake, then sand out down the chamber to a thin veil above the wood. The airway in the shank gets cleaned out, starting with a drill bit if necessary, then scrubbing with a wire brush, followed by wire pipe cleaners until there is no stain on the cleaner. The stem gets scrubbed out with alcohol soaked bristle cleaners. The exterior of the stem gets sanded down to get rid of the mouth crud and oxidation and is then polished with successive micromesh pads. Next the pipe gets a salt and alcohol treatment, occasionally several. Following that I use a retort to flush the interior with boiling alcohol if the salt treatment doesn't do the job. The exterior of the pipe gets cleaned to remove grime and old wax. Once the pipe is thoroughly cleaned I give it a coating of either Paragon or Halcyon wax which is rubbed to a brilliant shine in the palms of my hands. I can easily spend a few hours on a pipe, but I find it a relaxing change from life's hurly-burly. Once a pipe is clean I maintain it so that I can enjoy it without a lot of work.

I don't always do all of the above. It really depends on how bad the pipe is. But a thorough cleaning with alcohol and "crud" removal is part of every restoration.

 

[sablebrush52]

I've restored dozens of estate pipes and actually enjoy the process. I never use bleach. Every restorer I've dealt with in the past says the same thing, bleach destroys vulcanite. Go onto the Walker Briar site and see what they say: bleach destroys vulcanite.

Depending on the condition of the pipe I will use a variety of treatments. For really filthy pipes, I'll ream out the old cake, then sand out down the chamber to a thin veil above the wood. The airway in the shank gets cleaned out, starting with a drill bit if necessary, then scrubbing with an alcohol soaked wire brush, followed by alcohol soaked bristle pipe cleaners until there is no stain on the cleaner. The stem gets scrubbed out with alcohol soaked bristle cleaners. The exterior of the stem gets sanded down to get rid of the mouth crud and oxidation and is then polished with successive micromesh pads. Next the pipe gets a salt and alcohol treatment, occasionally several. Following that I use a retort to flush the interior with boiling alcohol if the salt treatment doesn't do the job. The exterior of the pipe gets cleaned to remove grime and old wax. Once the pipe is thoroughly cleaned I give it a coating of either Paragon or Halcyon wax which is rubbed to a brilliant shine in the palms of my hands. I can easily spend a few hours on a pipe, but I find it a relaxing change from life's hurly-burly. Once a pipe is clean I maintain it so that I can enjoy it without a lot of work.

I don't always do all of the above. It really depends on how bad the pipe is. But a thorough cleaning with alcohol and "crud" removal is part of every restoration.

 

[timely]

I have cleaned many estate pipes and I basically do the same as other members have done.

I also find it relaxing.

I am a bit of a fanatic about my pipes being clean, so the procedure I go through is quite long.

Before I put the stems in Oxy Clean I go at it with a brush and scrub out as much gunk as I can, I also take the magic eraser to the stem.

Then I will put Vaseline on the markings and soak the stem or stems overnight.

I put at least 2 scoops of Oxy in my measuring cup at the 2 1/2 cup mark.

Next day, I take them out scrub again with the brush inside, and scrub the outside again with magic eraser.

If any, and I do mean any dirt is still inside the stem I will repeat the above .

I have had some estate pipes where the stems were so dirty it took 3 days to get them spotless.

Next I take a 1500 Micro Mesh Pad wet and scrub, till I do not see anymore brown.

Than I work my way through the Micro Mesh Pads from 1500, 2400, 3600, are wet sanding.

Than I use Meguiar's X2.0 Scratch, and finish up polishing up with 6000, 8000, 12000, dry sanding.

I will put pipe cleaners through with rum 151 several times through out.

At this point the stems are gleaming, sterilized and look great.

I figure if I am going to smoke through this, it better be spotless and sterilized.

The Pipe Bowls get reamed and if I am going to remove the old stain, I will soak them in ISO 99% if needed overnight.

If the rims are badly gunked up I will carefully sand it down a bit with fine sandpaper in the figure 8 motion on a flat surface.

I will do the alcohol bath with Rum 151 ( strongest I can get legally ) I will use cotton balls or Kosher salt and they are left overnight.

I do have a Retort, but it just seems like a bloody science project on the videos I have watched.

What I do in cleaning my estate pipes sounds like a lot of work, but it really isn't.

I have rescued many sad looking pipes.

The only time I have sent a pipe out to be worked on was when I got my first Dunhill Pipe.

Ed, made the Dunhill Pipe look like it was new. Great work.

 

[drwatson]

NEVER!!!!boil a stem, you will kill its shape! Same thing with NUKEING it! never. Cleaning an old estateis really not rocket science. Ususally about 20-30 minutes total working time if that (not counting any soak time).

 

[timely]

Agree with drwatson, Never, Ever bowl a stem.

I have encountered more than a few stems that were so dirty, they did take more time.

I just cannot understand anyone letting their pipes get so filthy, let alone wondering

how they could even smoke it, with a stem/bowl totally clogged.

I have bought some estate pipes from Ebay with the seller claiming that they have cleaned the pipe

and it was ready to smoke. NOT. !!!!

I have had a few that looked nice and clean even with putting a dry pipe cleaner through.

That is until I put the Rum 151 on a pipe cleaner and run it through the stem, yuk.!!!!

Unless the pipe is new, I am more comfortable cleaning it myself so I know it is clean.

Even if the seller has cleaned it, or said they have cleaned it.

Lots of good info on this board about pipe cleaning.

 

[sablebrush52]

Regardless of the source, even with a brand new pipe, I will always clean and disinfect the stem and bit. Ebay sellers from whom I've bought estate pipes, except Coopersark whose pipes have been immaculate, do a quick job of cleaning when they bother to clean at all. One sniff tells the story.

Personally I'd rather buy an uncleaned estate pipe than one that has been messed with by someone who doesn't know how to clean a pipe.

 

[timely]

sablebrush52, I agree with you.

I did neglect to mention the cleaning of the stem and bit if it is a new pipe.

I will also clean and disinfect it.

 

[badgercat]

I enjoy cleaning up estate pipes and have a great source just a few miles down the road. I understand it might not be part of the hobby that everyone enjoys.
I have a little moonshine I clean the stem inside and out with. I cant imagine anything living after a good soak in this stuff. Sea salt and more shine for the bowl.
I prefer to clean as oppossed to restore. I want to respect the pipe I choose and let its age, character, and even its flaws shine through. I rarely if ever buff a pipe. A new shine on an old pipe just doesnt look right to me.

 

[timely]

I have left some of the estate pipes natural that I had cleaned and sterilized.

I had put some into ISO 99% as the stain was chipping off anyway.

On a few, the briar was in amazing condition with lovely grain, so I just sanded them lightly, and put Paragon Wax on them and buffed the pipe by hand, they looked quite nice.

Some had some minor dings that I left as is, leaving the character of the pipe intact.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Completely unnecessary. Unless you take your own silverware to restaurants.
However, a pipe cleaner dipped in alcohol run through the stem may clear other detritus from the airway; a reasonable step.

 

[stvalentine]

The mentioned methods are all nice and well and I like a clean pipe as every other guy but the least you will have to worry about in estate pipes is disinfection! Nicotene is one of the strongest toxins known to man. Germs will have a hard time living in such an enviroment. A little cleaning with alcohol never hurts. But microwaves? Boiling water? Bleach? Puh-leeze, common sense! :roll:

 

[tennsmoker]

+1 stvalentine.
Yeah, I just run a little Everclear through the stem, shank, bowl. Fill 'er up with a good Va/per after an hour or so of drying time, and there you are!

 

[tuold]

Whenever I go to a restaurant, I first dump my food into a clean plastic bag while scrub my dish and utensils with a wash of bleach followed by boiling alcohol. That way I'm sure all the e coli, TB, hepatitis, mouse droppings and bug parts will be limited to what's already on my food.

 

[mayfair70]

scarface - Personal attacks are uncalled for. Rude behavior by ONE member, lowers the respectability of the entire forum. Check yourself before you wreck yourself.

 

[mcitinner1]

scarface - Personal attacks are uncalled for. Rude behavior by ONE member, lowers the respectability of the entire forum. Check yourself before you wreck yourself.

Copy that.

 

[username]

If grain alcohol doesn't kill it I am pretty sure nothing will.

 

[mayfair70]

the respectability of this forum is already pretty low

If I really thought so, I would not be here. YOU may want to reconsider though. This isn't YouTube.