Empty Hot or Cold?

[protestantpiper]

As I was just emptying my pipe I began to wonder...Do you empty whilst the pipe is still warm, or do you let it cool off, or does it not matter? I have found that I empty warm and run a few pipe cleaners in while it's hot, which seems to get more of the gunk out. Forgive me if there is already a lengthy thread somewhere on this topic.

 

[captainsousie]

I usually empty the bowl while it is warm and wait until it cools to do my cleaning. Just find it easier that way.

 

[protestantpiper]

Huh. I also wondered if letting her cool a bit might encourage more cake at the bottom. Who knows, it's late maybe I'm just getting delusional....

 

[rcstan]

letting her cool a bit might encourage more cake at the bottom

It will help a bit. Main thing is to smoke evenly and not rush it so you won't get a lot of moisture in the bottom. When it's starting to taste "done" towards the bottom, I use the "nail" part of a Czech tool to stir the ashes in with the dottle ( if any ) then let it go out on its' own.
There are a lot more factors in this equation, such as the type of baccy, moisture level, smoking cadence etc. Bottom cake takes a lot of patience ::

 

[cortezattic]

I clean the stem, shank and bowl as an assembled unit as soon as I have finished smoking.

To me, there is something stale and odious about an unclean pipe that has cooled off.

If I have to walk away from an uncleaned pipe, when I return, I will usually disassemble it and swab it with alcohol.

 

[4dotsasieni]

I clean the bowl with both ends of a paper towel immediately after finishing, while the pipe is still warm. Doing this, I have never had to ream a pipe. But I wait until the pipe cools to remove the stem, to avoid any possibility of cracking the shank (except with spigot-type pipes, like the Peterson System.

 

[igloo]

What 4dot said . And pipe cleaners in the stem .There is something about getting the warm goo out early . To me it keeps a pipe fresh longer .

 

[easterntraveler]

Warm

 

[numbersix]

I do both - I prefer that it's cool enough to remove the stem, but I'll clean it right after a smoke, even if warm (tho I don't remove the stem if warm). I never let it go more than a few hours before cleaning thoroughly (3-4 pipes fat pipe cleaners).

 

[gmpilcher]

Interesting...I was wondering the same. I'll try both...

 

[pstlpkr]

I clean the bowl with both ends of a paper towel immediately after finishing, while the pipe is still warm. Doing this, I have never had to ream a pipe.

+1

 

[cavendish36]

| I clean the bowl with both ends of a paper towel immediately after finishing, while the pipe is still warm. Doing this, I have never had to ream a pipe. |
+1