Hot Water Flush vs. Alcohol

[Michigan_Bill]

John,
You do realize that a significant portion of the pipe smoking population relies on misinformation, magical thinking, and medievalism to make their lives bearable. Don't take that away from them.

Hey now, what’s wrong with medievalism?

 

[cigrmaster]

Ok, my stem fit back onto the pipe with no issues. I filled it with 2013 Capstan Blue Flake as it is one tobacco I know very well and this Ruthenberg is a straight Virginia pipe.
Honestly it is hard to tell a difference. Maybe if I picked a dirtier pipe(which will be hard to find) I will get a better idea if the pipe smokes better. My cake was in one piece which was a good thing. I am going to experiment some to see if different pipes clean up better than others.

So as it stands I am not saying I won't get into water sports like you freaks but there is a possibility.

 

[SunriseBoy]

I think the title is pretty self explanatory.

Which is better and why?!!

Thanks folks!

I use white vinegar. Half and half water.

 

[alialansari]

I use white vinegar. Half and half water.

Very interesting!! White vinegar is acetic acid which kind of makes sense!! Does it leave an aftertaste though?

 

[SunriseBoy]

Very interesting!! White vinegar is acetic acid which kind of makes sense!! Does it leave an aftertaste though?

Just give it a rinse with warm water after a couple of minutes in the soak of the vinegar.

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

Ok, my stem fit back onto the pipe with no issues. I filled it with 2013 Capstan Blue Flake as it is one tobacco I know very well and this Ruthenberg is a straight Virginia pipe.
Honestly it is hard to tell a difference. Maybe if I picked a dirtier pipe(which will be hard to find) I will get a better idea if the pipe smokes better. My cake was in one piece which was a good thing. I am going to experiment some to see if different pipes clean up better than others.

So as it stands I am not saying I won't get into water sports like you freaks but there is a possibility.

M:
I've assigned you to Station "C" Canada.

James Bond:
Sir, I'd respectfully request that you change my assignment to Nassau.

M:
Is there any other reason, besides your enthusiasm for water sports?

 

[mickeyg]

Bought a "lightly" smoked Dublin from Ebay a few years ago. It was clean as a whistle & looked brand new, but much to my dismay, it was ghosted with aromatics, which I never smoke. I tried packing the bowl & shank with kosher salt & then soaking it with alcohol, then letting it sit for a week. Nope, still get that ghost appearing when I get down to the bottom of the bowl.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Try packing damp coffee grounds in the chamber, when it dries, remove, hot water flush, dry and wait a day, smoke. Rinse and repeat if necessary.
I wish you good luck!

 

[alialansari]

Just give it a rinse with warm water after a couple of minutes in the soak of the vinegar.

Just tried white vinegar coupled with a hot water flush on a sour and bitter basket pipe I have. Worked like a miracle!! Thanks for the suggestion brother!!

 

[Andriko]

I frequently clean water flush my meerschaum as it has become my travel pipe and so never gets a goo going over with cleaners after a smoke, and it works an absolute treat.

I've tried it once on one of my briars, but like Harris, I'm pretty conscientious about running cleaners through them after each smoke, so I don't find they need cleaning very often anyway, and the water flush didn't really make a difference.

If alcohol isn't going to damage my pipe, I don't see why water would. Just avoid accidentally using dihydrogen monoxide if possible.

 

[kola]

It appears the hot water is now trendy is legit. I still just use Everclear or vodka.

I once ran an old estate bought Peterson through a heavy duty commercial dishwasher, twice! Man, was that thing clean and no more ghosts at all.

 

[jpmcwjr]

It appears the hot water is now trendy is legit. I still just use Everclear or vodka.

I once ran an old estate bought Peterson through a heavy duty commercial dishwasher, twice! Man, was that thing clean and no more ghosts at all.

Darn....I just spend a half hour looking through my photos to find the one with the three pipes I ran through my home dishwasher. Rats!

 

[cigrmaster]

M:
I've assigned you to Station "C" Canada.

James Bond:
Sir, I'd respectfully request that you change my assignment to Nassau.

M:
Is there any other reason, besides your enthusiasm for water sports?View attachment 174873

Now that is funny. I have watched that movie so many times. No one did Bond like Connery.

 

[sablebrush52]

​

 

[jpmcwjr]

Like the switch to Secret Santa!
Good place to close this one.

 

[renfield]

Bought a "lightly" smoked Dublin from Ebay a few years ago. It was clean as a whistle & looked brand new, but much to my dismay, it was ghosted with aromatics, which I never smoke. I tried packing the bowl & shank with kosher salt & then soaking it with alcohol, then letting it sit for a week. Nope, still get that ghost appearing when I get down to the bottom of the bowl.

Make sure that the stem and shank have been really thoroughly cleaned. Many a ghost can lurk there. Multiple bristle pipe cleaners with alcohol. A good water rinse after that.

If the ghost is stubborn and you haven’t done it already, remove all of the cake and give it another salt treatment. For whatever reason smoking Burley blends can help remove the last remnants of ghosts IME.

It’s rare that a ghost can’t eventually be exorcised. It becomes a matter of whether the pipe is worth the trouble to you.

 

[edger]

This is just exhausting.

 

[kola]

thought this was closed...did someone throw out the challenge flag?

 

[jpmcwjr]

Probably I didn't do the second part, actually closing the thread, sorry.