I Just Cleaned 24 Pipes in 20 Minutes!

[jpmcwjr]

Sometimes it's hard to know who's being amusing and who's a flat earther! A bit of understanding of physics goes a long way.

 

[snagstangl]

So how do you do this with a strongly bent pipe like oom paul or full bent? is a fill the bowl, cover with your hand and pour out through the stem?

 

[rdavid]

I’m definitely an H2O convert. A quick rinse in warm water with a pipe cleaner doubled over for the shank and bowl. Another pipe cleaner for the stem. Dried immediately with paper towels. Water exposure is very minimal and they are so very clean. Also the odor is so much less afterwards. I’m just too sloppy with alcohol and did damage the finish on one of my early pipes. Water is just too easy and much quicker.
Oh yeah... I do also microwave my tobacco. Hah!

 

[rdavid]

So how do you do this with a strongly bent pipe like oom paul or full bent? is a fill the bowl, cover with your hand and pour out through the stem?

I separate the stem from the pipe. I hold the bowl over the sink under a warm, almost hot stream of running water while scrubbing with a pipe cleaner so the water is running through the pipe constantly. Not a full blast stream but about halfway. Same with the stem. Pipe might be in the running water for all of 20, maybe 30 seconds at the most. I also use a small shank brush sometimes. Immediately dry with paper towels and pipe cleaners. Pipe looks great when done and I have yet to see any ill effects to the finish or any oxidation of the stem. Also, doesn’t seem to affect the cake if you’re worried about that.
Also, I don’t do this after every smoke. Due to my rotation it’s probably a month or so before a pipe gets a “bath”.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Snag- I let the water run over the finish, and use enough force from the tap so a goodly stream comes out the stem. If it doesn't, it tells me to get out a pipe cleaner. You can also use your finger to create a hydraulic action to force water through if there's an obstruction.
A soft rag or tee shirt will restore most soft shines, and a touch of mineral oil on the stem makes it glow a nice black.

 

[pipesmokingtom]

This thread, and the lack of logic contained herein, is truly comical. This subject is endlessly entertaining.

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

I have taken to dousing my pipes in gasoline and then setting them aflame. The extremely hot fire burns away anything and everything, and I'm left with nothing but a fine white ash :mrgreen:

 

[ron123]

The water talk got me wondering...anyone here use a pressure washer? Have you found a nozzle attachment small enough to blast through the draft hole?
asking for a friend

 

[crashthegrey]

I just fill my mouth with water and blow through the stem as hard as I can. Just like a pressure washer.

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

If you have an older car with the radio antenna that sticks up.... you can put your pipe on the antenna and drive through a car wash. You clean your pipes and get a good buffing after. :mrgreen:

 

[jpmcwjr]

I just use old coat hangers: cut in tow, and you can put a pipe on each end, roll up the window to hold the rack. Times 4 - each window- voilà! 8 clean pipes.

 

[eggrollpiper]

It seems like just the other day there was this threads doppelganger. I don't think water alone in small doses will ruin the briar, mold will though to some extent and if it's not bone dried asap that could be an issue. Also as was noted above with well water, tap water contains a melange of substances which may or may not hurt the briar. I don't think heavy metals, Chlorine, fluoride, pesticides, pharmaceuticals are necessarily good to put in a pipe and potentially smoke when absorbed by the cake or elsewhere. So I wouldn't be opposed to running a few ounces of distilled water though but I can say from experience that after a shower my pipe tasted both clean and like my disgusting tap. Mb if I had tasty tap water my results would be different.

So at some point every pipe smoked in a day gets cleaned with alchohol b4 it gets smoked another day. Otherwise to me the smell becomes repulsive and bacteria abounds like in a petri dish. However I use just enough alcohol to remove the ick and hopefuly not expose the briar to excess alchohol. And this is in the shank mortise and stem, never the bowl, that gets wiped out with a pipe cleaner or napkin etc.

 

[jpmcwjr]

You must live in a very humid environment, or store your pipes enclosed, as not even Cosmic, in one of the dampest places in the US has reported anything similar.
My tap water isn't splendid, but doesn't foul the pipe. And mold? No.
Good Lord, if your tap water is that foul- do you drink the stuff??— I don't blame you for using distilled.

 

[crashthegrey]

You may want to have your well tested. I love my natural spring well water.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

You're drawing smoke into your body and you're concerned about bacteria from your drinking water getting into your pipe? Seriously?

 

[wolflarsen]

I just fill my mouth with water and blow through the stem as hard as I can. Just like a pressure washer.

I've been doing this with Wild Turkey 101 for years and experience nothing but 100% pure nirvana smokes from all my pipes. You can even do 2 pipes at once by filling your mouth with the whiskey, inserting a stem into each nostril, and then retrohaling as hard as you possibly can.
I would never dream of doing it with water though. That just sounds like a good way to FUBAR the briar.

 

[frozenchurchwarden]

I just tried this with my Cob collection and ended up with Corn Soup!
It was delicious.

 

[jpmcwjr]

I've been doing this with Wild Turkey 101 for years and experience nothing but 100% pure nirvana smokes from all my pipes. You can even do 2 pipes at once by filling your mouth with the whiskey, inserting a stem into each nostril, and then retrohaling as hard as you possibly can.
I would never dream of doing it with water though. That just sounds like a good way to FUBAR the briar.

Great idea! You could also fill the bowls with whisky or whiskey, insert stems in nostrils, and inhale mightily. Whoa! A taste sensation you'll never forget.

 

[eggrollpiper]

Jpmcwjr: I merely said that mold could be a problem under certain circumstances. That's not my personal issue though, its the terrible tap and of course I don't drink it. Nobody I know personally on Long Island does. There are many regional issues that are proven to be so. The rest of NY is much better though, NYC tap is great, and btw is where the good bagels that don't need toasting come from..

Hoosier: I am serious (in this case) however I didn't say anything about bacteria coming from tap water. Maybe I was unclear, I was referring to bacteria building up on an uncleaned pipe which is a fact and some, not all people need to be concerned. And just because someone smokes doesn't mean they shouldn't be concerned about other substances.

 

[5star]

Mmmmmm . . . Wild Turkey 101. Just try to get That outta your water tap.