Is it asking too much

[npod]

I'm with you Banjo. I'm in the process of selling off some of my pipes currently. It's a hard decision deciding which ones to let go. After a few months of struggling I decided yesterday to get rid of all my pipes that don't pass a pipe cleaner. It annoys me that much. So far, 6 great pipes are in the sell pile because of this very topic.

 

[bigpond]

Ugh! That’s a bummer Fish.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I only have a few pipes that won't pass a cleaner, but they are really bent pipes, like Oom Paul types. If a straight pipe won't pass a cleaner, I am not sure what to think of that. Does it still produce a good smoke, regardless? Does it seem to make for a juicier smoke... even with a very light touch to your cadence? Those would be the things that would matter more to me.
I don't typically run a pipecleaner through while smoking. I am a flinger. And, I break down my pipes to clean them all at the end of the day, unless I am going out for the day where carrying only one pipe to smoke repeatedly. But, I wouldn't chose to carry a pipe that wouldn't pass a cleaner to smoke with me all day.
We all have our deal killers. No, I don't think it is too much to ask. But, if this is an important issue for a smoker, then you'd better test out the pipe before smoking it. So that you can get your money back.

 

[ravkesef]

Banjo, I’m with you 100%. And yet I have bought pipes that wouldn’t pass the pipe cleaner test simply because I wanted them, and was willing to overlook the issue. Like Jesse (Sable,) I like my tobacco on the dry side, so the problem isn’t all that acute. And every pipe gets a good cleaning after a smoke, so my airways are always clean. That said, have you ever wondered how a company like Peterson’s, which has been making pipes for a century and a half still can’t get it right?

 

[cigrmaster]

A pipe that won't pass a pipe cleaner is a deal breaker for me even if it is a full bent. If I feel a pipe I may be looking at might have an issue with a pipe cleaner, I will ask the seller to check it for me. If the seller will not check then I pass on the pipe.

 

[thomasw]

Since I tend to smoke well dried tobaccos to get more flavor, moisture is rarely a problem.

I dry my tobacco to the slightly crispy side of dry. I do agree that drier tobacco solves the flavour riddle in most cases and/or eliminates many potential lame smoking issues. When smoking inside I rarely have moisture build in my stems. But I live on the West Coast of BC and I smoke outside almost all the time with the cool humidity of the ocean air; even with very dry tobacco the moisture can be an issue. Now in the summer, not so much; but in the winter and autumn we can see humidity levels frequently in the 90% range. But a flick or a pipe cleaner does the trick. The Chasing Embers' Flick Trick has its limits: definitely a no-go inside (I can't imagine being an inside flicker!) and outside it is OK with only certain company or alone.

 

[mrenglish]

I am another with Banjo. If it wont pass a pipe cleaner, the deal is off. I have one pipe that I need to slightly twist the tip of the cleaner to make it into the bowl. It is just a good smoker I put up with it.
A number of years ago I was at an Ashton event and found this sweet Pebblecut billiard. Just by chance I ran a pipe cleaner through it and the drilling was so off the cleaner would not pass into the bowl. Lesson there is to check all pipes to see if they pass a cleaner. It was a fluke on this particular pipe as all of the other Ashton's I have had were fine.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I'm in the school of it must pass a pipe cleaner. One reason my pipes max out at 1/4 bent. I've seen a fair number of straight to 1/4 bent that won't pass a pipe cleaner either. Not for me. I have one pipe left, a Northern Briar 1/2 bent, that won't pass a pipe cleaner without a ton of finagling. It will be sold soon.

 

[Chasing Embers]

So why is removing the stem to clean them a big issue?

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

I understand sometimes a bent won't pass a cleaner and sometimes that can be remedied by putting a very slight bend in the very tip of the cleaner and then maneuvering it around to find the right path. Sometimes not. But I certainly agree there's no reason a straight pipe shouldn't pass a cleaner. Unless, like Fish said, it's an irregular shaped shank or stem, or so long that cleaners are too short.

if a pipe has a super long shank that even a 12” cleaner is too short
That's when churchwarden pipe cleaners come into play.

You can also buy pipe cleaners in a coil.
https://www.smokingpipes.com/accessories/pipe-supplies/moreinfo.cfm?product_id=117286

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

When Buying a half bent or full one online, You would never know if it passes pipe cleaner or not,?Btw,I recall in my youth, I have seen some ole codgers'doing this Flick trick for moisture'but that was back then,,

 

[Chasing Embers]

When Buying a half bent or full one online, You would never know if it passes pipe cleaner or not

A lot of online shops will do a pipe cleaner test on a pipe if you call them.

 

[wyfbane]

With what Banjo typically spends on a pipe, it should pass a cleaner 100% of the time.
And that was a compliment on the quality of his stable, not a dig on his shopping prowess...

 

[bnichols23]

Not *always* a showstopper, but in the (Spanish?) main I'm with banjo & Neal -- not that much to ask.
That said, I've got leaf in a Nording half bent at the moment & tried Duane's trick. I hate having to admit, it worked. Damn. As if his ego wasn't big enough already...