Making my Own Pipe Cleaning Solution.

[Revnatorade C.P.G.]

Title edited for capitals. See Rule 9, please.

So I've been using Pipemasters clean and cure for normal pipes and only tend to break out the rubbing alcohol for really old nasty pipes. Then I had an idea, it's a bit out there I'm sure. Why not take good old Tennessee Moonshine, and I'm not talking about the legal kind, and stick it in a bottle with vanilla beans. I smoke alot of aros so adding a hint of vanilla doesn't sound all that bad. I've got a few older pipes soaking with it right now. I'll let you know how it turns out. My only concern is the sugars that could get leached out of the beans, but I think it will be low enough to not be an issue.

 

[daveinlax]

Nothing works better than a .98 cent bottle of alcohol from the store.

 

[Revnatorade C.P.G.]

Nothing works better than a .98 cent bottle of alcohol from the store.

Agreed. But experimenting is always fun.

 

[johnnyflake]

I did use Everclear Alcohol for a long time but, Over the years, I have found that 100% Acetone, from Walgreens, is as good as it gets!

 

[Revnatorade C.P.G.]

I did use Everclear Alcohol for a long time but, Over the years, I have found that 100% Acetone, from Walgreens, is as good as it gets!

I havent tried that yet.

 

[kcghost]

I don't waste good liquor on my pipes. That stuff is reserved for me!!

 

[Revnatorade C.P.G.]

I don't waste good liquor on my pipes. That stuff is reserved for me!!

I reserve the good white lighting for me, but the not so good crap I get for free goes to vanilla extracts, and diluting other stuff. And now pipe cleaner. Lol

 

[bassbug]

I have found that 100% Acetone, from Walgreens, is as good as it gets!

Tell us you're kidding....please

 

[Briarcutter]

Acetone dissolves Acrylic. Pretty strong stuff for a pipe.

 

[runscott]

I did use Everclear Alcohol for a long time but, Over the years, I have found that 100% Acetone, from Walgreens, is as good as it gets!

Have you ever passed out while cleaning your pipes?

Acetone isn't going to work better than alcohol and it's more dangerous - also, it vaporizes very quickly.

I assume you're kidding around with us. But I do use acetone to remove CA glue from bad stem repairs, and to remove old stain from briar, but even then, only after I've tried everything else. I'm just not a fan of anything that makes me dizzy when I breath it.

 

[johnnyflake]

Have you ever passed out while cleaning your pipes?

Acetone isn't going to work better than alcohol and it's more dangerous - also, it vaporizes very quickly.

I assume you're kidding around with us. But I do use acetone to remove CA glue from bad stem repairs, and to remove old stain from briar, but even then, only after I've tried everything else. I'm just not a fan of anything that makes me dizzy when I breath it.

No, I am not kidding you. It really does a great job! It cuts right through glue, paint, tar, et.
Yes, it vaporizes quickly but no faster than Everclear Alcohol.
Yes, you do not want to inhale the vapors, it can give you a buzz!

 

[runscott]

No, I am not kidding you. It really does a great job! It cuts right through glue, paint, tar, et.
Yes, it vaporizes quickly but no faster than Everclear Alcohol.
Yes, you do not want to inhale the vapors, it can give you a buzz!

Maybe I'm highly susceptible to it, but even when I use acetone to clean paint or glue off my hands, I get a buzz.

For glue, paint, I get it. But for chamber cake, there's no need - you ream the pipe and the alcohol is to get rid of the ghosting. It doesn't cut through anything. I've found the easiest way to get that last bit of estate cake out, is to just get it wet and re-ream it. In any case, I've done this with hundreds of awful pipes, and I'm good with avoiding acetone

 

[Briarcutter]

Maybe

Well, women do it all the time cleaning their old fingernail polish off their nails. I still wouldn't put it in a pipe, almost as bizarre as washing them out with soap and water.

 

[runscott]

removed - enough nonsense for one day

 

[Briarcutter]

To get back to the original post, I would not see a problem using "shine" to clean a pipe.

 

[Revnatorade C.P.G.]

It worked pretty dang good. The vanilla beans added a nice little sweetness to the smell of the pipe but nothing overpowering.

 

[Briarcutter]

It worked pretty dang good. The vanilla beans added a nice little sweetness to the smell of the pipe but nothing overpowering.

Wonder how coffee beans would taste?

 

[Non-Mentholated Black Man]

I have found that 100% Acetone, from Walgreens,

Acetone fingernail polish remover says that it is 100% but it actually contains Denatonium benzoate; a very bitter tasting additive, meant to prevent people from ingesting the otherwise delicious acetone.

Does Walgreens sell another form of acetone?

 

[grimpeur]

Decades ago, I came across the recommendation to add a few drops of vanilla extract to the alcohol used for cleaning a pipe. There was a plausible reason for the practice, which I've long since forgotten.

I'm with @daveinlax , simple alcohol works very well. Admittedly, sometimes it needs the addition of some elbow grease, but that doesn't negatively effect the flavour of the pipe afterwards.

 

[jpberg]

Decades ago, I came across the recommendation to add a few drops of vanilla extract to the alcohol used for cleaning a pipe. There was a plausible reason for the practice, which I've long since forgotten.

I'm with @daveinlax , simple alcohol works very well. Admittedly, sometimes it needs the addition of some elbow grease, but that doesn't negatively effect the flavour of the pipe afterwards.

We’re getting dangerously close to the “Tonquin beans in my Special Latakia Flake” discussion of many moons ago.