Mold Odor in a New Pipe, How to Get Rid Of?

[cersono]

Thank you for your suggestions, mayfair70. Yes, I felt a bit uncomfortable to apply various cleaning liquids like alcohol, vinegar and peroxide. But Aran doesn't have any lacquer finish, just stained polish, so no damage occurred.

I think Latakia or Lakelands could be a good quick solution but I bought this pipe especially for SG pure Virginia flakes and can't afford dedicate this pipe to anything else and buy another (because it's, well, pretty expensive). So I need to clean it perfectly. I'm vary on sanding though as not to destroy the fine airflow engineering.

It seems peroxide/soda does the work. I dumped the yesterday's mix and refilled the shank again. After a day of the treatment, just traces of smell are detectable. After two days more I think the pipe will be totally clean.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I've made up a story of a stinky pipe to extort from the pipe store all their stock of Petes for free as a reimbursement. How else would I acquire all the pipes in my collection, indeed?

I knew it. See, he's not pissed, and we've revealed his plans for world domination.

Good luck with your pipe. Let us know which technique worked. I have been lucky to only have had a couple of stinkers out of the many pipes that I took chances on. It happens, and it sucks that you're in a precarious spot to return it. But, who knows, it may be a perfect opportunity to try out some of the ideas that get batted about here often.

Good luck!

 

[mcitinner1]

Michael you are such a diplomat... :roll:

 

[cersono]

Well, finally comes the full report. Perhaps it might be of use for those unfortunate to buy a moldy pipe and have no chance to return it.
I've tried the full array of options except of ozoning. It was indeed a useful experience to try and compare them all.

- 1 day salt-n-alco treatment (no results at all)

- 1 day with vinegar-soaked cleaner inserted and then intensive swabbing with dry stiff cleaners (better but not good)

- 1 night coffee powder treatment (eliminated the smell of vinegar but not that of mold)

- gently sanding the shank from inside with 800 grit sandpaper (so gently and briefly that maybe that even doesn't count)

- 2 days peroxide-n-soda treatment (better than vinegar, the smell got faint but still noticeable)

- finally, I made a makeshift retort and applied the boiling alcohol treatment. That worked much better. Slightest traces of musty smell still linger, but now I hope to smoke them over with Virginias.
Maybe I would have been able to reach better results with vinegar and peroxide if I applied them for a longer time like 2 or 4 days but I felt really uncomfortable to soak the pipe in liquid for a prolonged time as it might crack the wood.
Many thanks for those who helped me with their valuable advises.

 

[mayfair70]

I'm glad something finally worked! Smoking should remove any lingering odor rather quickly. Congratulations.

 

[cersono]

Damn all this.

Just found the shitty thing slightly cracked under the nickel ring. For sure it's because the metal ring didn't let the wood to expand while it was being soaked in various liquids.

The $100 pipe goes into garbage. Won't even bother to sell it online for a tiny fraction of price cause I'm fed up with this pipe and don't want to see it anymore.

So the problem is finally solved, although not in the way I expected.
My friendly humble advise to tobaccopipes.com, please do not sell crap.

 

[mayfair70]

I might be able to take it off your hands.

PM sent.

 

[cersono]

Unfortunately I can't ship the pipe because I'm living abroad right now and got it here by international mail. If I was in the US I would of course have immediately returned it for replacement to the pipe shop. But sending it back from here will be WAY too expensive. The crack is slight and the pipe still seems to be smokable. But it is not a Hundred Dollars Pipe anymore, because we pay those prices not to have just a smokable pipe but a piece of pipe art with no mold, no stench, no cracks and no need for us to be pipesmith experts to apply sophisticated techniques to salvage the pipe.

I don't think I will actually trash it, I just showed it away and I don't think I will put my hands again on it anytime soon, cause right now I'm really fed up with this pipe and greatly disappointed with the purchase.

 

[shutterbugg]

But sending it back from here will be WAY too expensive.

Okay back the truck up. Right here on this thread tobaccopipes.com said:

You don't have to pay for return shipping with a pipe that you feel is defective. We will send you a label to ship it back.

In fact it would have cost you NOTHING to send it back. Instead, you decided to apply numerous home remedies you read about on the internet, the result of which is you caused the pipe to crack. Tobaccopipes.com might have been able to successfully treat the pipe and return it to you; or if not, at least you would not have been out a single cent.

 

[cersono]

For sure, I'm not sillier than those advising to return the product. If I was in the US, nobody would have even heard of my issues on this thread. I would instantly return the stinky purchase and the problem is solved. And if I was unable to benefit from the customer service program then there should be serious reasons for that. Like, for example, would they send me an international shipment label, in local currency where I am? Not, of course. That's why I didn't even ask them for that. All this is totally my fault, to buy from a trusted [not anymore] seller knowing there's no way to return the product.
Yes, it was me who caused the crack caused by cleaning caused by mold caused by seller or maker or whoever. All this doesn't matter anymore, as the story of this pipe is over. It was a perfect lesson though. From now on, I buy any pipes over $25 only after inspecting them in person. Even if that means I couldn't buy the most pipes I otherwise would.

 

[cersono]

Well, here's the happy end of the sad story.

After some 20 pipefuls of heavy Latakias (like SG Commonwealth and Balkan Flake) the pipe is finally free of any mold odor and is an excellent smoker now. The invisible hairline-crack that goes no further than 1/8" past the nickel ring on the shank doesn't make it worse and serves as a reminder not to buy pipes online without asking the seller to check them for any funny odors before shipping.

Thanks for those who had helped me, I've got a valuable experience of practicing various pipe-cleaning techniques which will be of a great use in the improbable case I acquire another stinker to my collection.

 

[instymp]

Duct tape.

 

[halfy]

I would simply rub the bowl with paper towels and alcohol, and so the airway with pc. Let it rest for a few days.
I am always again salt or retort...because I did used those methods.

 

[craiginthecorn]

I have an until recently unsmoked pipe from the mid-1980s which had the delicate aroma of a book stored in a basement. I have tried just smoking it, but that didn't help through two bowls. I tried a retort plus 151 rum sweetening, which helped substantially, but I'll point out that unlike ghosted pipes, those with a musty odor have it on all surfaces, so unless you can remove it from all of them, you'll notice it when smoking. Mine is headed off for ozone treatment on Monday. I will report back with the results.

 

[deathmetal]

The cheap method: stick it in a ziploc bag, and vacuum seal, then let it sit for awhile in a hot dry place.

 

[jpmcwjr]

A full washing inside and out, with special attention to the mortise hole, drying as above, after paper towel and pipe cleaner but don't overdo it, will almost certainly improve it. No detergent, just hot water.

 

[craiginthecorn]

I set it out in the sun today in a glass jar with a lump of charcoal. It got warm and s little dirty, but smells the same.
Since I can't mail it off tomorrow (Sunday) for ozone treatment, I figured I'd do one more test for the sake of scientific experiment. I stuck it back in the jar with charcoal and filled the bowl with baking soda, then vacuum sealed the jar with our Foodsaver canning lid accessory. Tomorrow afternoon, I'll open the jar and report back.
I think kitty litter might be the best thing to use, as it absorbs both odors and moisture, but I don't have a cat....

 

[jpmcwjr]

Try above!