Used 91% isopropyl alcohol and bristle cleaners on the airway and interior of mortise. Ran a clean fluffy cleaner through. Finished with a apple-whisker soaked cleaner.
I cleaned 35 pipes this same way. 2 of them however, were left with very tight mortises the next day. I let them sit another day (2 days total) then tried to insert the stem again but the mortise was still tight. I thought maybe the sweet whiskey left a residue so I cleaned the mortise and tenon with hot water, wipes it away and tried the stem again but it was still very tight.
Before I resort to lightly sanding the tenon with high grit sandpaper till it fits, are there other suggestions on what I might try to get the stem to fit again? Beeswax, non-scented soap, other...
thanks.
I cleaned 35 pipes this same way. 2 of them however, were left with very tight mortises the next day. I let them sit another day (2 days total) then tried to insert the stem again but the mortise was still tight. I thought maybe the sweet whiskey left a residue so I cleaned the mortise and tenon with hot water, wipes it away and tried the stem again but it was still very tight.
Before I resort to lightly sanding the tenon with high grit sandpaper till it fits, are there other suggestions on what I might try to get the stem to fit again? Beeswax, non-scented soap, other...
thanks.