My New-to-Me Nording

[Swampy16]

Can you do the salt treatment inside the system chamber? And how?

 

[bnichols23]

I say "And how" too, but with a ! after it. Gorgeous score, Mike!

 

[jpmcwjr]

Can you do the salt treatment inside the system chamber? And how?

I wouldn't bother, unless you have a persistent ghost. A hot water flush- 20-30 seconds, takes care of many a cleaning chore.

You can put your location in your Profile—(please!—because people will forget!) That will save questions in the future as to where you live when you later mention local stores, weather, tobacco prices, availability, regulations, location of photos, wildfires, air quality, etc., etc..
Under your avatar, (top right, left most of three symbols) you choose "Account Details", which brings up "My Account". "My Location" is halfway down. Whatever you're comfortable with- town, city, county, state. Just country if you must.

 

[trubka2]

Nice pipe, Mike! Hope it smokes great for you!

 

[Swampy16]

I wouldn't bother, unless you have a persistent ghost. A hot water flush- 20-30 seconds, takes care of many a cleaning chore.

You can put your location in your Profile—(please!—because people will forget!) That will save questions in the future as to where you live when you later mention local stores, weather, tobacco prices, availability, regulations, location of photos, wildfires, air quality, etc., etc..
Under your avatar, (top right, left most of three symbols) you choose "Account Details", which brings up "My Account". "My Location" is halfway down. Whatever you're comfortable with- town, city, county, state. Just country if you must.

That seems to just bring up a list of sites to share the post. I’m obviously doing something wrong.

 

[jpmcwjr]

That seems to just bring up a list of sites to share the post. I’m obviously doing something wrong.

I just tried a few times, following my directions above, and got to the location box all right.

 

[mikethompson]

Nice pipe, Mike! Hope it smokes great for you!

Certainly hope so, it fits so well in my hand.

@Swampy16 you might be interested in just what the coffee ground soak looks like. This is about a day and a half in. You can see the shank is filled as much as possible too.

 

[solideogloria86]

Whenever I get an estate, whether to keep or to sell, one of my steps is the salt and alcohol treatment. It involves plugging the shank with a Q-tip wrapped in plastic wrap, filling the bowl with kosher salt, and adding alcohol (in my case vodka) and letting it soak for at least 24 hours. As the pipe sits, tars, gunk, and whatever flavour might have been in the briar get wicked away.

After the salt is flushed away I will fill it with damp coffee grounds to get the remaining ghosts.

Take a look at the pipe now, after sitting for 6 or so hours.

View attachment 48786

I've discovered a couple of cotton balls in place of the salt works just as well.

 

[Swampy16]

Certainly hope so, it fits so well in my hand.

@Swampy16 you might be interested in just what the coffee ground soak looks like. This is about a day and a half in. You can see the shank is filled as much as possible too.

View attachment 49029View attachment 49030

This is after the salt and alcohol soak?

 

[mikethompson]

I've discovered a couple of cotton balls in place of the salt works just as well.

see page 1, @chasingembers

This is after the salt and alcohol soak?

Yes, the is the next and last step of bowl/shank cleaning/deodorizing. Then I should be able to wax the bowl and start enjoying this pipe.

 

[jpmcwjr]

I like using the least harsh method first, and if that doesn't do it, move on to the harsher ones:

1. Hot water flush, paper towel dry, pipe cleaners, Q-tips in the mortise,
2. Coffee grounds
3. Salt or cotton balls and alcohol
4. Retort.

2 and 3 should be followed by a flush to get all the grounds and granules of salt out.

 

[mikethompson]

Here it is all cleaned up and ready to go

 

[jpmcwjr]

What did you apply to the stummel?

 

[yohanan]

That's a Great Looking Pipe, Congrats!!!

 

[mikethompson]

What did you apply to the stummel?

Carnauba wax which I let dry for about 30 minutes, then buffed with a horse hair brush. I wish I could remember who mentioned that particular way to buff a a stummel, but it really gives it a nice deep shine.

That's a Great Looking Pipe, Congrats!!!

Thank you kindly! I will see how it takes to a flame later today.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Carnauba wax which I let dry for about 30 minutes

Liquid carnauba?

 

[mikethompson]

Liquid carnauba?

No, a paste. I let it harden on the stummel until its hazy, then buff it off.