Pipe Cleaner gets Stuck

[Dmitri1516]

Title edited for caps and brevity.

Hi guys, can I know what to do if the pipe cleaners get stuck while cleaning the bowl of the pipe ? Like the pipe cleaner cannot go all the way in to clean the bowl. Is that a problem or is that normal ? May I just add that it's a relatively new pipe.

 

[captpat]

Not normal. However, there may be a couple of things to check on. Some pipe cleaner have a larger diameter and won't go all the way through the stem into the bowl. For example I use BJ Long tapered cleaners, the narrow end seldom has a problem reaching the bowl, the wide end will not make it in most cases. The draft hole itself may be occluded or obstructed, IME this can be corrected with careful probing with the pick of a Czech tool. I've only found the latter issue to occur after a pipe has some mileage on it.

 

[Rockyrepose]

Some pipes will not pass a pipe cleaner.

 

[Pipeoff]

Hi guys, can I know what to do if the pipe cleaners get stuck while cleaning the bowl of the pipe ? Like the pipe cleaner cannot go all the way in to clean the bowl. Is that a problem or is that normal ? May I just add that it's a relatively new pipe.

The problem may be poor alignment of tenon of bit to shank. When buying a new pipe at a B&M shop always make sure cleaner doesn’t get hung up in this area.

 

[hyperstar]

You can bend the pipe cleaner before you stick into the bowl.

 

[jpmcwjr]

If. probing from the shaft, pipe cleaner won't break through, use a pipe tool's long thin blade. If you don't have one, a straight section of coat hanger will work.

 

[kcghost]

This doesn't occur often, usually with inexpensive pipes. Bend the end of the narrow end of the cleaner a little bit and rotate it around as you enter the stem and keep rotating until you are in. If it doesn't go in remove the stem and see if it will go in then.

 

[cigrmaster]

I use BJ Long Tapered Fluffies and Tapered Bristle. They work great. Sometimes you need to use the thin end and others the thicker ones and other times the Bristle. Sometimes I get them jammed to the point I have to rip them out with my teeth. Pipe smoking can be a dangerous game.

 

[aspiring_sage]

I had this problem with a meerschaum: The inside of the shank was rough and it took some fiddling to get a pipe cleaner down.

After measuring with the pipe cleaner, I found the problem was consistently the shank and not the tenon. From there it was just a matter of smoothing out the indside of the curved shank…

I soaked the pipe in water to soften the meerschaum then bored it smooth, very carefully, a with a few strokes of a bottle brush (similar to this). It was scary how easily the nylon tore the material away. When they say “soft as cheese”, they aren’t kidding.

I expect that you could do something similar on a briar or clay with a steel-bristled brush.

First you have to identify exactly what is the cause of the “jam”. How far in does the pipe cleaner go? Use it to measure and identify if the trouble is the tenon, the shank, etc.

Pipes are not that complicated. You’ll likely figure it out. But please let us know if and how you fixed it

 

[jpmcwjr]

I have assumed you've been trying with the stem out.... yes?
If so, see my post above. If not, please try with stem out.