Pipe cleaner problem

[volsmcfalls]

I have a concern, and thought I would run it by some of the experts here to see if I am over reacting...
I run a pipe cleaner through my pipe after every bowl. Three of my pipes are bent shafts, one of them a full bent Peterson System 312. Every time I run a pipe cleaner through the mouthpiece, I hear the nails-on-chalkboard scratch of the wire from the pipe cleaner brushing against the curve of the mouthpiece. It sounds horrid, and give me chills. Not just because of the sound, but because of the thought of what the pipe cleaner is doing to the inside of my mouthpiece. It happens with all my bents, but really bad on my 312.
I assume this is common and there is no real way around it. Even removing the mouthpiece and running it the other direction would result in the same issue.
Is this nothing to be concerned about? Am I concerned over nothing here?

 

[olderthandirt]

I get the same thing with a lot of the BJ Longs cleaners.

One end of the cleaner will have a slight bend where it was poorly cut.
I always pinch this bent end with my thumbnail to straighten it out. That generally resolves the scritching sound.

Also, on the full bent stems I twist the cleaner as I pass it through so the cleaner finds its' "natural" way through.
Cause for concern? Minor scratches in the airway when you hear that scritching sound I'd s'pose but I don't lose sleep over it.

 

[tobakenist]

Peterson stems get narrower (taper) towards the end this is why it seems worse on your Peterson, there is a nack to putting a slight bend on your pipe cleaner, this usualy helps or you can try extra thin pipe cleaners like falcon, with these you can bend the end over to make it run smooth.

 

[jchaplick]

+1 tobakenist, i have a 313, you have to put a very slight bend in it to and it won scratch, mine did that tthe first couple cleanings

 

[withnail]

Yep as those above have said - experiment with a slight bend in the pipe cleaner and you'll find a way to get it in without any scrapes. Going slow as you insert the cleaner also helps.
But what I wanted to add was:- I don't really worry about what is happening to the inside of the stem as, at most, there will only be a few scratches that you'll never see left behind. What DID bother me was the noise! YUK! Puts my teeth on edge just thinking about it **shudder**

 

[volsmcfalls]

Thanks for all the advice folks. I just HATE to hear that sound as the cleaner goes through the bend...