Pipe cleaner question

[joshb83]

This may be a bit redundant, but I have two types of pipe cleaners, a bristled type and regular, my question is, does it matter when I use one over the other? Or are they interchangeable? I assume the bristle is for the deep clean, and the fluffier one is for taking care of a gurgle, am I right? Lastly, how long is long enough to dry out a gurgling pipe? I tried a new tobacco today from CAO, and I guess it didn't dry it out enough, a few gurgles and a hot burn toward the end... Hen again it could be operator error. Thanks for the help

 

[warren]

I use the bristle for cleaning. The non-bristle I use for drying, soaking up liquid and for poking a blockage. I do not dry tobaccos, I have more of a problem with keeping blends properly hydrated after opening. I smoke dry.

 

[phred]

I use the bristle type when I want to scrub out the interior of the stem and shank, and follow up with regular fluffy ones until they come out clean - same basic principle as when I clean my firearms. Start with the brush to loosen up any gunk, then swab with the softer stuff (dry/wet alternating until clean).
As for gurgle prevention, drying doesn't really do much in and of itself aside from just getting rid of the excess moisture. It's not going to fix a badly engineered pipe that gurgles no matter what, and it's not going to dry your tobacco, or fix your cadence, or adjust the relative humidity in your backyard...

 

[cortezattic]

I use the two types more or less interchangeably. I just read in a brochure from SMS Meerschaums that they

recommend that you do not use bristle pipe cleaners in their meerschaums. I guess when the meerschaum shank

is moist, the bristles can scratch and erode the meerschaum.

 

[joshb83]

All great answers and insight, thanks for the quick info

 

[pipebaum81]

Great question. Great answers. My only add would be to take care when using bristles on your stems. I do not recommend pulling them straight through the stem due to the fact that the draft hole at the end of the button is often too narrow to get the heavy bristles through it. Early on I slightly damaged a stem this way.
j/B

 

[jmsutton]

I use the bristles to clean out a "cake" of sorts that may be in my shank and stem, sometimes soaked in everclear. I only use the cotton cleaners to soak up dottle at the bottom of a bowl and to dry out my pipe during and after a smoke.

 

[Waning Embers]

I have only used bristles. No issues here.

 

[brass]

I use the old Dills for after smoke cleaning and for the rare gurgle. They seem to work better and are more comfortable.
The bristles go for deep cleaning.
Pax

 

[delro]

I use the long stiff bristle ones when I want to do a thorough cleaning, and the soft ones after every smoke to swipe the bowl and stem out. The stiff ones are good at breaking up any nasty junk that may have built up over time.

 

[kf4bsb]

About the gurgle, it could bee poor airflow. While a lot of time gurgeling can be caused by smoking too fast or drawing too hard, sometimes It is caused by a poorly engineer pipe as someone stated above. There are repair techniques that allow you to change the position of the draft hole in the bottom of the bowl, I have found that enlarging the diameter of the draft hole in the shank and the stem often take care of gurgeling in pipes that my customers want to keep, but that we're engineered poorly.
Wes

www.rebuiltbriars.com

 

[tarak]

I use fluffy for general cleaning, moisture, etc. Bristle for deep cleaning.

 

[judcole]

I don't use bristles at all. I keep Long regular cleaners on hand - the slimmest - for passing through the pipe when I am smoking and it is smoking a bit wet. I use Long tapered non-bristle for cleaning.

 

[lordofthepiperings]

I use the fluffy ones for regular cleaning and I only use the bristled ones for deep cleaning.
I will say the only pipe cleaner you should be using is a Brigham pipe cleaner. They truly are superior.

 

[allan]

I use them interchangeability
If I notice a lot of moisture ( rarely) I'll use a fluffy

 

[framitz]

I use tapered, bristle,fluffy, regular, skinny(dills) and super thick and fluffy(nat Sherman) depending

On the problem or need. Especially brush. Shel

 

[mjzerby]

I've never used a bristle. I seem to clean my pipe just fine with the fluffy and some pipe sweetener.
I've noticed I ALWAYS get a gurgle when I clench my pipe. It makes sense that I would, especially since my pipe has a curve down to the bowl. The saliva naturally obeys the laws of gravity. My gurgle problems pretty much cease when I don't clench.

 

[raevans]

Primarily fluffy when smoking or just finished smoking a pipe. Run through a few until they come out dry and clean. I will use tapered, bristled and fluffy when cleaning a pipe.

 

[frozenchurchwarden]

I like to use an alcohol soaked shank brush to start and then the fluffy pipe cleaner just for drying.

It uses half as many pipe cleaners (should save you a few hundred dollars as the years go by).

 

[brownpeter335]

This is really very informative. I am just looking for these things. And thanks to all for their insights.