Pipe Cleaner

[jvnshr]

Folks,
Which pipe cleaners do you use? Is there any preferred type and brand? The other question is, in case I run out of them, what may I use instead?
Cheers.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Just throw them in the washing machine and use them again. Ha ha.
I use BJ Longs. That name cracks me up. I buy the fluffies and the tapered. Fluffies for my more open draft pipes, and the tapers for the ones not-so-open. I have one pack of Dills regular that I keep in the car, just for those moment when you need one while in the middle of a smoke, but that pack has lasted me two years. I don't often run into issues while smoking.

 

[ember]

I like dills premium for everyday use then for a deeper clean I'll buy a cleaner with bristels. You can use a paper towel for you bowl after a smoke but I don't know what you would use beside a pipe cleaner for the shaft

 

[prairiedruid]

If you run out you can always find some low quality ones at Walmart in the arts/craft section; not that it ever happened to me....

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Everybody needs a pipecleaner Cthulhu to break apart in an emergency.

 

[jvnshr]

Cosmic and Ember, guys, thank you very much for the info. Prairiedruid unfortunately I don't live in the States, so no Walmart around, even finding a normal tobacco shop for me is difficult, I am ordering everything online. And Cosmic, I have to learn making those, lol.

 

[moriarty]

Vauen pipecleaners are the best, in my opinion.

 

[lordofthepiperings]

If you run out you can always find some low quality ones at Walmart in the arts/craft section; not that it ever happened to me....

Brian did an entire "Pipe Parts" on pipe cleaners. He adamantly said not to use the arts/crafts ones from Michael's and the like. They're not made out of cotton and won't absorb much if any of the moisture.
I personally only use Brigham pipe cleaners. Best on the market in my opinion. I only use the regulars for normal after smoke cleanings. For the once a year salt cleaning I use the bristle cleaners. They help to get more of the gunk out.

 

[aldecaker]

Dill's regulars for tighter drafts, BJ Longs (heh heh heh) for more open drafts, Bryn Mawr for bristlies.

 

[rblood]

BJ Longs are added to every tobacco order - Fluffy, regular and bristles for deep cleaning.
Never been without a good stock of pipe cleaners, but if pressed I guess paper towel twisted into the shank and bowl and the stem would just have to stay nasty until I got back to my cleaners.

 

[mso489]

I like Longs, but prefer the ones that are uniform thickness, not tapered. I have come to accept tapered for certain advantages, because I bought two packages in a rush, but I'll buy regulars next time. I use fluffies, not the ones with little scrubby fibers. I have a separate set of both soft and bristled for churchwardens. I understand that extra thin pipe cleaners are recommended for Falcon pipes, although Forums members have assured us that regulars work fine. Occasionally I will re-use a pipe cleaner if it has dried and didn't pick up much ash, but that may not be kosher. The thick end of tapered pipe cleaners is great for cleaning out the shank when you remove the stem; or I also double up a pipe cleaner for the same purpose. Pipe shows are a good place to pick up pipe cleaners at a discount since they can be somewhat pricey at B&Ms, or buy online when ordering other items to save extra shipping.

 

[shawnofthedead]

Vauen is very durable. Savinelli with small plastic bits are good for thorough cleaning. DB is cheap, but gets hair everywhere. Big Ben is my favourite, thin enough to get in tight areas.

 

[prairiedruid]

I only posted that as an emergency case; hence why I said low quality.

 

[jkrug]

I have a few brands on hand all the time but my preferred pipe cleaner is Brigham's standard pipe cleaners. I always have around 500-600 or so on hand so not much worry of running out. I usually add a pack or two every time I make a TAD/PAD order. ::

 

[okiescout]

BJ longs Fluffies and tapereds here too. I do use Dill's bristle cleaners when I am cleaning estates. The bristles ar estiffer than the brushes you can buy. I also go through a ton of Q-tips when cleaning estates that have a filter chamber. They are great for cleaning shanks also.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I use BJ Long bristle cleaners exclusively.