Pipe Cleaners Scratching & Other Silly Cleaning Questions

[4dotsasieni]

Does anyone ever worry about the metal tips of pipe cleaners scratching the insides of their pipe stems? I cringe every time I hear that scratching sound, particularly in my bents (which most of my pipes are). I twirl the cleaner as soon as I hear the sound or encounter resistance. I wonder if anyone has ever examined the insides of a stem.
Also, does anyone else do what I do when the cleaner won't go all the way into the pipe and you don't feel like waiting until the pipe is cool enough to remove the stem? I take a cleaner and curve or bend the tip and feed it into the air passage from the bowl, then as it enters, fold or bend more and continue to push it in. I get a lot of gunk out that way.
Finally, I am a bit disturbed at how much stain (I mean wood stain, not dirt) seems to come out with the first few cleanings on new pipes. I don't recall this being the case on my older pipes. Makes me wonder how much paint I'm smoking.

 

[oklansas]

Does anyone ever worry about the metal tips of pipe cleaners scratching the insides of their pipe stems? I cringe every time I hear that scratching sound

+1 to this.

 

[chum202]

Is the a particular brand of pipe that does resist scratch from a deliberate cleaning?

 

[wayneteipen]

One trick I've learned that eliminates the scratching and aids in the pipe cleaner passing in otherwise difficult bents is to fold the last 1/8" of the pipe cleaner back on itself. You have to pinch it tightly so it doesn't catch on the way back out. That sharp wire can really be a problem. I've read of guys eventually scratching through stems over time. The sharp end also will stop a pipe cleaner dead on bent pipes whose airway angles. I make several shapes that do this such as the Mad Hatter where it will not pass a cleaner unless you do this trick because the airway changes angles fairly sharply.

 

[kashmir]

Like finger nails on a chalk board!

That's one of the reasons I've opened up many of my pipes. Dunhills & Comoys included. I like a large draft for my smoke, and one of the added bonuses is the pipe cleaners feed themselves thru, with no effort on my part. This works best on straight. Bents ... well, it comes with the territory. Although I like army mount bents for this very reason.

 

[4dotsasieni]

"Is there a particular brand of pipe that does resist scratch from a deliberate cleaning?"
Well, you could always try one of those $10 "durable" pipes from China -- great decoration, terrible smoker.

 

[pstlpkr]

4Dot I used to worry about the "scratching" sound in one pipe in particular, my Ascorti New Line (made by Peppino Ascorti) because of the sever bend in the very short stem.

I've had it for at least 30 years, (pardon the pun) but it's "none-the-worse-for-wear."

 

[4dotsasieni]

Thank you, Lawrence; that's encouraging -- and that is a beautiful pipe!

 

[pstlpkr]

Thanks 4Dot, it's one of my favorites.