I mostly use Blitz and Dill’s for my bent and smaller pipes.
Pipe Cleaners
- Thread starter Akoni808
- Start date
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I used to use regular Brigham, but they shed way too much fluff and they're thick enough that it's a pain in some of my pipes, especially the mid-smoke cleaning when everything gets tighter.
I find the BJ Long regulars absorb just as much, but pass easier and shed less fluff, so I have been using those. They do bend easier than the Brigham ones, but I'd prefer they bend too easy than to shed too much and not bend easy enough or be hard to pass.
I'm going to have to give some of these others that have been mentioned a test.
I find the BJ Long regulars absorb just as much, but pass easier and shed less fluff, so I have been using those. They do bend easier than the Brigham ones, but I'd prefer they bend too easy than to shed too much and not bend easy enough or be hard to pass.
I'm going to have to give some of these others that have been mentioned a test.
These are my current preferred cleaners -
The BBB London Fleece Cleaners are super absorbent and hardly shed fluff.
Likewise the Stanwell Extra Thin high absorbent ones.
Both from The Danish Pipe Shop
The BBB London Fleece Cleaners are super absorbent and hardly shed fluff.
Likewise the Stanwell Extra Thin high absorbent ones.
Both from The Danish Pipe Shop
if the paper and plastic they package them in isn't lying they are.
G
Gimlet
Guest
White elephant and Vauen are the best I've used, when I can get them. I can buy Sarome and Savinelli locally but the Savinellis I've bought recently were too thick. I could barely get them through the mouthpiece on some of my pipes and the wire snapped easily when they kinked and left half a cleaner stuck in the stem. Conversely the Saromes seem to have got thinner and shed a lot of lint.
White Elephant are more consistent and I use the bristled ones for deep cleans. I don't like their 9 mm filters so much but their cleaners are good. As are most things Vauen.
White Elephant are more consistent and I use the bristled ones for deep cleans. I don't like their 9 mm filters so much but their cleaners are good. As are most things Vauen.
Bird feathers, those soft modeling pipe cleaners, lengths of wire. There is a poster on here that washes the things and reuses them. I think he last purchased a pack of Dill's in 1948! 
Another vote for white elephant. And the boxes they are in are pretty cool too.
I still can't get over "favorite pipe cleaner". If it's fuzzy and fits my drilled hole in my pipes, it will work.
I'm the same. I always throw some in the cart at checkout, but the brand doesn't matter much to me.
That's way more information than any of us wanted to know!
I've been working through a large case of Brighams for awhile.
Happy with the stiffness (not likely to kink).
They sometimes shed a bit, but not to a degree that's a deal breaker for me. Almost always a quick blow through the stem clears any fluff.
But I'm not married to them. When I finish this case I'll check back with this thread before deciding whether to re-order the Brighams.
Happy with the stiffness (not likely to kink).
They sometimes shed a bit, but not to a degree that's a deal breaker for me. Almost always a quick blow through the stem clears any fluff.
But I'm not married to them. When I finish this case I'll check back with this thread before deciding whether to re-order the Brighams.
Reviving this old thread since Im getting ready to order. Ive been using the White Elephant Bristle for the shanks...usually the wide end. I like the Elephant Bristles beause they are not really bristles in the traditional sense. Nothing super abrassive but they have added texture and its increased by a bit of space between each tuft. They are also wide enough to fill Italian airways.
Sometimes I use cheapo amazon soft cleaners for the stems. I use 9mm filters so I can literally use a pipe cleaner on the stem all week and its still not gummed up. I do prefer the vauen becuase the cheapo ones bend easy but since I have to disassemble (filter) they work.
For the bowl I found a nice solution. Paper towels are garbage in the EU. My wife had some makeup removing tissues. I snagged a pack and those thin fiber cloths (disposable) are tough as nails. They do not tear and they absorb. I use one wet for heavier cleaning since they have a little mild solvent. After it dries I continue using it until its black everywhere. They are also handy becuase they are thin. Narrow bowls are easy to clean becuase the towel doesnt take up much space when you stick the appropriate sized finger in it.
EDIT: Well, all that said, I just looked and vauen are 2 bucks a pack here on special for the bristle blues. They are Vauen so they cant be bad. I will give them a try vs the White Elephant. Afterall they are just pipe cleaners. We dont have to pay import premiums for them here.
Sometimes I use cheapo amazon soft cleaners for the stems. I use 9mm filters so I can literally use a pipe cleaner on the stem all week and its still not gummed up. I do prefer the vauen becuase the cheapo ones bend easy but since I have to disassemble (filter) they work.
For the bowl I found a nice solution. Paper towels are garbage in the EU. My wife had some makeup removing tissues. I snagged a pack and those thin fiber cloths (disposable) are tough as nails. They do not tear and they absorb. I use one wet for heavier cleaning since they have a little mild solvent. After it dries I continue using it until its black everywhere. They are also handy becuase they are thin. Narrow bowls are easy to clean becuase the towel doesnt take up much space when you stick the appropriate sized finger in it.
EDIT: Well, all that said, I just looked and vauen are 2 bucks a pack here on special for the bristle blues. They are Vauen so they cant be bad. I will give them a try vs the White Elephant. Afterall they are just pipe cleaners. We dont have to pay import premiums for them here.
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