Pipe Cleaners

[spud]

The makers of pipe cleaners want you to think you need 6 or 7 inches for a cleaner. Not so, I saez. I bought from "Cup o Joes" a 50 foot roll of pipe cleaner. I use the free end to clean my pipe then use a side cutter to lop off the 1 inch that is dirty Then I have 49 feet 11 inches left for many more cleanings. O.K. I'm frugal. Or old fashioned. Watch the penny's and the dollars will take care of them selves.

 

[lumberjakpipester]

I usually do that with regular pipe cleaner and can get a 2-3 uses out of it, since I pass a cleaner often as I'm smoking, it saves me the trouble of having to use several cleaners per smoke. I even carry nail clippers in my pipe bag for that purpose.

 

[spud]

Good idea, nail clippers. Thanks.

 

[05venturer]

FYI, Found this information online. Don't know what you are paying but thought it was worth posting.

I realize you are only using a short piece at a time but still interesting. I find often that bulk is not always cheaper.

smokingpipes has 52 foot rolls for $8

http://www.smokingpipes.com/accessories/pipe-supplies/moreinfo.cfm?product_id=117285

Hate to point this out, but that is not a very good deal.

52 feet of cleaners = 624 inches of cleaner. 624 divided by 6.5 (length of one cleaner) = 96 standard length cleaners. $8.3 cents each.

I buy 100 Longs pipe cleaners for $2.59 locally, but they can be had online for $1.90 per 112 (2 packs of 56) if you buy them in quantities of 20 at a time (http://www.pipesandcigars.com/bjlopiclme.html#.UWk8Eqw09rc). $1.6 cents each.

 

[Wellington]

I use one, sometimes 2 full cleaners on a single pipe after a single smoke. Most of this comes from folding the cleaner at about an inch and using my finger against the folded part to clean out the bowl. I can often get away with one. They're cheap online, I throw in a few dollars worth in a tobacco order and it gives me 150-200 pipe cleaners.

 

[kashmir]

I'll clip off the offending soiled part and reuse the cleaner. But given the average shank length, there'll come a point when you have to dispose of virgin material. I didn't know about the roll. Thanks for the tip.

 

[spud]

CupOJoes has the standard pipe cleaner for $7.99. For the 50 foot roll. That is what I use. 05 Venturer you are right, some times I must clip off more than one inch, but not very often.

 

[lincolnsbark]

This is a great tip especially since some of the standard cleaners are still too small for a churchwarden stem.

 

[judcole]

I use the free end to clean my pipe then use a side cutter to lop off the 1 inch that is dirty

You're not passing it through the stem? 8O That's what the six inches is for. I have no problem using several after every smoke.

 

[ravkesef]

I find that a regular pipe cleaner is an economical thing. It has two ends, each of which can get pretty grubby in the cleaning process. Then I fold it in half and pass it through the shank one more time, way down into the bowl if I can. One the way out, I clean the mortise. Then I use the folded over part (if it isn't too dirty,) to lightly go over the inside of the bowl. At the end of the process, one fairly grubby pipe cleaner, one nice clean pipe. I thought about the coiled loop, but then I'd have to have a carabiner on a belt loop to carry it around with me during the day.
For bristled pipe cleaners, I prefer the Ream N Kleen brand, hard to find these days, but available at WV and Milan for a good price for both the regular and tapered (Fluffy Tails.) I prefer this brand because the wire is stiffer and most important--so are the bristles. My pipes come out cleaner.

 

[john218]

I use 3 or 4 cleaners after smoking a pipe.
For me, cutting the pipe cleaners to length from a roll would be too time consuming and I would think using the whole roll to clean a pipe is too cumbersome.
I order 10 packs of 56 cleaners for $9.80 or 20 packs for $19.00 from Pipes and Cigars when I order tobacco, so I always have plenty on hand and use whatever quantity it takes to clean a pipe without giving a second thought to how many I use.

 

[mustanggt]

Hate to point this out, but that is not a very good deal.

52 feet of cleaners = 624 inches of cleaner. 624 divided by 6.5 (length of one cleaner) = 96 standard length cleaners. $8.3 cents each.

I buy 100 Longs pipe cleaners for $2.59 locally, but they can be had online for $1.90 per 112 (2 packs of 56) if you buy them in quantities of 20 at a time (http://www.pipesandcigars.com/bjlopiclme.html#.UWk8Eqw09rc). $1.6 cents each.

There's always a wise guy showing off his math skills to spoil all the fun. :nana:

 

[spud]

When a pipe cleaner starts off at 6.5 inches, then you clip off 1 or so inches, or use each end, yields a pipe cleaner 5.5 long, then maybe you get one more use out of it. Then you must throw it away, too short. Ergo, use 1/3 of cleaner and through 2/3 away. How is that more econ.. than clipping off a roll?

 

[cigrmaster]

I buy the BJ Long 100 count fluffy tapered cleaners for 1.99 and their 80 count tapered Bristle one's for 1.99 both from P&C. I buy 20 packages of each at a time and I use 5-6 after each bowl to keep my pipes clean. To my mind pipe cleaners are cheap and I have no problem using as many as I need to keep my pipes pristine. I also buy the 20 count box( 32 cleaners to a package) of Dills regular pipe cleaners for my pipes that are too small to take the fluffy's. They are also perfect for on the go as their packaging is quite convenient. I keep a pack in my car, my sons car and my daughters car so I am never without them.
I did the math on pipe cleaners a while ago and the ones I do buy I believe come out to be the most cost effective for the type of cleaners I like to use. P&C has always had the best price on the BJ Longs and Jrcigars has the best price on the Dill's.

 

[cynyr]

I'm a cheap bast@rd, but I ain't quite that cheap. :wink:

 

[ffmurray]

A roll is an interesting idea, and I understand the clipping off just a little bit at a time and it not getting to short, and therefore wasting virgin material, but I use Long's extra absorbant, and I use both ends and then fold it into a U to get the bowl then twist it up for one last clean of the shank, the whole cleaner is pretty damn dirty by the time I'm done with it. That said, I still like the roll idea for some reason.