I am finding myself getting mildly overwhelmed by all the brands and types of pipe cleaners...Are there significant differences between different brands? I got 100 Bj long cleaners for $2.50 and 56 Tom and Jerry cleaners for $4.50, and I can't tell a difference. I know there are tapered cleaners and longer cleaners for churchwardens. Also what are bristle cleaners? Thanks guys.
Pipe Cleaners
- Thread starter music4cash
- Start date
SmokingPipes.com Updates
Watch for Updates Twice a Week
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
Site Sponsors
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
- Status
I don't like bristles, except for deep cleaning on just a few of my cheaper pipes. They can scratch up the insides of the draft and possibly cause problems.
I never buy the normal pipe cleaners. They are too thin and don't even touch the sides of the wall on my draft holes. Maybe they are meant for factory pipes that aren't drilled out wide enough. I only ever buy the very fluffy ones and the tapers. Most of my pipes are artisan made, so they have a fairly large draft.
I never buy the normal pipe cleaners. They are too thin and don't even touch the sides of the wall on my draft holes. Maybe they are meant for factory pipes that aren't drilled out wide enough. I only ever buy the very fluffy ones and the tapers. Most of my pipes are artisan made, so they have a fairly large draft.
I don't believe that there are really any specific brand that is a must have. I think that BJ Longs are very popular amongst many pipe smokers. And like Cosmic said, Bristle pipe cleaners are for a more deeper clean.
Truth be told, as long as your giving your pipes a good and solid clean with a pipe cleaner after each smoke, you should be doing just fine.
Truth be told, as long as your giving your pipes a good and solid clean with a pipe cleaner after each smoke, you should be doing just fine.
For BJ Long's, the yellow wrapper is the 'regular' style. While the pink wrapper is much thicker... kind of the Charmin toilet paper of pipe cleaners. The thicker ones are great, but won't pass easily on some pipes.
A cautionary note on BJ Long pipe cleaners -- one end may have a slight curve in the metal, you can feel for this and you don't want to put that end through first. You will feel it scratching/damaging your pipe.
[For me this is not one batch, but a sample size of over a 1000. With that said, it is the brand I buy all the time.]
On the other hand, Dill are pricier, but they look and feel it. I also keep some Falcon pipe cleaners around, even though I don't have a Falcon pipe. I like these thinner, stiffer guys for some cleaning jobs.
A cautionary note on BJ Long pipe cleaners -- one end may have a slight curve in the metal, you can feel for this and you don't want to put that end through first. You will feel it scratching/damaging your pipe.
[For me this is not one batch, but a sample size of over a 1000. With that said, it is the brand I buy all the time.]
On the other hand, Dill are pricier, but they look and feel it. I also keep some Falcon pipe cleaners around, even though I don't have a Falcon pipe. I like these thinner, stiffer guys for some cleaning jobs.
I personally only use bristle pipe cleaners for heavy cleaning of estate pipes which have been poorly cared for. After that regular (in many colors, lengths and costs) are adequate. I usually buy in bulk and as cheaply as possible. After all, they hardly have expiration dates...
I prefer the BJ Long Tapered for cleaning MM cobs and BJ Long Regulars for my briars. At my local B&M they only sell Dill pipe cleaners. Their okay but I prefer the BJ Longs and I can get them cheaper online. I usually buy the BJ Longs in 100 cleaners per bag. Every January I buy around 2000 BJ Long pipe cleaners (regular, tapered & churchwarden) and that lasts me all year. I don't like the bristled pipe cleaners. I don't think they clean as good as the regular pipe cleaners.
I agree with most of what was said above, but I keep bristle cleaners for my cobs too, that's all I use on cobs
If bristled pipe cleaners can scratch up and damage draft holes, briarwood isn't as hard as I thought it was.
M
mothernaturewilleatusallforbreakfast
Guest
I've used a number of different cleaners and have stuck with Brigham. I'm not sure why I like them, I just do.
+1 derfargin
No need to overly stress about pipe cleaners. All that matters is that you get some, and that your are regularly cleaning your pipe. There are more tobaccos to worry about. :puffpipe:
No need to overly stress about pipe cleaners. All that matters is that you get some, and that your are regularly cleaning your pipe. There are more tobaccos to worry about. :puffpipe:
I asked Rad Davis once if a bristled pipe cleaner could scratch the inside of the shank and he said it was impossible no matter how long you use them. I trust what Rad says.
I only buy BJ Long pipe cleaners. I buy the Bristled and the Tapered soft ones. They both have their own purposes.
I only buy BJ Long pipe cleaners. I buy the Bristled and the Tapered soft ones. They both have their own purposes.
Hmmm, I guess it's my thrift-minded factory pipes, but regular pipe cleaners work best for me. The tapered ones are just a chore to work through the airway, though the fat end can work for chambers. My pipe guru shop owner said the bristled pipe cleaners do not scratch the airway, but I have only used them on churchwarden pipes, and only occasionally. The regular ones seem to maintain contact with the sides of the airway and pull out much more than the tapered ones. I mostly use BJ Long regulars.
Before I discovered the wisdom of pipesmagizine.com I tried to clean a pipe with a pack of multi colored pipe cleaners my wife had in a crafts box. It was the worst idea ever. After pulling out a bare wire it took me several days to unclog the stem. Its only quality pipe cleaners for me now.
You get 10% off Pipe Cleaners if you buy them by the box at Smokingpipes.com, so I bought 8,000 Regulars and 6,000 Fluffy.
Which only cost about as much as one high grade pipe, but now I never have to buy Pipe Cleaners again (as long as I don't outlive my 50 year plan [Actually I have enough for 70 years, but I figure I might have to share at some point]).
Which only cost about as much as one high grade pipe, but now I never have to buy Pipe Cleaners again (as long as I don't outlive my 50 year plan [Actually I have enough for 70 years, but I figure I might have to share at some point]).
Thanks for the advice guys, I'm definitely not going to obsess about pipe cleaners, I was mainly just wondering if there was any reason to buy the more expensive cleaners, and you guys have confirmed that the much cheaper BJ longs are just fine...The store I got the Tom and Jerry's from was mostly focused on Hookas, even thought they had a big neon pipe in their window, they had no real selection of pipe tobaccos, just a single jar labeled pipe tobacco, and a few nameless basket pipes on display. The guy there tried to sell me hookah tobacco saying it works just as well in a pipe...I may be new to pipes, but I'm not that new!!! I bought some pipe cleaners there because I needed them, but I'll never go back.
I just got the BJ longs and I like them a lot. But, I do have mostly factory pipes and on some they are difficult to pass because of their thickness. I feel like they do a better job than the thin ones though.
- Status