pipe went through washing machine

[pauliepiper]

Hi all,

I left a pipe in my shirt pocket and somehow got missed and got put into washing machine.

Whats best way to dry and will it effect to pipe, ie make it taste sour etc.

My girlfriend thought she was doing me a favour by doing my washing. Pipe was a Hilson .

Cheers all.

 

[philobeddoe]

I would not take the stem off, you would likely snap the tenon off the stem if you tried. I would let it air dry somewhere with good ventilation and not in direct heat. I think if you tried to dry it quickly, with rice or heat it might crack the wood.

 

[metalheadycigarguy]

Now that's a new take on cleaning a pipe. :P

Not sure what the best thing to do in this situation is, but I think I would just let it dry naturally. Just let it sit for a few days at room temp and go from there.

 

[jkrug]

Heck, throw it in the dryer with your clothes, fold your clothes then smoke the pipe! 8O
Actually philobeddoe's idea is probably a better one. ::

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I usually don't realize that I have done this till I pull the clothes out of the drier. Hasn't hurt a pipe yet, but I've only done that a couple of times. So far, my wife has washed a couple in the sink along with dishes, left them out in the yard for a week or so during rain storms, dropped them in the river while fishing, laundered a few, and I smoke frequently in the hot tub... and shower. I always smoke in the shower, ha ha.
Maybe I am just the luckiest guy in the world, but I fail to see how water can hurt a pipe. I have heard that the stem can mysteriously swell up, making the stem mysteriously loose or maybe the finish can do something weird, but (knock on briar) it hasn't happened to any of mine yet. My stems all still fit snug as the day I got them.

 

[sjfine]

I usually don't realize that I have done this till I pull the clothes out of the drier.

About 10 years ago, I found a cell phone in my jeans pocket when I took the jeans out of the dryer. It worked perfectly. So, why not a pipe?

 

[didimauw]

I had a Grabow go through the washer last year. All it did was take some of the finish off. I just let it dry for a few days, and it smokes fine. Still smoke it almost daily.

 

[robwoodall]

I washed one, also. I did let it dry naturally, but it's fine.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Yes, let 'er dry at room temperature for a bit. Keep the tenon in, or the mortise might shrink when it dries, resulting in a too loose fit of the tenon.