Question/Help: Sour taste - Cleaning Estate Pipe Stem - Oxyclean x Bleach

[Pipe&Chess]

Hi guys. I need to deep clean the stem (vulcanite) of a couple of estate pipes that taste sour… Question - we do not have the product OxyClean here in Brazil, whcih appears to be the reccomendation; could I use bleach instead? Heard also about letting it rest in white vinegar? IsoPropyl alcohol?

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

Are you trying to remove oxidation from the outside of the stem? Bleach will remove oxidation but it will also pit the stem to point that it has to be sanded and polished again. Bleach can sometimes pit a stem very badly, I wouldn't recommend it. High proof alcohol like everclear or 151works great for simple internal cleaning as does denatured alcohol. IsoPropyl will work in a pinch as well but can have perfumes in it.

If the stems are turning green on the outside the best way to remove that is with abrasives, sandpaper, polishing compounds, fingernail boards, course paper towels, toothpaste, etc. But a stem that has been worked with abrasives will need to be polished.

If your stems are not oxidized I would not soak them in anything. A pipe cleaner dipped in alcohol will clean it out. Try not to get the alcohol on the outside of the stem.

 

[camaguey]

If you use bleach , leave olive or mineral oil on it for 24 hrs.

 

[camaguey]

after the bleach of course and the buffer with a cloth.

 

[Pipe&Chess]

Are you trying to remove oxidation from the outside of the stem? Bleach will remove oxidation but it will also pit the stem to point that it has to be sanded and polished again. Bleach can sometimes pit a stem very badly, I wouldn't recommend it. High proof alcohol like everclear or 151works great for simple internal cleaning as does denatured alcohol. IsoPropyl will work in a pinch as well but can have perfumes in it.

If the stems are turning green on the outside the best way to remove that is with abrasives, sandpaper, polishing compounds, fingernail boards, course paper towels, toothpaste, etc. But a stem that has been worked with abrasives will need to be polished.

If your stems are not oxidized I would not soak them in anything. A pipe cleaner dipped in alcohol will clean it out. Try not to get the alcohol on the outside of the stem.

I am more interested in removing the sour taste, which I take is coming from inside the stem. So I understand for what you said that some passes of a few pipe cleaners soaked in alcohol should do the trick! I will also work on the shank, I realized the pipe cleaners are still removing tar and dirt from them…

 

[Pipe&Chess]

after the bleach of course and the buffer with a cloth.

Thanks. I will probably get rid of the dirt inside, and be VERY careful with the bleach…

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

I am more interested in removing the sour taste, which I take is coming from inside the stem. So I understand for what you said that some passes of a few pipe cleaners soaked in alcohol should do the trick! I will also work on the shank, I realized the pipe cleaners are still removing tar and dirt from them…

Why wouldn’t you think it’s coming from the pipe?

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

Thanks. I will probably get rid of the dirt inside, and be VERY careful with the bleach…

Skip the bleach as you were advised.

 

[Pipe&Chess]

Why wouldn’t you think it’s coming from the pipe?

It could very well be the case. But It did not taste sour while smoking it (I bought it “sanitized”, whatever that meant for the seller…).
When I put the stem, cold, in my mouth, after cleaning the pipe, the sour taste is there.
So I blamed the stem - but it could be the pipe. I am also doing a thorough cleaning of the bowl and shank, using the cotton ball/alcohol technique, but decided to work on the setm as well.

 

[Pipe&Chess]

Skip the bleach as you were advised.

Noted…

 

[greeneyes]

You have OxyClean in Brazil. It's just a different brand. There are several of them at Carrefour.

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

It could very well be the case. But It did not taste sour while smoking it (I bought it “sanitized”, whatever that meant for the seller…).
When I put the stem, cold, in my mouth, after cleaning the pipe, the sour taste is there.
So I blamed the stem - but it could be the pipe. I am also doing a thorough cleaning of the bowl and shank, using the cotton ball/alcohol technique, but decided to work on the setm as well.

No doubt the stem needs cleaning and don't rely on someone else's suggestion of "sanitized" - as you've discovered, some really are and some really aren't, lol. Be very careful (if it's a concern) of alcohol with the cotton ball technique (and I'd recommend salt if you are doing that but there are other techniques as well). You'll want a pretty precise little dropper to keep alcohol off the finish of the pipe, and that goes for being really careful when taking out the cotton or dumping the salt if you are doing something with alcohol. You may think you'll miss the rim/bowl, but be really careful and don't assume (I may or may not have personal experience with being unintentionally sloppy).

 

[Pipe&Chess]

No doubt the stem needs cleaning and don't rely on someone else's suggestion of "sanitized" - as you've discovered, some really are and some really aren't, lol. Be very careful (if it's a concern) of alcohol with the cotton ball technique (and I'd recommend salt if you are doing that but there are other techniques as well). You'll want a pretty precise little dropper to keep alcohol off the finish of the pipe, and that goes for being really careful when taking out the cotton or dumping the salt if you are doing something with alcohol. You may think you'll miss the rim/bowl, but be really careful and don't assume (I may or may not have personal experience with being unintentionally sloppy).

Yes, I heard about ruining the rim by not being careful… Thanks! I have as my other hobby building plastic models (mostly WWII aviation and tanks), so I have alcohol in very convenient disposers that allow me to be surgically precise (I think…).

 

[Pipe&Chess]

Man, when you get a “sanitized” estate pipe and after 6 pipe cleaners you are still getting this…

 

[Pipe&Chess]

Let me abuse of your knowledge here… Is there any value to leave such a stem in white vinegar for 20-30 minutes? Read it somewhere… To get rid of the bulk of the stuff that is there?

 

[captpat]

I've found that both bleach and oxy-clean will pit a rubber stem, at some point you'll need to remove material with abrasives. Usually, I'll skip the chemicals and go directly to abrasive, Internal odors I'd attack with pipe cleaners and an alcohol of your choice. Good luck

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

Let me abuse of your knowledge here… Is there any value to leave such a stem in white vinegar for 20-30 minutes? Read it somewhere… To get rid of the bulk of the stuff that is there?

I wouldn't do that, vinegar odor and tastes itself can be quite difficult to to get rid of. Vinegar is a mild acid, it will also pit a stem.

 

[Pipe&Chess]

Thank you all for the great advices. Will stay clear from the chemicals altogether. And as for the abrasives, again the plastic models hobby helps - I have all types of sanding papers, of all grades, so I can do it calmly using some elbow grease.

 

[Briar Lee]

Thank you all for the great advices. Will stay clear from the chemicals altogether. And as for the abrasives, again the plastic models hobby helps - I have all types of sanding papers, of all grades, so I can do it calmly using some elbow grease.

Here’s a simple trick I’ve learned here:

Make a pot of coffee

Take the hot, wet grounds and stuff in the bowl and let dry all day

This may take several times.

But the worst you’ll accomplish is have a coffee taste in your pipe

And usually it removes the ghosts

 

[Pipe&Chess]

Here’s a simple trick I’ve learned here:

Make a pot of coffee

Take the hot, wet grounds and stuff in the bowl and let dry all day

This may take several times.

But the worst you’ll accomplish is have a coffee taste in your pipe

And usually it removes the ghosts

Interesting, had not heard this one before. As a big coffee drinker, will have plenty of that…