Removing Ghosts

[Sigmund]

Thank you to all for great information. I recently removed ghosts in a couple of estates. One I suspected would be very stuborn. It tasted god awfal. It made me think I was smoking old lady purfume. I could not even get myself to finish the bowl.

After reading I sanded down almost to all wood. Then I used leftover wet espresso grounds in both the shank and the bowl. It was hot. I let it dry all day. Then I gave a light sanding again for good measure. I took more grounds and instead of water I added everclear. It was hot and sunny so I set the stummel out in the sun and let it nuke. Once dry I rinsed and let it dry all night.

Zero ghost, not the slightest hint. I smoked a light blend so Id be able to detect it.

So if you have stuborn and strong ghosts coffee as a medium to carry alcohol works great. My other pipe had just a hit of a ghost and coffee grounds with water did the trick.

 

[Bbailey324]

Thanks for the report. I've done salt and alcohol many times with mixed (usually okay but sometimes not that effective) results but never tried coffee grounds. I will give that a shot next time I'm trying to rid a stubborn ghost.

 

[Sigmund]

I think our moderator suggested the coffee. I just took it a step further on the pipe with perfume nasties.

 

[dottlejockey]

Very nice! Never tried the grounds trick. Thanks for sharing the results.

 

[huntertrw]

Removing Ghosts

Let the experts show you how.

 

[xrundog]

I have three incorrigibles packed full of coffee grounds on the bench right now.

 

[xrundog]

I have an Altinok Lee Van Cleef homage pipe I bought used that seems to have been soaked in cologne. It’s weird but it happens. I’ve got it to the point where it smokes tolerable. But the exterior still stinks and makes it unpleasant. I’m trying to avoid doing anything that affects the surface treatment. I had been letting it air out for a long time without much improvement. This thread gave me an idea. I packed the bowl and airway with coffee grounds. Then I put it in a sealed container full of fresh ground coffee. I’ll let it sit a good long while and see what happens.

 

[Sig]

I too have a stubborn pipe embedded with the aroma of Lakeland.
I did the salt treatment, did a LOT of alcohol..... still stinks.
We don't drink coffee around here.
Do you think the neighbors will think its weird if I ask for some used coffee grounds?

 

[WerewolfOfLondon]

I have a Savinelli ghosted with lakelands, from back when I used to smoke those. The other night it ruined a bowl of F&T Special Brown Flake on me. Now, every time I look at that pipe I feel disgust, I hate the bastard. Can't be bothered to even try to remove the ghost, it will be reserved for my once yearly Xmas lakeland smoke.

 

[bullet08]

Yupe. Coffee and 190 proof holy water will do the trick.

 

[xrundog]

I too have a stubborn pipe embedded with the aroma of Lakeland.
I did the salt treatment, did a LOT of alcohol..... still stinks.
We don't drink coffee around here.
Do you think the neighbors will think its weird if I ask for some used coffee grounds?

I’m sure they will give you all you want.

 

[OzPiper]

I too have a stubborn pipe embedded with the aroma of Lakeland.
I did the salt treatment, did a LOT of alcohol..... still stinks.
We don't drink coffee around here.
Do you think the neighbors will think its weird if I ask for some used coffee grounds?

Try your local cafe
I’m sure they’d be happy to get rid of a lb or ten of their used grounds

 

[burleybreath]

Do you think the neighbors will think its weird if I ask for some used coffee grounds?

Not as weird as when you tell them what you're using it for. I generally refrain from telling mere civilians that I smoke second or third-hand pipes.

 

[Lumbridge]

I have an Altinok Lee Van Cleef homage pipe I bought used that seems to have been soaked in cologne. It’s weird but it happens. I’ve got it to the point where it smokes tolerable. But the exterior still stinks and makes it unpleasant. I’m trying to avoid doing anything that affects the surface treatment. I had been letting it air out for a long time without much improvement. This thread gave me an idea. I packed the bowl and airway with coffee grounds. Then I put it in a sealed container full of fresh ground coffee. I’ll let it sit a good long while and see what happens.

If it's a musty scent and smells of cologne and/or incense, it may have been used for something other than tobacco.

 

[ophiuchus]

I have an Altinok Lee Van Cleef homage pipe I bought used that seems to have been soaked in cologne. It’s weird but it happens. I’ve got it to the point where it smokes tolerable. But the exterior still stinks and makes it unpleasant. I’m trying to avoid doing anything that affects the surface treatment. I had been letting it air out for a long time without much improvement. This thread gave me an idea. I packed the bowl and airway with coffee grounds. Then I put it in a sealed container full of fresh ground coffee. I’ll let it sit a good long while and see what happens.

I haven’t had this particular problem, but I’m very curious as to how this turns out.

 

[xrundog]

I haven’t had this particular problem, but I’m very curious as to how this turns out.

I’ve had this experience a couple times or three. I’m going to let it sit a month or so and will report back.

 

[xrundog]

I took the meerschaum out of the coffee to see how it’s going. I put my nose almost right on it and did an olfactory inspection. Mostly I smelled ground coffee. A light hint of cologne in a couple spots. Certainly much, much better than it was. I’m putting it back in for a week or so. After that I’ll air it out and have a smoke. I’ll check in again after that.

 

[GardenStateoftheArtBriar]

small ozone generator on amazon
battery powered
get a stainless steel or plastic tool box large enough to fit it with the pipe and whatever else you want to put in there
run it a few cycles
that will make it fresh as air

 

[Homer]

https://youtu.be/TaV1r341wYk

 

[xrundog]

After about 3 weeks in fresh ground coffee, the cologne stink is gone. The coffee aroma is preferable. But I just received a small ozone sterilizer and have been using in an old toolbox. It seems to work pretty well. I’m still experimenting and getting it figured out. The meerschaum is definitely going in there for a treatment.