clean the shank with q tips,then retort,be careful as heat may make stem stick,wait a while, then after retorting clean shank with bristle brush dipped in alcohol, plug shank hole with q tip or whatever then fill pipe wit,h kosher salt,don"t fill up to level of bowl as alcohol will weep on rim,fill with alcohol, i leave it for 24 hrs,dump salt clean the bowl,then i retort it again,i flame the alcolol out,be careful with this,don"t heat the pipe too much,you then have a clean estate the old cajun