Salt And Alcohol Treatment. Why Kosher Or Sea Salt And Not Table Salt?

[python]

The reason I asked is because I'm cleaning up a couple of estate pipes I picked up at an antique shop.

I would do like chasingembers said and use cotton balls. Less of a mess and easier to remove when it's finished.

 

[scloyd]

I would do like chasingembers said and use cotton balls. Less of a mess and easier to remove when it's finished.

That is what I'm doing now. No salt...just cotton balls.

 

[scloyd]

Thanks everyone for your input. Much appreciated.

 

[subsalac]

Same here, just at the beginning of my pipe smoking journey. I did it a few times to get rid of ghosts. Now I just smoke through any ghost that I come across.

I've been trying this with an ebay pipe I got for 10 bucks which I think could be a big English factory second. I've only been back in the pipe game for a few months after a 13 year long pause, thinking I had quit, so I'm on the hunt now as they say. Since I'm looking for cheapo steals on ebay, I've picked up a few briar pipes, and well, almost all of them are very seriously ghosted. I've done a maximum of 3 24 hour SA treatments on them with 192 proof grain alcohol, and still the "dryer sheet" aroma intrudes. My plan here was the same as yours after my bottle of moonshine was quickly depleting from all the restoration, "Smoke through it" but my spirits are low in two senses now. Will these ghosts really go away if I just keep sticking virginia flakes into 'em, or do I need to smoke strongly sauced stuff so the topping/sauce does battle in some metaphysical pipe ghost arena and exiles the previous inhabitant? If you don't mind sharing your experiences, how long would you say this takes you? Cuz I'd love to just smoke through it but I worry this could never happen with a severe haunting.

I don't quite have the materials for a retort or activated charcoal baking, those two methods are something I'm considering. I just worry with the charcoal once I'm able to pick some up, if the shank will warp and no longer fit the stem after being in the oven sans stem, but that's neither here nor there.

If anyone else has some wisdom I'm all ears.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I've been trying this with an ebay pipe I got for 10 bucks which I think could be a big English factory second. I've only been back in the pipe game for a few months after a 13 year long pause, thinking I had quit, so I'm on the hunt now as they say. Since I'm looking for cheapo steals on ebay, I've picked up a few briar pipes, and well, almost all of them are very seriously ghosted. I've done a maximum of 3 24 hour SA treatments on them with 192 proof grain alcohol, and still the "dryer sheet" aroma intrudes. My plan here was the same as yours after my bottle of moonshine was quickly depleting from all the restoration, "Smoke through it" but my spirits are low in two senses now. Will these ghosts really go away if I just keep sticking virginia flakes into 'em, or do I need to smoke strongly sauced stuff so the topping/sauce does battle in some metaphysical pipe ghost arena and exiles the previous inhabitant? If you don't mind sharing your experiences, how long would you say this takes you? Cuz I'd love to just smoke through it but I worry this could never happen with a severe haunting.

I don't quite have the materials for a retort or activated charcoal baking, those two methods are something I'm considering. I just worry with the charcoal once I'm able to pick some up, if the shank will warp and no longer fit the stem after being in the oven sans stem, but that's neither here nor there.

If anyone else has some wisdom I'm all ears.

Carter Hall, strong English blends, or wet coffee grounds will exorcise most hauntings. Leave the white lightning for killing brain cells.?

 

[subsalac]

Coffee grounds! Interesting, this is something I can try very soon. I will report my results by the end of this year(which sounds dramatic but... it's the end of year, so...).

For the record, this pipe is so heavily ghosted that despite 10 or so bowls and 3 SA treatments, the outside of the bowl(rusticated, black finish) noticably smells of the perfumed topping. I've already vigorously scrubbed the shank clean and sanded the inside of the bowl down to almost pure briar. Eager to see if the grounds put a dent in this demon. I really want to save this pipe because it very well could be my best smoker since the draw and on it and smoking quality feels high quality, even without cake.

 

[tokerpipes]

Now I just smoke through any ghost that I come across.

+1 here also.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Eager to see if the grounds put a dent in this demon.

Just leave them in the chamber until mostly dry.

 

[BROBS]

Coffee grounds! Interesting, this is something I can try very soon. I will report my results by the end of this year(which sounds dramatic but... it's the end of year, so...).

For the record, this pipe is so heavily ghosted that despite 10 or so bowls and 3 SA treatments, the outside of the bowl(rusticated, black finish) noticably smells of the perfumed topping. I've already vigorously scrubbed the shank clean and sanded the inside of the bowl down to almost pure briar. Eager to see if the grounds put a dent in this demon. I really want to save this pipe because it very well could be my best smoker since the draw and on it and smoking quality feels high quality, even without cake.

You sure it’s topping and not something like febreze??

 

[diamondback]

Coffee grounds! Interesting, this is something I can try very soon. I will report my results by the end of this year(which sounds dramatic but... it's the end of year, so...).

For the record, this pipe is so heavily ghosted that despite 10 or so bowls and 3 SA treatments, the outside of the bowl(rusticated, black finish) noticably smells of the perfumed topping. I've already vigorously scrubbed the shank clean and sanded the inside of the bowl down to almost pure briar. Eager to see if the grounds put a dent in this demon. I really want to save this pipe because it very well could be my best smoker since the draw and on it and smoking quality feels high quality, even without cake.

Here’s something interesting. Was talking to @captainsousie after he mentioned ozone treatment. We have an old ozone generator for a mold outbreak from years ago. It’s an ugly little machine but it sure puts out the ozone. I found it in our garage a couple days ago and it still works.

DIY Ozone Chamber :: Pipe Repair and Maintenance

I just finished the prototype of a DIY Ozone Chamber. Using an inexpensive ChinaBay ozone plate as the core, I cobbled together the rest of the mechanism using stuff that I had lying around, and mounted it on a ZipLoc storage box from WallyWhirld. The ozone plate is rated at 5gr/hr. It is...

pipesmagazine.com

I doubt I’ll set up something as nice as @woodsroad has in that thread ^^, but I can put a little box in front of the ozone generator out in the garage and let it do its thing. Haven’t tried it yet.

 

[donjgiles]

Have you cleaned the shanks, where the stem attaches? I have found that many times there are many evil things lurking in there. Scrape the gunk out and run Q-tips and alcohol in there until everything is spic and span.

 

[BROBS]

That’s where most the ghost resides IMO.

 

[fightnhampster]

From my understanding, it's due to the larger granules of kosher salt.

Regular table salt granules are so small that they could get stuck in small cracks in the cake or briar. This would be bad if that happens because when they expand from the moisture, they will expand the crack if they are in one.

Also, larger granules are easier clean-up when your done and will help ensure that there is none left in the bowl when you are finished cleaning it.

+1. This has been my understanding as well

 

[jpmcwjr]

Coffee grounds! Interesting, this is something I can try very soon. I will report my results by the end of this year(which sounds dramatic but... it's the end of year, so...).

For the record, this pipe is so heavily ghosted that despite 10 or so bowls and 3 SA treatments, the outside of the bowl(rusticated, black finish) noticably smells of the perfumed topping. I've already vigorously scrubbed the shank clean and sanded the inside of the bowl down to almost pure briar. Eager to see if the grounds put a dent in this demon. I really want to save this pipe because it very well could be my best smoker since the draw and on it and smoking quality feels high quality, even without cake.

Have you cleaned the shanks, where the stem attaches? I have found that many times there are many evil things lurking in there. Scrape the gunk out and run Q-tips and alcohol in there until everything is spic and span.

The mortise is a likely suspect! Clean the heck out of it.

I've stopped using alcohol on my pipes, and will not use it unless every other method fails.

Subsalac- I'd wash the pipes in side and out with very hot water and some dish detergent. That may work for you. Let us know, please!

 

[aquadoc]

As in cooking, Diamond Kosher salt has fewer impurities and no iodine. It taste cleaner not that it matters with regard to a pipe.