I like to start off with cotton. If that doesn’t do the trick I use salt. Salt works better for me with stronger ghosts or dirtier pipes. Cotton works great for lighter cleaning.
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I've always used the Kosher salt/Everclear method of cleaning up estate pipes & have been satisfied with the results. While many folks use cotton balls with success, I've hesitated using them because of concerns about leaving fibers in the bowl.
For me the most important aspect of cleaning a newly purchased estate pipe is making sure the shank & stem are thoroughly scrubbed & cleaned. I've found it worthwhile to purchase a couple inexpensive dental tools to help with cleaning the shank. I've been impressed with how much crud one gets out of an old shank when I've gently scraped the inside of it.
For me the most important aspect of cleaning a newly purchased estate pipe is making sure the shank & stem are thoroughly scrubbed & cleaned. I've found it worthwhile to purchase a couple inexpensive dental tools to help with cleaning the shank. I've been impressed with how much crud one gets out of an old shank when I've gently scraped the inside of it.
