Salt vs. Cotton Ball?

[petes03]

I'm about to start a resto job on another one of my Old England Virgin Briar estates I bought a while back and I have a question. I've always used the salt/alcohol treatment on estates, but it is very messy. I've heard some talk on the forums here about using alcohol and cotton balls and was wondering what y'all's thoughts on it were vs the salt.

 

[pruss]

I've only ever used salt, I know that smokeybear did the cotton ball thing a couple weeks ago.
I don't find the Salt & Alcohol treatment overly messy. But I also give the treatment a good 24+ hours to make sure that all the alcohol has been evaporated. Once that's happened, I break the crust with a toothpick and then dump the salt directly into a trash can. Using the spoon from a Czech pipe tool to gently pull the rest of the kosher salt out and a paper towel ream finishes the job.
Would love to see some pics of your estates as you clean 'em up Pete.
Have fun.
-- Pat

 

[petes03]

@pruss, that's what I normally do as well. I was just looking for an easier way! As for the pics, I'm stuck using an iPhone and I still can't figure out how to post pics with it. I do have pics of my pipes in my profile album, if you'd like to send me a friend request you can see em there. I have some pics of other estates if fixed up in there.

 

[pstlpkr]

Sorry PETA... I use Teddy Bear balls.

It's just easier for me.

Not necessarily better, just simpler.
As for the PETA reference....

I'm all about saving the Teddy Bears.

But... Hey, real Teddy Bear balls just work best for me.

Needs must.

::

 

[petes03]

That's funny stuff, Lawrence! I'll have to remember that one! Lol!

 

[smokeybear]

Hey Pete the salt treatment works faster from what I hear but he cotton balls did a good job and it was worth the not having to clean out the pipe after. I would just give it more time and add more alcohol with the cotton balls as it does not absorb and evapourate as fast compared to salt. All in all it does the same job just slower. I still need to get my hands on a retort ill ask Pruss where he got his.

 

[petes03]

Thanks a lot guys! I went with the cotton ball this time. I can't wait to see how it turns out!

 

[numbersix]

Let us know the results. I've had such good luck with the S&A treatment, that I don't think I will change, but be interested to hear how it went.

 

[tbradsim1]

I use Kosher salt, I feel you get better contact with the side walls, just don"t fill up to the rim, if you do alcohol will flow over. Ask me how I know! LOL

 

[jah76]

Yeah I've taken some finish like that Cajun. I think salt does a better job, but I don't like the way it tastes. Might be my imagination.
Because I'm lazy I just use cotton balls from the start. Otherwise I'd use salt, then cotton balls a few days later.

 

[petes03]

Well, I just took the cotton balls out and finished the clean up of the bowl. Also deoxidized the stem. The stem was missing the white dot on the side, so I used a piece of white plastic to fill it in. I'll let the pipe dry for another day or two and see how the cotton balls worked.

 

[rmason]

I've haven't used the cotton ball idea, but salt has worked for me just fine; plus if you find the salt and alcohol treatment to messy try using an eye dropper to put the alcohol in.

~Ron

 

[petes03]

@rmason, I actually just bought an eye dropper for that very reason! Works great!

 

[pipingruotsi]

+1 on the eye dropper! I have a bunch of those little bottles from the E-cig solution my fiance uses. They're perfect for lots of stuff. My instincts tell that salt would make a more consistent contact with the walls, but I haven't tried the cotton balls yet. I have a lot of Kaywoodie pipes coming, so maybe I'll give it a go.
Can one of you tell me what a retort is, please? I've seen it mentioned quite a few times one posts and I'm clueless. Hate feeling ignorant....

Thanks

 

[cortezattic]

This guy is clumsy, but you'll get the idea.

 

[ghost]

I've mentioned this on other threads, but I've used both methods quite often. I still think salt may work better, but I've preferred the cotton balls lately. Both are easy to clean up, cotton is easier. Just make sure there's no salt hiding in your shank if you do the S/A. The dropper is essential in my opinion to keep the alcohol from getting on the finish, unless you plan to refinish the stummel anyways.
The activated charcoal/oven method seems to work well too. I had some good results on a few estate pipes I tried it on. Right now I'm experimenting on one of my own heavily ghosted (Blue Note and Argosy Black!) pipes by filling the bowl and an old margarine container with activated charcoal and leaving it with the lid closed for a few weeks. It's the toughest ghosting I've ever worked on, and I'm the only owner of the pipe. 8O Once I decide to pull it out, I'll post the results.

 

[cortezattic]

I used to do the cotton ball thing too. For a year now, I've just been scrubbing the shanks with alcohol and ignoring the bowl.

I can't really say that soaking the bowl is worth the trouble. I think that cleaning the shank is sufficient for me..

 

[pipingruotsi]

Wow! Thanks Cortez. That looks dangerous. To me alcohol + fire = bad idea. lol I think I'll stick with alcohol sans fire. Definitely interesting though

 

[cortezattic]

The retort procedure shown in the video is pretty lame. In practice, the pipe and retort should be secured on a stand with

clamps, and the flame should be regulated for high or low, or moved alternately under or away from the retort. Holding lab

equipment that has boiling liquid moving through it, by hand (even with clamps), is just plain stupid.

That guy's next video will probably appear on TV's Ridiculousness as a how-to on obtaining 3rd degree burns. :lol:

 

[pipingruotsi]

Well, good to know that it's less dangerous than it looked. Just the same, I'll stick with scotch and latakia for my alcohol and fire mixture. I've been regularly cleaning my shanks w/isopropyl too. Some of my pipe bowls really did need a good cleaning, but it seems to me that the shank is more important to keep clean unless trying to get rid of a poltergeist.