Seeking Cleaning/Upkeep Advice

[Sam_Gamgee]

Great information, thank you!

I went with a grain alc & bourbon mixture. Sent a wet bristled cleaner through the tenon and out the mouthpiece, alternating with dry, reg cleaners. I can already tell much of the smell is gone, but dangit if the faint smell of burnt rubber persists! Is that simply the smell of a vulcanite stem? If so, are there alternatives i might try? It’s faint enough to where it won’t drive me nuts, but as I’m still exploring all the aspects of pipe smoking I am curious.
Thank you again everyone for your guidance. Can’t wait to keep learning.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Above Sablebrush 52 made it clear once and for all, case closed.

 

[PipeIT]

@Sam_Gamgee

How old are these pipes?

If you have cleaned them out already, but still notice issues, make sure to let your pipes dry out for a few days, then try smoking a Straight Burley before smoking anything else in them, then let them dry out for a few days after smoking...

 

[jpmcwjr]

Hot water- as from a household tap- ( say, 120º to 160º) will not cause the tenon nor any part of the stem to bend.

 

[Sam_Gamgee]

@Sam_Gamgee

How old are these pipes?

If you have cleaned them out already, but still notice issues, make sure to let your pipes dry out for a few days, then try smoking a Straight Burley before smoking anything else in them, then let them dry out for a few days after smoking...

Thanks PipeIT. The pipes are new- one is a briar church warden from H.I.S. I bought new for $30, the other is a new MM Legend, $7.

 

[PipeIT]

Thanks PipeIT. The pipes are new- one is a briar church warden from H.I.S. I bought new for $30, the other is a new MM Legend, $7.

Hmm interesting you having this problem with new pipes.

Maybe a different angle here to play.

If you smoke as an example several bowls a day in a pipe, and you smoke different blends, not that you have to smoke different blends, but that you smoke several bowls in a pipe through the day, be sure to use your cleaners often, bristled and soft.

Try to have enough pipes in your rotation, that you can let them dry out for 2-3 days, in case you smoke a lot in one day in one pipe.

Flip the pipe upside down to let it dry out, not sure it really matters, but the condensation is suppose to run down and out the bowl better, try and see. After all there is heat at the bottom and with a pipe facing upright, it would be more normal for the heat and condensation to stay more in the bottom.

And last Sip on your pipes when you smoke, don’t be a huffing puffing chimney, and don’t let the bowl get hot, only warm, and try and let it cool down before either puffing again, or relighting. All these help in keeping a sweet tasting pipe, and don’t smoke all the way to the bottom, some people like that more intense flavor of the dottle, but you also run the risk with the flame, burning the bottom over time.

 

[Sam_Gamgee]

An update for anyone who might want to know: after a deep clean and some rest I smoked a small bowl of Sutliff Burley through my briar pipe. It was pleasant and not sour at all! I did a careful quick clean 30 minutes after smoking- pipe and stem smell fine to me. Thank you all for the solid advice! Next will be a sampling of Sutliff Creme Brûlée on Saturday.

 

[chopper]

Greetings everyone,

My name is Sam. I’ve smoked a handful of times over the past several years, but just this November I’ve begun to really get into the hobby. I’m currently researching tobaccos and having fun doing it. Started with Sutliff Burley but it was too much body for me. I just tried Lane 1-Q which I liked more. Tomorrow I hit the shop to find something more vanilla forward.

My current issue is that both of my pipes- a briar and a cobb- both smell very sour and unpleasant, especially the bit of my briar. I’ve wiped/cleaned with paper towel and pipe cleaners. I’m not sure if this was wise but I even tried cleaning the briar bowl with a paper towel soaked in a nice IPA, as I read on a forum that one could do that. Anyway, my goals are 1. To take the sour stink (and presumably taste) out of that bit and the rest of the pieces of my pipes, and 2. To get some type of mild, sweet, pleasant smell/taste in the pipes. I’ve heard Frangelico and grain alcohol is a good mixture. Pipe Sweetener maybe?

Thank you I’m advance for your advice. I have felt very welcomed by all the pipe smokers I have encountered so far- thank you!

G'day Sam. Welcome.

I've often wondered what turns a pipe sour.
For several years I smoked the same pipe, day in day out [because I didn't know any better] and it never turned sour [It might have helped that it's a Peterson with a rather thick chamber wall]

I've not read all the replies but I'd advise to buy a few MM cobs [as good a smoker as any fancy brand name briar] and rotate your pipes more often to give them time to rest inbetween smokes.

A few here seem to have a real dislike for 1Q - personally I rather like the stuff - [I suspect that they're snobs who smoke nothing but expensive tinned stuff that's soaked in soapy perfumed toppings as a homage to their grannies . . . . . but I digress]

Only yesterday I tried MacBaren Vanilla Cream Flake for the first time and highly recommend it. Comes at the right hydration and would have to be one of the easiest flakes to prepare.
Or the MB Vanilla Cream loose cut version, which might be easier for a newbie.

 

[chopper]

I don't know if I would use that stuff. Definitely don't drink it. We have it available where I live as well. They use the bad parts of the run (the beginning and the end) to make the hand sanitizer. That stuff is toxic.

I've had this discussion more than once . . . I use 99.8% isopropyl alcohol to make my medicine [you know boss, that subject that's verboten here ] basically because it's all that's available [grain alcohol - known as methylated spirits here - has something nasty added to discourage consuming it - would not put that in a briar]

My argument is that as long as all the iso is allowed to evaporate, I don't see any problem using it.
I'd much prefer to use Everclear but since it's not available here in Nanny State Australia, isopropyl alcohol is my only affordable option.