Shank Brush, Soap, and Water = Deep Cleaning

[unadoptedlamp]

It's interesting how divisive a topic this can be. It's not like someone is recommending you take a hit or two of acid and experiment with gay sex for a night (not that there is anything is wrong with that). This experiment won't leave you waking up confused and sticky. On the experimentation scale... it's very tame.
It's washing a piece of wood. If you haven't done that before, try washing a fruit bowl or whatever other wood product you may have about the house. Dry it off. If it rots, that means you left it in standing water. It's common sense.
My money is on your pecker rotting off from too much showering and old age before you can destroy a piece of dense briar wood with some water that you dry off immediately after washing.
If there is any logical reason why briar can not come in to contact with water after it has been carved, I would love to hear about it. Excluding finishes and the unfortunate presence of a lot of fills on a yard pipe, of course.
I've been using the alcohol treatment for many years. I thought it was the best way to treat and clean a pipe. I've been proven wrong. It's never been cleaner, nor tasted as fresh.
Lots of suds! It's fun, give it a try.

 

[Chasing Embers]

No here too. Water and dead wood don't mix. There's a reason outdoor wooden structures are water sealed.

 

[workman]

I don't think a little water can damage the briar. Only the stain, fillings, vulcanite and glued joints between different materials if the pipe has those.

 

[danielplainview]

 

[woodsroad]

The world is flat.

Everyone knows that.

 

[Chasing Embers]

That's a debate?

 

[sablebrush52]

I procrastinated trying the hot water flush for about a year. Now, that's the way I clean most of my pipes. Do a bit of reading about briar and you'll find out that alcohol isn't the best thing for it as it removes the silicate content that helps the wood deal with both heat and moisture. Of course it does come down to how much exposure the wood is getting to water of alcohol, which isn't much in either case. I don't clean the bowls with the Vulcanite stems attached as hot water isn't good for vulcanite, just as alcohol isn't good for acrylic. I clean the stems separately.

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

I don't know if anyone has been doing this for an extended period of time yet (as in not only months but years) but I have a suspicion that over a long period of time there may be adverse effects.

Here's my concern. Imagine there's a small unseen flaw within the shank. The small amount of moisture from smoking might not get in there much, but running water may. Over time that little bit of water getting into the shank causes rot. One day you're removing the stem, and snap, shank breaks in half.

And I'd be particularly concerned about cleaning meers this way.

I imagine with meers it may be ok if you're careful. Meerschaum pipes are carved after being soaked in water to make the mineral soft and more easily carved. I would think it might be ok, as long as you didn't scrape at the chamber with something or use a wire pipe cleaner too aggressively while the pipe is still wet.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Here's my concern. Imagine there's a small unseen flaw within the shank. The small amount of moisture from smoking might not get in there much, but running water may. Over time that little bit of water getting into the shank causes rot. One day you're removing the stem, and snap, shank breaks in half.

How is this different than the moisture that builds up and is present while you're smoking the pipe?

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

How is this different than the moisture that builds up and is present while you're smoking the pipe?

It's a small amount of condensation as opposed to running water through it.

 

[eggrollpiper]

I believe the meerschaum would need to be resealed to color, although maybe raw meerschaum could be good for the infamous breathing briar may or may not do.

I tried the running water also a few months ago when someone brought it up and although the pipe was somewhat cleaner, I think the softened cake absorbed whatever is dissolved in the tap because the next smoke tasted like crappy L.I. tap water flavored Va flake. Maybe I should try NYC tap. If I can bring myself to wash a pipe in a star bucks bathroom. After a night of gay sex and acid that pipe is gonna need a bath..

 

[Chasing Embers]

That just topped anything I have ever posted.....ever
:rofl:

 

[piffyr]

Lots of suds! It's fun, give it a try.

 

[jpmcwjr]

How is this different than the moisture that builds up and is present while you're smoking the pipe?

It's a small amount of condensation as opposed to running water through it.

It's not small! You have to consider both time and temperature when you compare smoking with a rinse. Smoking introduces considerably more moisture stress than cleaning with hot water.
(Also: Briar is resistant to absorption and I've never heard of rot in an actively smoked pipe. Have you?)

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

It's not small! You have to consider both time and temperature when you compare smoking with a rinse. Smoking introduces considerably more moisture stress than cleaning with hot water.

Huh?

 

[Chasing Embers]

Huh?

+1

 

[jpmcwjr]

Pure physics.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Smoke very slowly and the heat will deal with most of the moisture. My pipe cleaners come out nearly dry after smoking.

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

I have to say I'm lost. I'm thinking, the condensation caused by smoking amounts to a pretty small amount of liquid in the pipe as opposed to basically running a small river through the chamber and shank with running water.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Briar is resistant to absorption

Depends on who you ask.
Pipedia

The majority of pipes sold today, whether hand made or machine made, are fashioned from briar. Briar is a particularly good wood for pipe making for a number of reasons. The first and most important is its natural resistance to fire. The second is its inherent ability to absorb moisture.