Softy Bits question

[jon11]

For those of you who use softy bits on your pipes, how often do you remove the softy bit to clean the stem of the pipe? Just curious.....I dont know if the stem will oxidize quicker bc of the moisture that gets caught underneath the bit. Should I take off the bit to let the stem dry between each smoke and only put them on right before I light up? Or should I just always leave them on except for an occasional cleaning?

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I only use mine on some of my acrylic stems, so I can't attest to oxidation. However, I would wonder why you'd use them on the soft vulcanite. You can buff those out easily. Unless you're talking about Dunhills or something.
But, on my pipes that I do use them, I've not noticed anything getting trapped under them. They are fairly tight and snug, but I just roll them back and wipe down the acrylic when I do my deep cleaning on the pipe. Otherwise, I've not noticed anything gross, growing, or striking me as a concern.

 

[jon11]

I like the feel of the bit. I know vulcanite is soft but not as comfortable as the rubber bit. Does anyone else use them on vulcanite or just acrylic?

 

[warren]

I know that there a people whose bit simply doesn't work with certain bits. The soft fitting provides more surface area or at least fits their jaw better.

 

[saint007]

I have softy bits on everyone of my pipes. Last week, I ordered 20 9mm and 20 12mm from China. Makes it so much easier to clinch the pipe and much easier on my teeth!
I leave them on all the time and just wipe them when I finish a bowl.

 

[branzig]

I just used boiled vinyl tubing.
In essence I pay around .000001 cents per softy but that way :D
And I never take mine off either really. If the bits are on there, that means they're my smokers and I am not super anal about their appearance and don't worry about resale all that much.

 

[mso489]

The only softie I use is on a MM filtered cob. All my other MM cobs have Forever stems. The stem that comes on

most MM cobs is soft and tends to get chewed up, so it is more for the protection of the stem than of my teeth,

and also to keep from eating bits of plastic. With scores of pipes in rotation, I don't do any special cleaning of

the softie, just the usual after smoking cleaning I give all my pipes.

 

[goldsm]

I do use softy bits usually on my small size bits pipes. And I do put on little bit of a lip balm on the stem

before softy bits put on to protect any moisture or oxidize and also it make easy to put on.

cleaning? Only when you do deep clean a pipe you do take out softy bits clean and put back on with lip balm.

 

[rolldog]

I keep them on and have not noticed any need to clean underneath, as the rubber creates a nice seal.

 

[yachtexplorer]

I have sharp teeth and like to clench, thus i tend to really mar my bits. If you leave softies on vulacnite long enough they will definitely leave an olive green area with a sharp line behind the will be a real pain in the kiester to get out. I use food grade heat shrink tubing as it will shrink and conform to the bit and adds far less material to the thickness of the bit.
As I live and work on salt water, I really avoid vulcanite as it oxidizes so much faster in a marine environment, I can live with acrylic, really like bakelite and have taken to black juma as an alternative that is easy to work with files and tools, nearly as "soft" as vulcanite and FDA rated as a food grade material. It has no taste and stays black and shiny without having to constantly maintain it. The heat shrink tubing also leave a green stain on the bit of a vulcanite stem.