Stinger Cleaning

[05venturer]

I recently bought a #14 Mr Brog Churchwarden. It is the only pipe I have with a "stinger" in it.

How and How often do you clean this? I have been pulling it out after each smoke and soaking it in either vodka or 99% Iso Alcohol. I am just wondering if pulling this out constantly is going to wear it out to wear it will not stay in the stem after time,

Any suggestions?

 

[oklansas]

Same pipe here (love it with McB Navy Flake),
When I clean it, I pull it out of the stem and just soak it in the glass of grain alcohol I'm using to clean. When I'm done cleaning, I dry it off real well and reinsert.
I've gotten my Brog up to 5 five bowls so far without needing to remove the stem and clean the stinger. Although, every time it I've had it gurgle, I've been obliged to take off the stem and clean the gunk out of the stinger due to the draw getting tight.
I believe others have just taken it off completely and smoke their Brogs sans stinger just fine, but I can't speak to that.

 

[ffmurray]

I personally cleaned the stinger from my pipe by removing it and throwing it away. If the stinger removes moisture from the smoke inside the pipe, before the smoke leaves the pipe then the moisture is still in the pipe. Briar doesn't like being wet and if you you can't clean it before it cools then it has time to soak into the wood. Water oils and tar just sitting in the pipe seem pretty gross, bad for the wood and seem like they would sour a pipe much faster. I'd rather clean them out right after the smoke or even during the smoke with a pipe cleaner and not have to remove the stem as often.

 

[rayje589]

Maybe it's because I'm a bit meticulous in my cleaning but I'll take the stem off after every smoke and clean the shank, stem, and if it has a stinger, that too. I use a napkin or tissue and get into all the nooks and crannies of it... mostly because a friend drank all of my everclear. >=[

 

[nsfisher]

I also have a #14 Brog. Nice little bowl for taking to work. I took the stinger or "cooler" out before the first smoke and the draw is perfect without it.

 

[austinxpipe]

I had one I let soak for days before the gunk even considered moving with my cleaner. Man those things are annoying. Yet I never take them off. Go figure..