To Retort or Not To Retort 😆
- Thread starter PipeHäbēəst
- Start date
I never found any benefit to using 190 proof Everclear vs Walmart 99% isopropyl alcohol. The 99% was a lot easier to secure and dirt cheap.
Me neither but when I do, this is where I will go:
I just use a kosher salt in the bowl with everclear soak.
Retorts are great. Alcohol and fire are very common reasons for 9-1-1 calls and burn units.
Retorts are great. Alcohol and fire are very common reasons for 9-1-1 calls and burn units.
I’ve always had a fire extinguisher right next to me for that reason and do this in middle of garage attempting to isolate as much as possible. Plus side, wife’s a nurse and never do when she’s not home. Majority of my deghosts are salt and everclear. I’ve heard of a charcoal filled bowl oven bake out with low heat 170 right after salt/alcohol but never seen the process.
I have used a retort as a last resort, after everything else has failed. It sets the pipe back to as close to neutral as it’s going to get.
Use with caution.
After that, regular cleaning should be enough, unless you’re into goopers or lat bombs.
Water flushing for cleaning keeps my pipes very fresh tasting. If I were dedicating a pipe to a specific blend then alcohol would be good enough for maintenance.
Use with caution.
After that, regular cleaning should be enough, unless you’re into goopers or lat bombs.
Water flushing for cleaning keeps my pipes very fresh tasting. If I were dedicating a pipe to a specific blend then alcohol would be good enough for maintenance.
Man I don't want to see the injuries caused by alcohol vapors exploding a retort and catching fire. That sounds like several layers of very nasty.
Which is why one uses a rocking motion, to cool and reheat so as to control the temp. Yes, it's imprecise, but so far have never had an issue. I just watch everything like the proverbial hawk. It also might help that the flask I use was designed for this specific purpose.
I keep my eyes and feelers on it for temp. I also so have air movement in my garage have an old ceiling fan mounted so I make sure vapors never really get to fall near flame source, which is just off to the side and higher up. I also keep a touch on the bowl to make sure condensed residual doesn’t come out the top.
It's sounds to me like one of those things. Not too hard but if you mess it up.... ouch!!
I think it fits into that line of things you tell people not to do because if they're qualified to do it they should know. It's not something to let the average random person mess with, when some people are mechanically disinclined and perplexingly clumsy.
So you can certainly understand the importance of knowing what you're doing.
I wasn't trying to say anyone here is going to blow themselves up, but some of our invisible readers certainly might. Also I am just kind of morbid and fascinated by the things a human body can suffer, while also being terribly horrified by the same thing.
I feel you. You’re good and agree. I work oilfield applications and seen a lot. I was also the dumb A** kid that spilt gas on garage floor when I over filled the mini bike tank and let my friend suggest we get it up with a vacuum cleaner. Used my grandparents old rocket looking vacuum cleaner. Damn thing almost shot off like a rocket thank goodness no one was hurt. Just a big flash and bang with dust everywhere lol. Mom was mad. Dad took humor in it as a learning lesson
I have one around here somewhere. I gave it a good try. I started collecting Kaywoodies and found it wasn’t great with stinger pipes. I also had a tendency to mess up stems. So I worked out how to get a pipe really clean without it.
A cheap ozone generator in a toolbox kills remaining ghosts pretty well.
My main difficulty is with meerschaums. Odors really linger in a meerschaum . I wouldn’t use a retort on one of those anyway. Too easy to mess up the finish.
A cheap ozone generator in a toolbox kills remaining ghosts pretty well.
My main difficulty is with meerschaums. Odors really linger in a meerschaum . I wouldn’t use a retort on one of those anyway. Too easy to mess up the finish.
Good I work with a few guys that have worked in that field and man they have stories. My favorites are the wow that came very close to a total nightmare, glad you only lost your teeth.
I would love to see a video of that, though please no one try and make it.
I used to use one all the time starting in 2008. Easily 100+. It does a great job and is fast but it is a bit overkill on the typical estate and I rarely reach for it now. Used to do it on my gas stove, but a tealight candle works almost as good. Never had anything go wrong.