Water Flush Cleaning Technique

Log in

SmokingPipes.com Updates

New Cigars




PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Status
Not open for further replies.

Ziggywm

Can't Leave
Sep 9, 2019
358
3,793
Fargo, ND
I usually use warm to hot water. Personal choice. I always leave the stem on. Hold bowl under the stream of water from the faucet, let it run through and out the stem. Pretty simple.
Well, I read further and got the picture. And I gave it a try on several pipes I recently smoked. I find it works well !! Its adept at taking the canaubu wax off the bowls, but that is easily buffed back on. Tried it with stem on and off. I didn't find any difference. When I clean my shanks with Everclear and a small thistle brush I usually apply a small dab of bees wax using a candle to grease the tenon. I did that too after the water treatment. I NEVER thought about H2O as an acceptable cleaner, but so far I like it and will use it regularly. Tar and oils are an enemy of a sweet smoke. Thanks for posting this.
 

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,568
27,074
Carmel Valley, CA
In all seriousness... If you read this whole thread and believe water can hurt your pipes, then you need a therapist. That's an unreasonable fear. @sablebrush52 has some pretty damn fancy pipes.. he washes those and has for a long time. @jpmcwjr is the spokesman for the washaholics , also a moderator on this forum, has used this method for years on his pipes. I know his pipes are high end... after reading 100s of his post I have gathered that he is a rich guy, and he drives a 7 series bmw.


WATER WILL NOT HURT YOUR BRIAR PIPES... IT WILL OVER TIME HURT COBS AND MM HARDWOODS, BUT THOSE COST 5 BUCKS.
Right on! I've been doing the hot water flush for five years, and I've read a couple of newer folks have been doing so way longer.

And I am not a spokesman for the many who've tried it and had good results, but I'll cop to being the "chief promulgator".....

Not rich, but very comfortable. And I've never owned a Beemer, and have no desire to.

I am in the midst of downsizing from 4BR 3 BA to two of each, cutting square footage in half. Move inside of three weeks!
 
Last edited:

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
19,623
44,833
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
Those are the same bonafide members that wouldn't take my word for my stem cleaning and needed to see video proof which I provided. Still waiting on a water cleaning video.

It isn't about belief, it's about being talked down to because you'd rather keep using cleaning methods you're comfortable with.
My seconding a video had NOTHING to do with doubting your method. But I couldn't duplicate it from a verbal description so I thought being able to see you perform it would help me be able to follow it. And I suspect that was the reason a video was requested in the first place.
 

jpmcwjr

Moderator
Staff member
May 12, 2015
24,568
27,074
Carmel Valley, CA
Those are the same bonafide members that wouldn't take my word for my stem cleaning and needed to see video proof which I provided. Still waiting on a water cleaning video.
Not among them.

No need for that. It's A.) Simple and easy. and B.) Been done by many folks, thousands of pipes
It isn't about belief, it's about being talked down to because you'd rather keep using cleaning methods you're comfortable with.
Who is talking down to you? An example or two or three, please.
 

telescopes

Pipe Dreamer and Star Gazer
Here's my take away. I had heard about water baths. In fact, most of my baths taken in my life involved water.

But pipes, taking a bath? Hmmm. I read up on it. Listened to the pros and cons talked about in this thread. Did some research.

1. Briar can withstand a little water;
2. Water is a neutral liquid, for the most part;
3. Water helps to open up whiskey - Okay, that one was for me. I needed a drink if I was going through with this;
4. The naysayers had no proof, anecdotal or otherwise that this was a bad idea;
5. I smoked my pipe and then gave it a the prescribed bath;
6. I let it rest over night;
7. I did the same to another pipe;
8. In the morning, both pipes smelled better;
9. I smoked one;
10.Nothing happened except the tobacco tasted a bit better.

So, what have I learned from this thread?

Some people are not ready to hold hands and sing Kumbaya.

I have two pipes that were quite a bit cleaner than before I smoked them.

The world didn't end.

Perhaps it is time, in the immortal words of Luke Skywalker, "It's time for this thread to end!"
 

Akousticplyr

Lifer
Oct 12, 2019
1,155
5,712
Florida Panhandle
Uh oh....!

Indiana_Jones_-_In_Before_The_Lock.gif
 

olkofri

Lifer
Sep 9, 2017
8,033
14,644
The Arm of Orion
There are also variations of the method.

**I** always disassemble a pipe to clean it (a number of mine are filtered, so I have to, anyway), and the stem always gets washed with dish soap and water. I don't use hot water: lukewarm water on acrylic and coldish water on vulcanite.

I wash the stummel with warm water only when disinfecting a brand new pipe or if the carbon persists after wiping with saliva and a towel paper.

There's only one pipe I won't get wet (well, one and a half now, since I won't let the stem of the Auenland get soaked again): one whose maker strongly remarked in the 'manual' that it should never be exposed to water due to the carnauba they used. Dunno about the carnauba bit, but once I got saliva on the bowl's rim and the dye started coming off: if that happens with a drop of moisture, I'm definitely not putting it under the faucet.
 

irishearl

Lifer
Aug 2, 2016
2,146
3,762
Kansas
Right on! I've been doing the hot water flush for five years, and I've read a couple of newer folks have been doing so way longer.

And I am not a spokesman for the many who've tried it and had good results, but I'll cop to being the "chief promulgator".....

Not rich, but very comfortable. And I've never owned a Beemer, and have no desire to.

I am in the midst of downsizing from 4BR 3 BA to two of each, cutting square footage in half. Move inside of three weeks!
Unlike the typical trend of aging folks down-sizing, we went the opposite direction. When my wife and I were both around 60, we decided to go from a roughly 1200 square foot house to one double that size. Though it's just 2 of us, (and 2 cats), love all the extra room.
 

shermnatman

Lifer
Jan 25, 2019
1,030
4,862
Philadelphia Suburbs, Pennsylvania
It occurs to me that the root from which briar is culled, lives underground for decades and decades and decades and decades, while literally inundated by dampness and moisture - both surrounding the root-ball itself, as well as, internally so it remains alive - before being harvested and turned into a beautiful pipe.

Therefore, I must ask:

What is the magical effect, which occurs in some peoples minds, between the harvesting and the turning of the briar, which robs of it's ability to withstand some tap water running through it for a few moments during cleaning? - Sherm Natman
 
Dec 6, 2019
4,296
19,375
33
AL/GA
Right on! I've been doing the hot water flush for five years, and I've read a couple of newer folks have been doing so way longer.

And I am not a spokesman for the many who've tried it and had good results, but I'll cop to being the "chief promulgator".....

Not rich, but very comfortable. And I've never owned a Beemer, and have no desire to.

I am in the midst of downsizing from 4BR 3 BA to two of each, cutting square footage in half. Move inside of three weeks!

Good luck with your move!
 
  • Like
Reactions: jpmcwjr and OzPiper
Status
Not open for further replies.