What Your Pipes Smell Like?

[cosmicfolklore]

Before I started rinsing mine with water after smoking them, they smelled like old ashtrays. But, after rinsing with water, wiping out the bowl with a paper towel, and then a pipecleaner down the draft, they don't really have a smell at all. I mean, I am sure that a highly trained hound could probably find the pipe in the dark, but they don't have that acrid ashtray smell at all anymore.

 

[Mr.Mike]

I've heard of the water rinsing from other members, can you elaborate on how it's done. I've always thought briars should stay away from water

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I've heard of the water rinsing from other members, can you elaborate on how it's done. I've always thought briars should stay away from water

I'm not sure where the myth comes from. But, for going on a couple for years now, I will warm the tap water up a bit, put the bowl over the tap and let the water run through it for several seconds. Then dry the chamber with a wad of paper towel, and then running a pipe cleaner down the draft. Then I wipe the pipe down real well with a polishing cloth. I do this with all of my pipes, and they all look as good as new, even though I have been smoking them for years before I started this routine. They also have no odors at all.
And, they are ready right away to be smoked again, but usually I do all of this before bed.

 

[jpmcwjr]

A hot water flush down the chamber and out the stem does a lot with little work in keeping pipes fresh and clean. Not cleaner than clean, nor Springtime Fresh Clean®, but way better than before.

Also, I'd not remove the stems so often.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Mike:

For almost a century retailers and some manufacturers who want to sell you special sauce ($$, nice markups) told people that water was bad. BAD, bad. BAD! What a crock.

 

[Mr.Mike]

Thanks for the insight, I'll put it into practice on a few pipes and see how I like it

 

[SpookedPiper]

Penny Farting!

 

[olkofri]

Oh my, what's next? Throw them in the dishwasher? ?

*Olkofri flees before Cosmic throws his anvil at him and jpmcwjr forces him to smoke an English blend.

 

[Mr.Mike]

@olkofri maybe I'll start fabreezing my pipes

 

[Casual]

I’m going to try this water thing.

 

[olkofri]

I’m going to try this water thing.

I've been wanting to try it, but I don't have any sacrificial pipes yet, or any that smells or tastes sour.

Maybe I'll try it on a cob.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

FWIW, I use this technique on every pipe from my most expensive Beckers and artisan made pipes to my beater Savinellis. I'm not exactly sure what is supposed to happen that is negative from this. My pipes have only gotten better.

But, if someone doesn't want to use the technique... more power to them.

 

[mso489]

I keep my pipes ash and cake-free by wiping out the bowl with a paper towel after I scoop out the ash. This result is a thin carbon layer and no reduction of chamber size, and a sweet twangy tobacco smell that is like sniffing a glass of wine before you take the first sip. No ghosts, just memories of good smokes past.

 

[diamondback]

Here in Middle Tennessee our tap water is very hard. I heat up distilled water on the stove to warm flush.

 

[Epip Oc'Cabot]

Hmm. to me, the bowls of my pipes smell... like the bowl of a pipe, a friendly tool to facilitate the enjoyment of pipe tobacco. So, i guess i am saying the smell as they should for the task that is given them. It is a smell unique onto itself. trying to describe it is akin, IMO, like trying to describe any odor that is unique and its own. Think of any pure odor.... like a lemon. We all know what a lemon's odor is, but theonly word that fully describes its aroma fully is.... lemon.

 

[workman]

If the chamber gets moist during the smoke, it might get a little of that wet ashtray smell. Otherwise, pipes smell good. Sweet, burnt tobacco aroma. Very pleasant.

 

[Casual]

I took the plunge and rinsed a pipe that had no cake under warm water for a minute or so. Then paper towel for the bowl, and a cleaner through the stem. It was far less fragrant after that simple cleaning.

Looks like JP shilling for Big Water collects another victim!

 

[autumnfog]

I think it is a nice and homely smell.
The lingering smell of fermented quality tobacco have little or no resemblance to cigarette-filled ashtrays.

 

[diamondback]

I took the plunge and rinsed a pipe that had no cake under warm water for a minute or so. Then paper towel for the bowl, and a cleaner through the stem. It was far less fragrant after that simple cleaning.

Looks like JP shilling for Big Water collects another victim!

It’s only a few briars of mine that get the warm-flush (somewhat due to me having to heat distilled water — tap water way too ‘hard’).

That said, I’m in agreement: those have a very faint smell by comparison.

 

[BROBS]

why does it matter if the tap water is hard?