What's your favorite pipe cleaners, bowl wax, stem polish?

[melvinsunsmokedcastello]

When it's upkeep/maintenance time what brands do you use and why? I'm using BJ Longs cleaners and Pipemasters clean and cure. While I like the clean and cure, the longs swabs aren't my favorite. Don't seem to absorb well.
As for a polish for stem and bowl I'm still searching. Not sure where to start. Brebbia stem polish just seems to cover up oxidation only temporarily and it comes right back.
What say you? What are your favs and why?

 

[melvinsunsmokedcastello]

Also..
Thoughts on the salt/everclear process? While I have done it..and it does exorcise a pipe of its ghosts..I worry about it drying out the briar..
Legit concern or ridiculous nonsense?

 

[warren]

Nose grease (skin oil) for the briar bowls. Nothing for the the meers and cobs. Pipe cleaners? What ever is handy. got a bunch of Comoy's in the house right now. As for the bits I usually use tooth paste. I know I've got a bottle of Brebbia around somewhere just can't find it lately. I always know where the tooth paste is but, that wee bottle seems to hide itself.
My palate is pretty well shot, never notice ghosting.

 

[ravkesef]

Hi Mel,

First of all, welcome to the Forum--mighty glad you're here. I'll share a few of my techniques with you, things that I've learned and refined in 55 years of Pipesmoking, but please don't take them as absolutes--just that they've worked for me. YMMV. If your state permits the sale of grain alcohol (Everclear, inter al.,) that's a good way to go, because it's nearly pure alcohol, unflavored, and inexpensive. I buy a small bottle every year, and that suffices for all my cleaning needs. Your next cheapest item will be pipe cleaners--don't economIze on them. Run a pipe cleaner through your pipe as you smoke it. It will keep the airway dry, and make for a pleasant smoke. Brand? BJ long seems to be ubiquitous, and often is the only one you can get. Iwan Ries sells different shapes and thicknesses and you should have a full complement of all of them. My favorite bristle cleaners are the Ream N Kleen brand--both the regular and the Fluffy-tales (tapered.). If you can't find this brand, go with what's available. So, your arsenal should consist of regular pipe cleaners, extra thick, and tapered, regular and tapered bristle cleaners. Now buy three or four shank brushes. Unlike pipe cleaners, these can be cleaned and re-used. Best stem treatment is Decatur--a new product and currently only available at P&C. There's an oxidation remover and a stem polish. Of course, nothing beats a buffing wheel and the appropriate polishes, but that's really going first class. Obsidian Oil is also an excellent product, especially when used as a preventive. Polishing the bowl: Paragon and Halcyon, and of course, a good polishing cloth.
I prefer GLP's "Ghosts be Gone" to the alcohol and salt treatment. It's far gentler, and, in my judgment, more effective. I keep a small jar of aquarium charcoal around for when the need arises.

That's about it for now. Others may disagree, but my experience has shown these things to be effective. I strongly believe that a clean pipe smokes better than one that is cleaned only when you get a letter from your state's board of health.

Please feel free to contact me if there's any further info I can provide.

And again, welcome m

 

[fnord]

Melvin:
You asked a simple question, but unfortunately, there are numerous responses.
I work by hand with tools readily available from local hardware, craft and liquor stores.
First things first: trim back the cake.
Then, I love a salt and alcohol treatment for two tries to clear ghosts. (Non-iodized salt and the highest proof spirit you can legally purchase. Let it soak for 24 hours.) If that doesn't work then I break out the alcohol retort. I've never, ever had to use the retort more than twice to sweeten a nasty bowl.
I work by hand and always use a Clorox forward soak for olived stems. That's heresy for some members but it works for me. I then wet sand like hell with a Micromesh kit and very, very carefully follow up with Carnuba wax on a too damned fast buffing wheel.
Bowls and shafts are cleaned with a soft, broken down toothbrush and the mildest of detergents or hand soaps. Do a quick rinse, dry and, for my blasted bowls, the tiniest amounts of Halcyon II are applied, allowed to dry and then hand buffed with a microfiber cloth. Smooth bowls and stems get even less Halcyon II.
I recently picked up a used air conditioner motor and will be receiving the Beall Buffing Kit from my sons for a present. At that point I'll be ridiculously lethal: sanding nomenclature, reshaping mouthpieces and destroying structural integrity.
Ask 20 other cats here and you'll get 20 other responses,
PM with any additional questions, Melvin.
Best of luck.
Fnord

 

[sablebrush52]

I agree with most of the above. Since B J Long pipe cleaners are readily available, I use them, but their tapered bristle cleaners have been pretty uneven in quality in the last couple of years. I'll check out those Ream N Clean pipe cleaners when I'm ready to resupply.
The actions I take depend on what the pipe needs to be returned to a clean sweet condition. Maintaining that condition is then pretty simple.
First I remove most of the cake, and occasionally all of it if the pipe is really stale. Salt and alcohol treatment for the bowl comes next. Some people worry about the possibility of the S/A treatment resulting in a crack. I've not ever had that happen, but if you have a concern, another way to do this is to substitute cotton balls for the salt. Since cotton balls are used with a hot alcohol retort treatment, they would probably work with a cold alcohol treatment as well.
I thoroughly scrub out the air way. If there's a significant build up of hardened residue in the shank airway, I'll use a drill bit to ream it out. Next come shank brushes that have been soaked in alcohol, followed by bristle brush cleaners, and finally regular pipe cleaners. For cleaning the airway between smokes I use the regular pipe cleaners. I take a lot of time with the mortise, making sure that it is cleaned back to the wood. A lot of sourness emanates from the shank mortise.
There is a lot of disagreement regarding methods of cleaning oxidation from the stem. Some advocate immersing the stem in bleach, others use oxy. None of the professional restorers I've discussed this with use either product. Bleach will pit the vulcanite and you will still have to grind away the pits. To remove surface oxidation I use micromesh pads to first grind off the oxidation and then polish it. Properly used, micromesh pads will leave the stem with a glass like shine.
I'll scrub out the stem airway using the same tools that I use for cleaning out the shank. Some restorers use toothpaste on the stem airway, alcohol, or both. I've also tried a couple of stem oxidation removal products and they do a good job. Whatever method you choose to use, remove all of the oxidation.
Cleaning grime from the exterior of the bowl and shank can be done a number of ways, mild detergent, Murphy's Oil Soap, olive oil, and spit have all been used. Spit works great for dissolving deposits on the rim.
If you know how to use a buffer, a final polish with carnuba wax will leave you with a bright shine. But this requires a feather light touch to avoid ruining the nomenclature, and softening the edges of the pipe's shape. I use either Paragon, or Halcyon waxes. They will give you a shine that is equal in brilliance to carnuba. But, you need to use tiny amounts to get that shine. Too much of either product and the pipe will be dull and feel gummy. You can apply a few thin coats to get a smoother gloss, but give each application time to thoroughly dry. I wait a day between coats. Most of the time, one coat is sufficient. Unlike others, I actually use the palms of my hands to do the polishing. Works better for me than any cloth. I apply the wax to both the briar and the stem. Sealing the stem from oxygen retards further oxidation. So does keeping your pipes out of light when not in use.

 

[petes03]

I'll throw in my $.02.

For standard pipe cleaners, I like Dill's and B.J Longs.

For fluffy pipe cleaners, I like B.J Longs.

For bristle pipe cleaners, I like Brighams and B.J Longs.
For the bowl' exterior I usually clean with a little spit on a rag, then polish with carnauba wax.

If the color is darkening to much, or fading for some reason, I might even take some 1500-2000gr. sandpaper to it, then polish with wax.
For the stems that are oxidized, I start with a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, then 1500gr. sandpaper, then 2000gr., then polish with tooth paste, buff with a clean cloth, then polish with carnauba wax.

 

[kimbiker]

Fnord....you mention trimming back the cake. I have quite a build up on my Falcon bowls. Could you tell me the method you use?

 

[warren]

One more observation: Keep the pipe fairly clean to begin with. You should have a routine that will keep problems from getting out of hand. My pipes get a quick wipe when they come off the rack and when they are returned. Pipe cleaners are not expensive, I use them often.
Sunday is when I give my smokers a good cleaning inside and out. My tools for doing so consist of Everclear, pipe cleaners, tooth paste, reamer, and some clean, cotton handkerchiefs. Oh, and a waste can. Again, the key is not to let the pipes to such a state that they require major attention.

 

[fnord]

Kimbiker:
You got several great responses before I even saw your question.
Big ass reamers - like the Castleford system - are dangerous until you develop your touch. You'll hear this many times from the pros and the hobbyists here, "What you take off cannot be replaced." (That's especially true when slimming down a tenon, opening a mortise or trimming back cake.)
I have several pipe tools with very dull/blunt edge blades. They're perfect for the new guys to practice with. It would also help to pick up some grunged out garage sale pipes to hone your technique. Lord knows I did.
You will fail, Kim. But don't kick your self too hard, okay? Practice on the nastiest burners you can find, keep asking questions and you'll be more than proficient in no time.
There are lots of great people here who will hand-hold you through the process. Just ask. (The first time I took a Bic lighter to an overclocked Dr. Grabow tenon I was more nervous than a whore at high mass. These days? No sweat.)
Suerte,
Fnord

 

[kimbiker]

Thanks all and fnord, good advice, what a forum this is, wish I'd have found it much, much earlier.