When to treat

[HammerandPipe]

Hey fellow smokers.

I got two estate pipes I’m considering S&A or Cotton Ball and Alcohol treatment for. Both bowls smell clean enough but I did remove gunk from the bowls. Wondering if its still advisable to do the treatment even if the bowl smells “clean”

Also while I have your attention. Thick Rim char. Whats the best way to get rid of that without destroying the finish under or having to refinish the whole stummel? Thank you guys in advanced

 

[ThermionicScott]

Never hurts to clean out the shanks and stems. Might need some pictures of the char.

 

[HammerandPipe]

Never hurts to clean out the shanks and stems. Might need some pictures of the char.

I got you. When i get home ill post a photo. I should of done it when i thought about this post

 

[OzPiper]

Never hurts to clean out the shanks and stems.

^^^^^ this
Most of the funk from old estates is from inspissated in the shank and mortise.
Make sure you give those a good cleaning with alcohol
Running dry cleaners won’t do much

 

[HammerandPipe]

Never hurts to clean out the shanks and stems. Might need some pictures of the char.

 

[OzPiper]

View attachment 439573

Rim darkening.
Spit and polish

 

[jhowell]

View attachment 439573

Spit

 

[Smokeybandit]

Hawk tua baby!

 

[HammerandPipe]

Hawk tua baby!

View attachment 439587

Omg this is crazy hahaha

 

[Shore]

Every estate I buy, I do a cotton and alcohol cleaning on, including the shank and reservoir (since I generally buy system pipes). I also thoroughly clean every new pipe I buy, but I don't treat those...

More cleaning isn't going to hurt anything, and then you are (more) assured that what you are getting out of the pipe is close to how she is going to smoke as long as you choose to companion it...My $0.02

 

[HammerandPipe]

Every estate I buy, I do a cotton and alcohol cleaning on, including the shank and reservoir (since I generally buy system pipes). I also thoroughly clean every new pipe I buy, but I don't treat those...

More cleaning isn't going to hurt anything, and then you are (more) assured that what you are getting out of the pipe is close to how she is going to smoke as long as you choose to companion it...My $0.02

How does the shank part work?

 

[Shore]

How does the shank part work?

What I do is scrub the shank with a 99% iso alcohol dipped bristle brush (you can get them from vermont freehand for cheap here).

After that, take a cotton swab and clean it as much as you can, then take a cotton ball and tear it apart, and twist it in your fingers to create a sharp cone shape and push the sharp point of the cone down as far as you can in the shank. For a system pipe, take a second cotton ball and do the same thing but make the cone more round at the thun end of the cone (think the shape of a badminton shuttlecock ) Push the second cotton ball into the reservoir (so you have two cotton balls in the entire shank.

Then take a medicinal syringe (one you can get on Amazon that has a big bore and isn't sharp) and draw a full syringe load of 99% iso alcohol in it, and (with the pipe stabilized in a pipe stand) begin to flood the cotton with the alcohol. You'll be surprised how much alcohol these two cotton balls (and the two in the chamber since I do the whole pipe at once) can hold.

Keep filling until the alcohol is going to run out the shank, and let it sit for a couple of days...

After that, you'll have pulled most of what you can out of it, but stubborn pipes sometimes need it a repeat...

I hope that helps!