Proper use of pipe cleaners

[8ball]

Hey, guys. So I have regular, fluffy, and bristle cleaners. Just wondering if you guys have a ritual with what type of cleaners you use, and when? I always insert a pipe cleaner after I'm done. Some don't reach all the way into the bowl (Grrr). However, I wait until it's cooled down before giving it the complete job so I have no future problem with the stem. Unfortunately this is sometimes hours later as I'm often a busy guy, and the moisture inside the bowl has probably dried. I use pipe freshener every once in a while. I have an ok rotation with my pipes so at the very worst I may smoke the same pipe say 3 three times a week.

I am tallest able to smoke a whole bowl without relighting, so I've made a ton of progress.

I'm rambling on, but would love to hear how you guys yourself use cleaners and if bristle vs non bristle is a preferance thing or only bristle on occasion.

 

[CVAC085]

You can smoke the pipe 3x a week as long as you give it the proper minimum 24 hour rest. Sometimes I'm guilty and put a 2nd bowl through my pipe right after I'm done smoking the first one.

As for pipe cleaners, I've never used the bristle ones ever. I've only used the soft pipe cleaners. And if I'm on a time constraint, I let the pipe cool down and put a pipe cleaner in the stem and the bowl to let them sit a little bit and absorb whatever it still "wet" and I come back to it later whenever I get home to continue cleaning it out.

 

[thedismaltrade]

I reserve the bristle cleaners for the monthly cleaning as needed with everclear. After each smoke I run a normal soft cleaner through the stem until it isn't dos colored. I then bend it in a U shape and clean the bowl. I do not believe it undoing the stem each smoke- good way to cause fitment issue and loose tenons

 

[CVAC085]

I reserve the bristle cleaners for the monthly cleaning as needed with everclear. After each smoke I run a normal soft cleaner through the stem until it isn't dos colored. I then bend it in a U shape and clean the bowl. I do not believe it undoing the stem each smoke- good way to cause fitment issue and loose tenons

Well that's good to know maybe I've been doing it wrong all along??? So do you just run the pipe cleaner through the stem and into the bowl leaving it all together then I'm assuming???

 

[8ball]

I reserve the bristle cleaners for the monthly cleaning as needed with everclear. After each smoke I run a normal soft cleaner through the stem until it isn't dos colored. I then bend it in a U shape and clean the bowl. I do not believe it undoing the stem each smoke- good way to cause fitment issue and loose tenons

I think it's a good idea to just leave the stem attached for after smoke cleaning, I never thought about that. What about drills that don't go all the way to the bowl (cough..Peterson..cough)? Just run one through as far as it will go and then wait till it cools down remove the stem and run it through the bowl? My problem is I often times come back to those pipes like 12 hours later or so to do that. Guess, I'm just lazy and worry about sourness since I assume the bowl absorbed the moisture.

I've moved onto mostly straight and opposed to bent pipes since I can get the cleaner the whole way through and honestly, I find them more comfortable to hold/smoke.

@thedismaltrade , thanks for the advise. Do you also reem the bowl once a month? That's another thing I'm a bit lazy on.

 

[8ball]

You can smoke the pipe 3x a week as long as you give it the proper minimum 24 hour rest. Sometimes I'm guilty and put a 2nd bowl through my pipe right after I'm done smoking the first one.

As for pipe cleaners, I've never used the bristle ones ever. I've only used the soft pipe cleaners. And if I'm on a time constraint, I let the pipe cool down and put a pipe cleaner in the stem and the bowl to let them sit a little bit and absorb whatever it still "wet" and I come back to it later whenever I get home to continue cleaning it out.

Thankfully, I'm really good with the 24 hour thing. Only thing I worry about with the back to back thing would be the heat generated through the briar after that 2nd bowl. I have a few pipes like the horn that I first smoked in yesterday's smoke of the day. That thing heats up mad quick.

 

[CVAC085]

Thankfully, I'm really good with the 24 hour thing. Only thing I worry about with the back to back thing would be the heat generated through the briar after that 2nd bowl. I have a few pipes like the horn that I first smoked in yesterday's smoke of the day. That thing heats up mad quick.

When I've smoked a 2nd bowl in the same pipe, I usually try to let it sit for a little bit to cool down before even trying to repack and smoke again. As for the heating up of the bowl, I've read and experienced if you sometimes puff too fast it gets the pipe real hot. I've read if you slow down the puffs it will help keep it a little cooler.

 

[8ball]

When I've smoked a 2nd bowl in the same pipe, I usually try to let it sit for a little bit to cool down before even trying to repack and smoke again. As for the heating up of the bowl, I've read and experienced if you sometimes puff too fast it gets the pipe real hot. I've read if you slow down the puffs it will help keep it a little cooler.

Funny I'm too patient on cigars and impatient on pipes. Go figure. Damn rookies.

 

[CVAC085]

Funny I'm too patient on cigars and impatient on pipes. Go figure. Damn rookies.

Me too lol. I've just learned by reading from others experience and everyone here about it. The hard part is putting it to actual use.

 

[bostoneo]

I just run a soft cleaner through the stem on both sides of the pipecleaner and turn it into a U shape to clean the bowl. I've not used pipe freshener yet... nor heard of it lol. The only time I have to undo a stem typically is when they have bent stems and cleaner doesn't pass through easily.

 

[mikeman84]

I put a cleaner through the stem after a smoke and put it back on the rack. I do a weekly cleaning every Sunday an haven't had a sour pipe yet.

 

[bostoneo]

I put a cleaner through the stem after a smoke and put it back on the rack. I do a weekly cleaning every Sunday an haven't had a sour pipe yet.

how do you know you have a sour pipe?

 

[mikeman84]

how do you know you have a sour pipe?

A buddy I got into pipes never cleaned his pipe and after a couple weeks he complained that everything he smoked in it tasted bad. I tried smoking it and it just tasted really bad, you will know if it ever happens.

 

[smokingIsh]

I think this should answer all...


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[thedismaltrade]

I think it's a good idea to just leave the stem attached for after smoke cleaning, I never thought about that. What about drills that don't go all the way to the bowl (cough..Peterson..cough)? Just run one through as far as it will go and then wait till it cools down remove the stem and run it through the bowl? My problem is I often times come back to those pipes like 12 hours later or so to do that. Guess, I'm just lazy and worry about sourness since I assume the bowl absorbed the moisture.

I've moved onto mostly straight and opposed to bent pipes since I can get the cleaner the whole way through and honestly, I find them more comfortable to hold/smoke.

@thedismaltrade , thanks for the advise. Do you also reem the bowl once a month? That's another thing I'm a bit lazy on.

I ream a pipe when needed back to about thickness of a dime of cake. My commuter pipes need reamed bi weekly because too much cake.

 

[redneck_toy]

Maybe I'm just wierd, but it's not unusual for me to smoke 2-3 bowls out of the same pipe a day. Let them cool before each use, load up, and blaze away.I do run a pipe cleaner or two down the bit between smokes. Haven't had any sour or damaged pipes yet. Somehow, I think that Ma and Pa kettle, and most depression era pipe smokers didn't have 5-10 pipes in rotation. Be adamant about cleaning, and smoke away is my philosophy.
Breaking in a new pipe is a little different, but not by much. JMHO.

 

[sweemzander]

I reserve the bristle cleaners for the monthly cleaning as needed with everclear. After each smoke I run a normal soft cleaner through the stem until it isn't dos colored. I then bend it in a U shape and clean the bowl. I do not believe it undoing the stem each smoke- good way to cause fitment issue and loose tenons

This is what I do

 

[JZBdano]

Both ends of a regular cleaner after each bowl, bristle on occasion.

 

[8ball]

So I've moved onto running both ends of the cleaner through, bending it and using that around the inside of the bowl, blow any bits out and replace on the rack without removing the stem. However, I do have some pipes (Peterson), that I can't run a cleaner through the whole way. Guess I have to wait till they cool, then remove the stem. Seems like a huge pain compared to pipes I can clean and replace quickly without removing the stem.

 

[StogieJim]

So I've moved onto running both ends of the cleaner through, bending it and using that around the inside of the bowl, blow any bits out and replace on the rack without removing the stem. However, I do have some pipes (Peterson), that I can't run a cleaner through the whole way. Guess I have to wait till they cool, then remove the stem. Seems like a huge pain compared to pipes I can clean and replace quickly without removing the stem.

You're right about that. I have a Sav with a filter (I've tried filtered and filterless, but prefer the filter in that one) and I have to wait for that thing to cool off before taking apart. Then I forget about it so sometimes I don't get to it for 8-24 hours. Just use everclear/pipe sweetener if you end up waiting that long. It'll dissolve anything that had dried up and hardened.