How not to clean your pipe

[PFP_Dad]

So as previously stated I decided to clean out my basket briar using the salt and alcohol method listed in the sticky. What I failed to mention was my minor modifications to the directions (there are good reasons for following them as is).

As opposed to a larger coarse ground salt all I had available was table salt. Instead of Everclear or high content alcohol I had some 70% rubbing alcohol. Well long story short I followed the steps once and had reasonable success removing the burnt taste from smoking poorly packed bowls too tightly but it still had a somewhat noticeable burnt flavor.

What else to do but repeat the steps? When it came time to remove the salt the second time, I hit a snag. The airhole in the bottom of the bowl was plugged and no amount of soaking (added some Everclear to the bowl to try to break the obstruction) or ramming with a pipe tool would clear it.

Eventually it came time to try more desperate methods....the drill. Using fairly small drill bits I redrilled the hole and had to carefully widen the wider part of the hole where the stem connects. To my surprise the wood had actually contracted, it wasn't just clogged with hardened salt.

It now appears to be clear and the holes seem proper (to my limited knowledge) so I'll be giving it a go tonight.

Just a warning from a newbie who didn't follow directions...

 

[Commander Quan]

Did you let it sit and allow the briar to dry out before all of this? You probably didn't negitivly effect the draft hole any, but the mortise may end up being too loose for the tenon.

 

[brother cavefish]

wow you followed all the directions the opposite/wrong way--------the higher alcohol causes the pull into the salt, and kosher salt costs nothing, i used vodka and it only pulled slow, one needs the higher alcohol for the faster evaporation rate that causes the pull of the pollutants into the salt--------

 

[the_edski]

I think I may want to get this stickied so others can learn. Thanks for sharing, let us know if it still smokes alright.

 

[PFP_Dad]

Did you let it sit and allow the briar to dry out before all of this? You probably didn't negitivly effect the draft hole any,but the mortise may end up being too loose for the tenon.

Yes, I gave it a few days rest before hand. It is still quite tight. I did it by hand and checked the fit several times along the way, if anything I'd say it is tighter than previously.

wow you followed all the directions the opposite/wrong way--------the higher alcohol causes the pull into the salt, and kosher salt costs nothing, i used vodka and it only pulled slow, one needs the higher alcohol for the faster evaporation rate that causes the pull of the pollutants into the salt--------

I think the issue was actually the water content in alcohol combined with the drying properties of the salt. The alcohol still pulled impurities into the salt but the water in the alcohol likely saturated the wood and then the salt caused it to dry more and contract. I do need to get some kosher salt though; for some reason we don't keep it on hand (picked up Everclear over the weekend).

I think I may want to get this stickied so others can learn. Thanks for sharing, let us know if it still smokes alright.

I figured I can't be the only one who skims directions and tries to make do with what is on hand. It actually smoked fine, no perceivable issues. It was a bit wet but I've had that problem all along so I'm not sure if it's the tobacco, the pipe, the user or some combination thereof.

I actually expected the corrections to have an adverse effect on the pipe but it doesn't seem so. I won't be short-cutting anymore cleanings but I'm less hesitant to try to fix up some antique store pipes now. New pipe and tobacco arrives tomorrow so this one will have the night off then.

 

[brother cavefish]

i cant seem to find everclear around here, at least small portions ( i will never drink it) i might have to settle for a small jet plane type bottle of bacardi i thinks its 120 proof or so--but at this point i really dont have any ghosted pipes, , my pipes are great and any estate i got (3) i was very fortunate ( hardly smoked, walls still thick)

 

[PFP_Dad]

i cant seem to find everclear around here

From Wikipedia: In the United States, it is illegal to sell 190-proof Everclear in California, Florida,[SUP][3][/SUP] Hawaii, Iowa,[SUP][4][/SUP] Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota,[SUP][5][/SUP] Nevada,[SUP][6][/SUP] North Carolina,[SUP][7][/SUP] Virginia, and West Virginia..

Supposedly you can get 151 proof Everclear there but this is a lower alcohol content than you can find in rubbing alcohol. Of course you'd need to let the denatured stuff evaporate off and I've seen mixed reviews on how beneficial it is. I found mine by going into the liquor store and asking for the highest proof liquor available in a small bottle; they kept it hidden behind the counter.

 

[Kentos]

Oops, no one told my local booze shop about that!! I picked up some 190 Clearspring last year sometime.

 

[the_edski]

If you have an imported hard alcohol section in your liquor store, you can look for Spirytus. It's a rectified spirit like Everclear and it's 96% ABV but yet doesn't seem to carry the same "stigma". I just don't know what the availability outside the Chicago-land area is for it.

 

[Shave_Rat]

From Wikipedia: In the United States, it is illegal to sell 190-proof Everclear in California, Florida,[SUP][3][/SUP]Hawaii, Iowa,[SUP][4][/SUP]Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota,[SUP][5][/SUP]Nevada,[SUP][6][/SUP]North Carolina,[SUP][7][/SUP]Virginia, and West Virginia..

Supposedly you can get 151 proof Everclear there but this is a lower alcohol content than you can find in rubbing alcohol. Of course you'd need to let the denatured stuff evaporate off and I've seen mixed reviews on how beneficial it is. I found mine by going into the liquor store and asking for the highest proof liquor available in a small bottle; they kept it hidden behind the counter.

Oops, no one told my local booze shop about that!! I picked up some 190 Clearspring last year sometime.

States are often revising what they will and will not allow sold in regards to liquor, so the wiki may not be perfectly up to date.

 

[COHunter]

Sounds like in the end you were able to bring it back around! I know several guys who use rubbing alcohol, I wouldn't let that part bother you too much, and I wouldn't worry about the salt either, I think most just use coarser salt so it doesn't get into the draft hole and tenon as easily as table salt would. Sounds like instead of the briar contracting you swelled it up from the water content, I'm guessing if the wood contracted it would have opened up the draft hole more instead of impeding it.

 

[the_edski]

Sounds like in the end you were able to bring it back around! I know several guys who use rubbing alcohol, I wouldn't let that part bother you too much, and I wouldn't worry about the salt either, I think most just use coarser salt so it doesn't get into the draft hole and tenon as easily as table salt would. Sounds like instead of the briar contracting you swelled it up from the water content, I'm guessing if the wood contracted it would have opened up the draft hole more instead of impeding it.

The only thing I've heard about the salt is to avoid using salt with iodine because it can leave a nasty taste behind.

 

[COHunter]

The only thing I've heard about the salt is to avoid using salt with iodine because it can leave a nasty taste behind.

Could very well it's a pretty low percentage but I want to say we have non-iodized table salt. Nothing leaves a nastier taste behind than Mixture 79...

 

[RatMan]

I just got finished cleaning two of estate pipes with koshersalt and 70% isopropyl alcohol with great results. They both smoke well and donot taste ghostly at all. I relize this is not the recomended way to clean the pipe but it depends on which video you listen to on you tube. I there a reason why they say not to use this alcohol?

 

[Shave_Rat]

I just got finished cleaning two of estate pipes with koshersalt and 70% isopropyl alcohol with great results. They both smoke well and donot taste ghostly at all. I relize this is not the recomended way to clean the pipe but it depends on which video you listen to on you tube. I there a reason why they say not to use this alcohol?

From the information I could gather, it's a twofold reason... it's only 70% alcohol, so it will take the pipe longer to dry out afterwards due to the water content. The second part is that it is a toxic alcohol if you happen to ingest any, where the usually recommended grain alcohol is food grade and 95% pure.

 

[PFP_Dad]

From the information I could gather, it's a twofold reason... it's only 70% alcohol, so it will take the pipe longer to dry out afterwards due to the water content. The second part is that it is a toxic alcohol if you happen to ingest any, where the usually recommended grain alcohol is food grade and 95% pure.

Exactly the reasoning I found. The excess moisture caused by the lower alcohol content seems more likely to cause the pipe swelling that closed off all airflow in mine. If that is all you have I would try using less alcohol:salt so that it absorbs the moisture better.

 

[hotreds]

Kosher salt and Everclear and repeat as needed- sometimes I've had to go three times to get the pipe perfect. Once the salt stays white you know the impurities are gonzo.