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Water flushing a pipe?

I have done it with a few pipes. Particularly good for cleaning out stems.

Found a reference to the method in an old book about Dunhill pipes I think.

I used a drop of Dawn and a good bit of hot tap water on the stem. Fair bit of brown color came out. The stems are typically treated with Vodka swab after smoking mind you.

Flushed the bowl with plain hot tap water. Let it sit for 2 - 3 days then reassembled.
No harm to the pipes.

Only done to heavily fowled pipes. Not a regular post smoke cleaning method.
 
I agree and I’ll add, looking at a bunch of old estate pipes I have found, I’m not totally sure many folks did any cleaning of their pipes lol. View attachment 1513266
I had a partner on the police dept. back in the early 90's who was a bit older than me and smoked a Dr. Grabow Poker with Velvet tobacco all the time. From beginning of our shift to the end- only stopping smoking to get a bite to eat. I started smoking a pipe around that time, too, and explained to him about the pipe needing cake in the bowl. Up until then, he removed it as much as he could after a smoke. Long story short, his idea of a perfect smoking pipe would become the one in the middle of your pic. It got to where he needed a small nail to be a tamper because his pipe tool was way too big. He could basically get a cigarette's worth of tobacco in the bowl. Needless to say, the pipe cracked and he threw it away. He then went back to hand rolling Velvet and found a little bakelite cigarette holder in an antique store and used that the rest of the time I worked with him.

Funny how that picture brought back all of those memories. Thanks. :thumbsup:
 
I’m not sure if it is a similar train of thought, but I have seen posts on using wet coffee grounds in a similar way as the salt and alcohol method to remove ghosting. I gave it a try on a couple estate pipes that salt and alcohol stopped making progress on. It seemed to help for me. I would only do this in extreme situations. Alcohol, pipe cleaners, and paper towel are my preferred for normal maintenance.
 
I did this completely by accident.

Staying at a friends ranch I bought a MM Legend and Captain Black at a store in town.

Left for home a few days later, forgot the pipe half smoked out by a fire pit, came back
2 wet rainy weeks later and said why not. The wet aromatic tobacco must have soaked
down and dried repeatedly 10 times. Cleaned it out and it smokes great!

Lane 1Q in it this evening.
 

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luvmysuper

My elbows leak
Staff member
If I was in a position where "normal" methods failed, and I was going to toss a pipe in the trash bin because nothing else worked, I might try hot water. Worst case is it still goes in the trash bin.
It certainly wouldn't be my 1st, 2nd, 3rd or even 4th attempt at salvage.
 

Hirsute

Used to have fun with Commander Yellow Pantyhose
Will flushing your pipe with water ruin it? Probably not. Lots of people have done it and report no ill effects. But to me, it's a solution in search of a problem. I mean, just why do that? Salt/alcohol works great and has a long track records of success. I know a lot of guys who restore pipes for a living or as a side line. None of the "professional" restorers I know use water. That's good enough for me. I'll stick with the tried and true, and it's worked well for me on the 250+ pipes I've restored.
 

Kilroy6644

Smoking a corn dog in aviators and a top hat
Will flushing your pipe with water ruin it? Probably not. Lots of people have done it and report no ill effects. But to me, it's a solution in search of a problem. I mean, just why do that? Salt/alcohol works great and has a long track records of success. I know a lot of guys who restore pipes for a living or as a side line. None of the "professional" restorers I know use water. That's good enough for me. I'll stick with the tried and true, and it's worked well for me on the 250+ pipes I've restored.
I'll agree that it's not useful for restoration, but that's not what it's for. It's just a quick way to do a light cleaning. It's not going to exorcize any ghosts, but it can make any ghosting less severe if you do it right after you smoke the offending tobacco. No, water isn't an effective solvent for the tars and resins, but it doesn't have to be. It's just there to flush out the excess. If it will come out with a pipe cleaner, it will come out with water. And when you go back in with alcohol, the alcohol can work on the stubborn stuff without having to cut through the gunk that's easily removed. Like rinsing your dishes before you soak them. It doesn't do anything that pipe cleaners and paper towels can't do (except maybe get into some tight spots), but it can save you a few, and a little time and effort, if you're inclined that way.

I'm not saying you should do it. I don't do it regularly, or often. But it's not going to hurt your pipe, and it is an effective tool, as long as you have realistic expectations. It's not for deep cleaning or restoration.
 
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