Auto claving

[BigCasino]

Does anyone know if you can auto clave estate pipes? will this damage the stems or the briar?

 

[Kyle Weiss]

It'll probably turn a bent stem into a straight stem during the process...is your reasoning to try this to get the former smoker's tobacco preference out of the bowl?

8)

 

[BigCasino]

Yeah, and I'm not a germaphobe, but I would think a good autoclaving would be better than an alcohol dousing, over kill? maybe.... I wasnt sure at what temps it would take to bend the acrylic, lucite, ebonite.... autoclaves get to about 260F, I thought it might take more to make the stems soft, we do autoclave rubber corks succesfully

 

[BigCasino]

Also I started this thread from my phone I just realized it is in the wrong forum discussion group, I apologize for that, and if any Moderators can move it That would be great.

guess I better learn to use my phone better too...LOL

 

[user 2031]

Hey BC,

This might be for you, it not only deodorizes the pipe but sanitizes it as well, and the cost is very fair.

Jack

http://www.walkerbriarworks.com/html/ozone.html

 

[CACooper]

Greetings,

Autoclave = overkill. You'll most likely ruin the pipe. I wouldn't do it.

Everclear works just fine. Bleach can work, but it will discolor vulcanite. Lucite can survive it. Just use lots of pipe cleaners and a tooth brush.

As far as the bowl, remember the tobacco burns at over 600 deg. at the top. Nothing survives at that temp. The smoke is basically sterile entering your mouth.

Just give'm a good scrubbing.

CACooper

 

[Hermit]

It'll probably turn a bent stem into a straight stem during the process...is your reasoning to try this to get the former smoker's tobacco preference out of the bowl?

8)

...or a puddle of molten plastic. :lol:

 

[monbla256]

Sounds like a winner deal for getting a new pipe! Put 'er in there and then go out and buy a new pipe to replace the one being destroyed in the autoclave :cheers:

 

[BigCasino]

I'm not sure it would bother the stems, you can autoclave plastics, I just wasn't sure how the briar would react to the hot steam, of course someday I will experiment with something that is expendable

 

[kaiser83]

Looking at your profile pic I know why you have an autoclave (I send my gear off instead). If I remember the autoclave temps correct you will be plenty above standard temps to bend stems. As far as the hot steam and the briar I would think you wold need to give plenty of time to dry and probably need to re-wax the bowl. I assume you want to put the pipe in without a bag you would normally put a grip into in order to get it completely clean. I can't see any benefit to the autoclave that I wouldn't rather just send a pipe off for the ozone treatment instead. If you have a shelf autoclave it would be better than the normal round ones IMO, but still I can't see any advantage to it over the cost of sending them for ozone.

 

[BigCasino]

I completely agree the ozone cleaner is the best way to go, I'm just a curious kind of fellow, i'm always thinking about things and often in an unconventional manner, the wax is one thing I had not thought about, also I would have bagged the pipe to avoid any type of crud from exiting into the clave .

Thanks to everyone for your input :santa:

 

[Blackhorse]

Autoclaving stems...maybe it wouldn't kill vulcanite or ebonite...

but someone commented about unbending the bend in a bent stem...that should absolutely occur if you hear lucite that much. Isn't that one of the 'memory plastics' that will return to it's original shape when heated? I KNOW that Acrylic (Lexan) will do that.

But as so many others here have said...DON'T! Not on the stem nor on the wood.

Now, maybe one of those "THE pipe" that was made of carbon or something would stand it.

 

[Steveaux]

Autoclaving stems...maybe it wouldn't kill vulcanite or ebonite...

but someone commented about unbending the bend in a bent stem...that should absolutely occur if you hear lucite that much. Isn't that one of the 'memory plastics' that will return to it's original shape when heated? I KNOW that Acrylic (Lexan) will do that.

But as so many others here have said...DON'T! Not on the stem nor on the wood.

Now, maybe one of those "THE pipe" that was made of carbon or something would stand it.

The vast majority of Acrylics have a max stability temp below 200F. I have had hi-temp rated polycarbonates (Lexan) liquefy at less than 275F, even though they were supposed to be stable to 305F. This happened under laboratory conditions. I'm not estimating the temps.

The "tempered" plastics that return to shape after heating tend to be far too brittle for the kind of drilling/fabricating required to make a pipe stem. These are molded in shape and meant to stay as they are.

Since autoclaves typically run at 250F, you're just inviting disaster.

 

[Zeno Marx]

Buy a couple of cheap pipes. Run tests. I'm sure enough I'd never do it, but it can be fun ruining stuff. You might save some time on the briar...if you don't saturate the wood and watch it crack as it dries, but the amount of work you'd create with re-bending a stem and then buffing out the oxidation (ebonite/vulcanite) would cost you more time than save.

I'm more likely to catch a bug at the next restaurant I frequent than after a newly acquired estate pipe that I've only cleaned half-assedly.

 

[BigCasino]

Autoclaving stems...maybe it wouldn't kill vulcanite or ebonite...

but someone commented about unbending the bend in a bent stem...that should absolutely occur if you hear lucite that much. Isn't that one of the 'memory plastics' that will return to it's original shape when heated? I KNOW that Acrylic (Lexan) will do that.

But as so many others here have said...DON'T! Not on the stem nor on the wood.

Now, maybe one of those "THE pipe" that was made of carbon or something would stand it.

The vast majority of Acrylics have a max stability temp below 200F. I have had hi-temp rated polycarbonates (Lexan) liquefy at less than 275F, even though they were supposed to be stable to 305F. This happened under laboratory conditions. I'm not estimating the temps.

The "tempered" plastics that return to shape after heating tend to be far too brittle for the kind of drilling/fabricating required to make a pipe stem. These are molded in shape and meant to stay as they are.

Since autoclaves typically run at 250F, you're just inviting disaster.

you seem to know your plastics Steve!

I just wonder what is up I know there are plastic that gets autoclaved, I thought they were Lexan type but I could be wrong, i also have soft plastic sleeves made out of the same material as a really soft rubber that I autoclave and they do not melt nor do they get deformed.... I will attempt this someday

 

[Steveaux]

you seem to know your plastics Steve!

I just wonder what is up I know there are plastic that gets autoclaved, I thought they were Lexan type but I could be wrong, i also have soft plastic sleeves made out of the same material as ******* that I autoclave and they do not melt nor do they get deformed.... I will attempt this someday

The pliable stuff always seems to hold up better under heat. I have a plastic oven mitt around here, somewhere.

 

[Blackhorse]

Big C...please keep your information re: the toys to yourself in the future.

 

[BigCasino]

Sorry, they aren't toys , they are ergonomically grips, for my getting old prone to cramping hands, and had hopes of them relieving carpal tunnel syndrome, but I amended my post
again sorry