Cleaning briar/ cob with alchohol

[Fight'n Hampsters]

Is it ok to clean the shank with a pipe cleaner and high proof alcohol? I want to make sure it will not damage the briar or wood shank of a cob.

Thanks brothers!

 

[s.ireland]

Most clean their pipes with alcohol. I use scotch, myself.

 

[Fight'n Hampsters]

Most clean their pipes with alcohol. I use scotch, myself.

Can one use bourbon? does the alchohol content matter? I bet scotch or bourbon would leave a nice ghost...

 

[MisterE]

The higher the percentage (proof) of alcohol the more effective it is. Breaks up the tars into liquid and can be cleaned out easier. Some people swear by Everclear. I just use the denatured ethyl stuff. Works great.

 

[Josjor]

I use bourbon. It's what I have around and gives me the excuse to quality check my cleaning solvents.

I think about any good, non-sugary, unflavored alcohol with at least 40% (80 proof) content would be fine.

 

[joshoowah]

Just to clarify, you're cleaning inside the shank only with alcohol, right?

 

[Fight'n Hampsters]

Just to clarify, you're cleaning inside the shank only with alcohol, right?

of course!

 

[Young briar fan]

I use moonshine. It's what I'm drinking while cleaning so it only made sense. The peach leaves a nice flavor for the first bowl after cleaning.

 

[Rob_In_MO]

I guess i'm cheap - I just use the 90% Isopropyl from the store. Once it evaporates, it doesn't matter anyway.

BTW - I use spirits for drinking and mixing.

 

[Fight'n Hampsters]

Wow! Last night I cleaned the shank of a used pipe I bought a month ago with bristle cleaners and 100 proof vodka. The cleaners were filthy! I used about 10 of them and the first five were black. :no:

I had cleaned it when I bought it before I smoked it but obviously not with alcohol in the shank. It cleans it so much more thoroughly.

Hopefully it will remove the soapy tasting ghost that has overwhelmed any tobac I have smoked in it.

 

[joshoowah]

Wow! Last night I cleaned the shank of a used pipe I bought a month ago with bristle cleaners and 100 proof vodka. The cleaners were filthy! I used about 10 of them and the first five were black. :no:

I had cleaned it when I bought it before I smoked it but obviously not with alcohol in the shank. It cleans it so much more thoroughly.

Hopefully it will remove the soapy tasting ghost that has overwhelmed any tobac I have smoked in it.

Every time I buy an estate I dread having to clean it. If you only used 10 cleaners, you're good. I've had one that I used a full pack of 40 on one time and it still had tons of gunk in the shank. I have one now that I haven't started cleaning just yet, but it was pretty nasty. We shall see.

 

[Kyle Weiss]

Everclear or vodka for me.

Though I admit I will use one of the cleaner, used, still-slightly-damp pipecleaners to dust ash out of the inside of the bowl, helps control the cake, I think. I also try and clean each pipe the day I use it. Just keeps up the habit.

 

[R.A.]

Speaking of cleaning a pipe and using 40 pipe cleaners, I have had a few I had to use a wire to puch through , I have wondered on several pipes HOW is this even possible?, How can a pipe get this bad I can't concieve being able to smoke a pipe and get it this fouled up.

At some point how could one not know a pipe needed cleaning? like trying to suck mud through a straw? but it happens the estate pipes prove it.

I can see why they gave up the pipe it no longer worked,

 

[riff raff]

I use Everclear and sea salt on estate pipes. I put the Everclear in with an old dog syringe, so I don't get any on the polished briar, that works well.

 

[-R.]

I use Everclear, except for today when I ran out. The next highest proof spirit in the house was Ardbeg Uigeadail, so I finished out the rest of the pipes with that. Those briars better feel like they had a treat.

 

[PipeLeisure]

I use Graves Grain Alcohol 190 proof, just have to be careful not to get any on the finish of the pipe...it don't play nice with stain.

 

[EC Outlaw]

A pipe in Kentucky sure is lucky when it gets cleaned with Wild Turkey 101!

 

[jirohen]

A while ago I had decided to try cleaning my cobs because I thought it had gone sour. I used Ancient Age which is a bourbon whiskey which actually tastes pretty darn good, *fruity drinks are more to my liking then something that strong, It's a taste thing* and I cleaned the bowl and shank which made the mortise swell. After a couple days drying it still wouldn't fit so I had to sand it down a bit and now it fits like a good shoe.

so if cleaning a cob don't leave to much of whatever you're using on the pipe cleaner and if it swells then either wait till it dries completely or sand it a bit.

 

[tiltjlp]

A while ago I had decided to try cleaning my cobs because I thought it had gone sour. I used Ancient Age which is a bourbon whiskey which actually tastes pretty darn good, *fruity drinks are more to my liking then something that strong, It's a taste thing* and I cleaned the bowl and shank which made the mortise swell. After a couple days drying it still wouldn't fit so I had to sand it down a bit and now it fits like a good shoe.

so if cleaning a cob don't leave to much of whatever you're using on the pipe cleaner and if it swells then either wait till it dries completely or sand it a bit.

I regularly clean my cobs with pipe cleaners moistened with 91% isoproply and have never had a problem. Of course I follow up with a dry pipe cleaner to absorb excess moisture and to completely clean the shank.

 

[inshane64]

I regularly clean my cobs with pipe cleaners moistened with 91% isoproply and have never had a problem. Of course I follow up with a dry pipe cleaner to absorb excess moisture and to completely clean the shank.

I will try this, I want my cobs to last a long while. I love cobs not because they are less expensive, I love them because they seem so... for lackof a better word, american.