Question for the Pipe Veterans out There.

[Northern Neil]

I am wondering about separating the stem from the bowl during cleaning. I will take apart my pipe, once cooled, for cleaning after every smoke. However, I have been reading more and more about not doing that as there is a risk of damage.

I am wondering, from the people who have been smoking pipes for 20 or so years, do you separate your pipes for cleaning after every smoke? Or, do you do a solid cleaning with the pipe assembled, and only separate the stem from bowl every now and again for major cleanings? Have you noticed any ill effect to the pipes if they are constantly being taken apart?

 

[Anonymous]

Just let the shank dry all the way out before you put the stem back in. It swells with the moisture from smoking, making it narrower. Forcing the tenon in when it's like that can & often will crack the shank.

 :face: 

 

[Northern Neil]

Thanks Yak,

Have you ever noticed the stem becoming loose after years of diss-assembling and re-assembling your pipes?

I have only been smoking my pipes for about 3 years and have not noticed any problems, but I would hate to find out my pipes aren't going to fit properly in the future because I keep taking them apart.

And good point about waiting for the pipe to dry before re-assembling.

 

[joshoowah]

Thanks Yak,

Have you ever noticed the stem becoming loose after years of diss-assembling and re-assembling your pipes?

I have only been smoking my pipes for about 3 years and have not noticed any problems, but I would hate to find out my pipes aren't going to fit properly in the future because I keep taking them apart.

And good point about waiting for the pipe to dry before re-assembling.

Eventually the tenon will become loose. It is a fairly easy fix though. Some beeswax and a soft hand fixes it. It depends on the pipe too. Some people recommend never disassembling until you must. Personally, I take mine apart after it cools down. I'm not worried about it, nor should you. Just don't disassemble and assemble while the pipe/shank is warm and moist.

 

[SpeedyPete]

I've been smoking pipes since I was 15 years old. I will be 70 in July.

A pipe cannot be cleaned properly unless it's taken apart. Amen.

You can remove the stem form the shank about 1,000,000,000 times before it MIGHT give you trouble.  :twisted: 

NEVER TRY TO REMOVE THE STEM FROM A HOT/WARM PIPE. WAIT UNTIL IT IS COLD.

Now go ahead and enjoy your pipes   

 

[Briar Spirit]

I empty the bowl after each smoke and leave the pipe to rest for an hour or so then take it apart to clean it thoroughly, I leave it separated for at least 12 hours so the stummel can dry properly. Aint been smoking as long as some guys here but I've got 33yrs under the belt with pipes, this is how an old guy at the allotments told me to take care of my pipes and I've always done it this way, never gives me any trouble.  :sunny: 

 

[SpeedyPete]

I empty the bowl after each smoke and leave the pipe to rest for an hour or so then take it apart to clean it thoroughly, I leave it separated for at least 12 hours so the stummel can dry properly. Aint been smoking as long as some guys here but I've got 33yrs under the belt with pipes, this is how an old guy at the allotments told me to take care of my pipes and I've always done it this way, never gives me any trouble.  :sunny: 

Yes sir, that's the way to do it.  :cheers: 

 

[monbla256]

I usually pull the pipe apart after the 4th or 5th smoke , run a bristle cleaner thru it, let all of it dry for a day then back together the next day until it's time for it to go into the cleaning rotation of pipes I do every month. Then it's thouroughly cleaned and everything sets apart for a couple of days, then back together to go in the rack till it's turn in rotation to be smoked. Been doing it this way for over 40 years now and can only remember one pipe stem that got loose which was quickly fixed with wax.  TOOOOO MUCH worry, just smoke the darn things and enjoy 'em !! We get WAAAAAY to much involved in complications of PROCESS for the simple pleasure of smoking a pipe   :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

 

[docwatson]

I'm with Monbla on this method. After 5 or 6 smokes I'll remove the stem for a good cleaning. But with my stick bit pipes (military bits) they come apart after every smoke whether they are hot or cold. That's the nice thing about military bits, they never come loose!
 

 

[gravel]

I usually pull the pipe apart after the 4th or 5th smoke , run a bristle cleaner thru it, let all of it dry for a day then back together the next day until it's time for it to go into the cleaning rotation of pipes I do every month. Then it's thouroughly cleaned and everything sets apart for a couple of days, then back together to go in the rack till it's turn in rotation to be smoked. Been doing it this way for over 40 years now and can only remember one pipe stem that got loose which was quickly fixed with wax.  TOOOOO MUCH worry, just smoke the darn things and enjoy 'em !! We get WAAAAAY to much involved in complications of PROCESS for the simple pleasure of smoking a pipe   :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

In fairness, the act of fussing over the pipe is part of the beauty for some of us. There is room at the table for all of us.

For frequent, multiple bowls per day fellows, the above just may be the ticket. For those who smoke 1-5 bowls a week, cleaning after every smoke becomes as much a part of the process as selecting the tobacco, pipe, loading, and lighting.

I'm in the 1-5 bowl per week camp, sometimes going months between smokes. If I don't clean after each smoke, I'll forget!   

 

[SpeedyPete]

I usually pull the pipe apart after the 4th or 5th smoke , run a bristle cleaner thru it, let all of it dry for a day then back together the next day until it's time for it to go into the cleaning rotation of pipes I do every month. Then it's thouroughly cleaned and everything sets apart for a couple of days, then back together to go in the rack till it's turn in rotation to be smoked. Been doing it this way for over 40 years now and can only remember one pipe stem that got loose which was quickly fixed with wax.  TOOOOO MUCH worry, just smoke the darn things and enjoy 'em !! We get WAAAAAY to much involved in complications of PROCESS for the simple pleasure of smoking a pipe   :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

In fairness, the act of fussing over the pipe is part of the beauty for some of us. There is room at the table for all of us.

For frequent, multiple bowls per day fellows, the above just may be the ticket. For those who smoke 1-5 bowls a week, cleaning after every smoke becomes as much a part of the process as selecting the tobacco, pipe, loading, and lighting.

I'm in the 1-5 bowl per week camp, sometimes going months between smokes. If I don't clean after each smoke, I'll forget!   

One to five bowls per week??? Your bowl movements are a bit slow I would say  :twisted: 

 

[SpeedyPete]

What I also do, once I've cleaned the stem and shank, is to wipe the inside of the bowl with one of the pipe cleaners which was used. Fold a pipe cleaner in half and clean bowl to prevent building to thick a cake.

 

[Fr_Tom]

I am in one of two modes when smoking.

Mode 1 - I smoke one pipe with the same tobacco 4 or 5 times in a row. The pipe will get a pipe cleaner after the 2nd or 3rd bowl, but I won't take it apart until later when it has cooled.

Mode 2 - pipes rotate from the rack to the ash tray, desk, dresser, etc. after being smoked and usually emptied of ash. Once the rack starts looking empty, I collect/find the smoked ones and clean them all - taking them apart as part of the process.

I have been smoking since the 70's, and this has pretty much been my routine all that time. I don't recommend it for everyone, but it has served me well.

My father smoked the same pipe all the time pretty much. When it needed a pipe cleaner, he would take it apart hot. If the shank broke he would toss the pipe and get another. He did not like threaded tenons which might seem well suited to this smoking style. I do remember he would have loose tenons sometimes. He would sometimes have a piece of paper stuck in there to keep it tight. His philosophy seemed to revolve around keeping the pipe at smoking temp for as much of the day as possible and using the least number of pipe cleaners.

 

[Rob_In_MO]

I usually pull the pipe apart after the 4th or 5th smoke , run a bristle cleaner thru it, let all of it dry for a day then back together the next day until it's time for it to go into the cleaning rotation of pipes I do every month. Then it's thouroughly cleaned and everything sets apart for a couple of days, then back together to go in the rack till it's turn in rotation to be smoked. Been doing it this way for over 40 years now and can only remember one pipe stem that got loose which was quickly fixed with wax.  TOOOOO MUCH worry, just smoke the darn things and enjoy 'em !! We get WAAAAAY to much involved in complications of PROCESS for the simple pleasure of smoking a pipe   :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

Amen, Brother!  :cheers: 

 

[gravel]

I usually pull the pipe apart after the 4th or 5th smoke , run a bristle cleaner thru it, let all of it dry for a day then back together the next day until it's time for it to go into the cleaning rotation of pipes I do every month. Then it's thouroughly cleaned and everything sets apart for a couple of days, then back together to go in the rack till it's turn in rotation to be smoked. Been doing it this way for over 40 years now and can only remember one pipe stem that got loose which was quickly fixed with wax.  TOOOOO MUCH worry, just smoke the darn things and enjoy 'em !! We get WAAAAAY to much involved in complications of PROCESS for the simple pleasure of smoking a pipe   :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

In fairness, the act of fussing over the pipe is part of the beauty for some of us. There is room at the table for all of us.

For frequent, multiple bowls per day fellows, the above just may be the ticket. For those who smoke 1-5 bowls a week, cleaning after every smoke becomes as much a part of the process as selecting the tobacco, pipe, loading, and lighting.

I'm in the 1-5 bowl per week camp, sometimes going months between smokes. If I don't clean after each smoke, I'll forget!   

One to five bowls per week???  Your bowl movements are a bit slow I would say  :twisted: 

As Cart would say


 :suspect: 

 

[gravel]

I am wondering, from the people who have been smoking pipes for 20 or so years...

I kind of glanced over this. I've not been at it that long.  :fpalm: 

 

[SpeedyPete]

I am in one of two modes when smoking.



Mode 2 - pipes rotate from the rack to the ash tray, desk, dresser, etc. after being smoked and usually emptied of ash. Once the rack starts looking empty, I collect/find the smoked ones and clean them all - taking them apart as part of the process.

I did as you did until I had to clean more than 40 pipes which were scattered all over the house. It took me a couple of days to do it thoroughly     Never again, never.

Since then I pick 3 pipes at a time and smoke them for a day or two or three. Push a pipe cleaner through when I feel like it. Then clean them properly and they go back into the rack. Then I take another three.........etc.

 

[RDPipes]

One to five bowls per week???  Your bowl movements are a bit slow I would say  :twisted: 

As Cart would say :suspect:

Gees, I'm not even here and I'm being implicated as a doody mouth! :fpalm: 

 

[gravel]

One to five bowls per week???  Your bowl movements are a bit slow I would say  :twisted: 

As Cart would say :suspect:

Gees, I'm not even here and I'm being implicated as a doody mouth! :fpalm: 

Not at all! [tattle]SpeedyPete was being the doody mouth! [/tattle]

 

[RDPipes]

One to five bowls per week???  Your bowl movements are a bit slow I would say  :twisted: 

As Cart would say :suspect:

Gees, I'm not even here and I'm being implicated as a doody mouth! :fpalm: 

Not at all! [tattle]SpeedyPete was being the doody mouth! [/tattle]

Yeah, He's always been an instigator of tasteless jokes. :suspect: