My First Topic Here! Preparing Aromatic Pipes

[phatmax]

Hello! I have posted a couple times, but am new here and need some advice.

I have some estate pipes, which I have done basic clean and polish on. The stems are clean, inside and out, and I am planning on smoking some pretty heavily cased aromatics (to get the wife used to me smoking pipes again).

I have reamed the bowls, at least the ones that needed it, but before I go burning Boswells in the bowls, should I do the Salt and Vodka, or just smoke some Altadis Black Cavendish to kind of re-aquaint the briars with tobacco?

Some of these have not been smoked in decades, and just have a faint staleness to them, which I hope will just burn off..

I do hate to waste precious Vodka..., What say you , oh wise ones?

[WWhermit]

I say load it up and smoke it. If you've reamed the cake completely away, you might want to focus on building the cake back up, but other than that, put the vodka in a shot glass and put it to better use!

WWhermit

[Dedalus]

^^^ yup

[Mister Moo]

I hate the old stale smell thing, personally. Since you have already noticed it, recall the truest of all old sayings, "If the you think you might have a problem then you already do." Soak it.

Some say salt may crack a bowl; I've used it a few dozen times and haven't managed that catastrophe (yet). Many say a cotton ball or two accomplishes the same thing as salt without the risk. I lean to Everclear over vodka - less water. Many prefer booze with a flavor like bourbon, brandy, etc. It's all your call but be sure to keep the alcohol off the finish on the briar ir it will vanish in one augenblick. Enjoy the pipes.

[phatmax]

I did get some Arango Pipe SPRAY (the cleaner not pipe wipe). Can that be used in conjunction with salt?

[Cliffhanger]

You could use isopropyl alcohol from the chemists with your cotton or salt, and lightly water it down if you find it too strong smelling or too abbrasive. Much cheaper than vodka! If you do, make sure you get the pure (or..99% as the case may be). Don't go for anything with oil of wintergreen or any other funny smelling salicylates in there as are commonly put in to treat skin or whatever, they will make your cake smell like some kind of burned dentist's waiting room. You just want the straight alcohol that leaves very little smell.

[Mad Hatter]

I'd ream it all the way down and smoke it. If it tastes funny then you can do the alcohol treatment

[Dzrtrat]

Ok ...my .02.....I am not fond of smoking someone elses spit so I clean all my estate pipes to the point of "as good as new".....I rheem then sand, I use everclear to the point that I pull nothing out. I clean the bowl, well, stem etc...If there is still a ghost I clean some more.