Your cleaning habits

[Z.Kramer]

I was wondering how often all you guys give your pipes a good cleaning. I mean like a sit down, attention to detail, clean and shine.

And then what about stuff like sweetening?

Feel free to add in exactly how you go about your cleaning too.

[MarkC]

I give my pipes a full break down everclear swab about once a month. I'm new enough that I've only reamed them once. As far as polishing, I confess that all I've ever done is giving my briars the nose oil treatment when I smoke them.

Edited to add, now that I think about it...

Make that try to do it once a month; I guess it's more like every two months, unless one starts tasting a bit rough.

[dmkerr]

I think the correct answer is based on how many pipes one owns and how often each one is smoked. But I have no set routine. I can tell when one of my pipes is about to sour on me and when that happens, I give it's insides an alcohol bath with Everclear. I don't generally polish the bowls because I prefer the look of a well-loved, well-smoked pipe. The vulcanite bits get polished as needed. I ream only when the cake gets too thick and then only enough to bring the cake down to normal width.

I did develop the habit of putting a pipe cleaner in the pipe after each smoke and leaving it there until I'm ready to smoke it again. Then I use that cleaner to swab out the stem and shank without separating the two (I'm of the opinion that the less often you remove the stem from the shank of a pipe, the less stress you place on the pipe, and that's a good thing!) and then I load and fire away.

[Lefty]

I give a pipe a good going over with a pipe cleaner after a smoke, and after it cools I'll break it down and give it another go, and maybe trim the cake if needed. Otherwise the Bacardi comes out as needed. As most of my pipes are new and in the cake building process, a serious cleaning isn't needed.

[Mad Hatter]

Totally depends on how often your pipes get smoked. I do use a pipe cleaner to absorb moisture after each smoke but only do a thorough cleaning with alcohol after maybe 10 bowls. Again, that depends on how clean the tobacco and the pipe burn. Something soppy, wet or goopy will need more attention than something that burns clean.

[drastic_quench]

Any tips for getting tooth marks off of acrylic stems? I don't have a buffer wheel.

[Z.Kramer]

Thanks, sounds like mostly intuitive stuff. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything.

[Z.Kramer]

Originally Posted by drastic_quench

Any tips for getting tooth marks off of acrylic stems? I don't have a buffer wheel.

You are probably going to have to go at it with some sand paper and elbow grease, not sure of the exact best process though.

[RJpuffs]

Originally Posted by Z.Kramer

You are probably going to have to go at it with some sand paper and elbow grease, not sure of the exact best process though.

If they are indentations - buffing ain't gonna help unless you sand the whole surface down (not recommended). Someone mentioned using a heated pin/pointything and spot-heat the indentation on a vulcanite bit, without touching/burning the surface, supposedly makes the dent rise back up. Then sand/polish/buff/wax to restore surface/shine.

[dmkerr]

Originally Posted by RJpuffs

If they are indentations - buffing ain't gonna help unless you sand the whole surface down (not recommended). Someone mentioned using a heated pin/pointything and spot-heat the indentation on a vulcanite bit, without touching/burning the surface, supposedly makes the dent rise back up. Then sand/polish/buff/wax to restore surface/shine.

I've had moderate success with the steaming out method but nowadays my hands aren't as steady as they used to be. Perhaps that's one reason why tolerance comes with age! Unless it's kids on my lawn....

[MasonM]

The cleaning schedule thing is a point of debate between many pipe smokers. One school of thought says to thoroughly clean a pipe after every smoke, another is that too much cleaning can spoil the seasoning of a pipe as well as create a loose tenon from removing the stemm too much.

I happen to be in the latter camp. I run a pipe cleaner through the pipe after smoking, but otherwise do not break down and clean with alcohol unless the pipe starts to taste bad (which doesn't happen often if one doesn't smoke it too hot or wet).

As with most things pipe related, I don't think there is an absolute right way, just do what seems to work for you personally.