A New "Old" Trick for curing a stinky pipe
PappyJoe
Master
Even an old dog like me can learn a new trick - even if it is apparently an old trick.
I was following a discussion on a different forum where they were talking about how to clean and freshen a estate pipe bowl. Like many others, I have always relied on the rock salt and Everclear method and often had to repeat it two or three times to get the pipe to smell good.
Well, I was stunned to learn there is another older, well kept secret to remove the ghost of bad tobacco. Use damp coffee grounds.
I have a old Linkeman that I have been tinkering with for the past couple of months but I just couldn't make it pass my smell test. A Linkeman is the predecessor to the Dr. Grabow pipe line by the way.
Anyway, on Sunday morning I took one of my used K-cups and packed the slightly damp coffee grounds into the bowl and put it on the shelf. I checked it this afternoon and the grounds felt dry so I dumped them, wiped the bowl out with a damp cloth and let it dry some more.
It smells good. The coffee grounds seems to have worked. And no, putting water in a briar pipe doesn't damage it.
Comments
I will comment later this week and let you know how they turn out.
I've used the salt method which did work but it seemed to me that the stems felt looser after doing it. Could be that the tar residue that soaks into the briar after long use was dissolved by the alcohol.
I've also tried ozone and after 24 hrs. the pipe went from bitter to the pleasant smell you get in a pipe that has sat for a month or two.
What everclear do you use for cleaning your pipes? I'm looking to try that method as well.
I am going to try the coffee grounds on a few stinkers I have, sounds like it works well. My guess is that I shouldn't use "flavored" coffee grounds though...unless I want my pipe to taste like whatever the flavor is...hmmm....that might be interesting???? I think I need to try the activated charcoal sometime as well, it sounds like it really exorcises an "Evil Pipe Poltergeist".