"old taste"

tim12string

It seems that when I smoke one of my Dad's old pipes (I'm talking 40-50 years old), it has a "Old, dusty" taste to it. This is only on the ones he didn't smoke a lot. The ones he smoked all the time don't do this. Any suggestions?

xDutchx

Tim, I'm assuming you have cleaned the pipe as thoroughly as possible, so my first suspect would be the stem. I think that I would try to find another stem from another pipe that will fit slightly loose, so as not to alter the original stem fitment. If you don't experience the same dusty taste, you will know the problem lies in the stem. Some old vulcanite could be rather green on the interior, and would be harder to remove than the exterior, without soaking in some sort of cleaning solution.

If trying a different stem doesn't reveal the culprit, I would consider sending the pipe to Mike Myers at Walker Briar Repair. He only charges $5 to give a pipe the ozone treatment. If it can remove aromatic and Latakia ghosting in a pipe, I would think that it would remove the offensive taste that you are experiencing.

ghostsofpompeii

I'd suggest a serious salt treatment since you're probably dealing with a 40 or 50 year old ghosting situation. As for me personally, I'm an old softy steeped in family traditions and nostalgia for days gone by, so I'd use it sparingly - as is - and on the occasion you use it, smoke your Dad's favorite tobacco blend. It's a nice homage, and a way to share a private moment with him.

tim12string

ghostsofpompeii

What exactly is a "salt treatment?"

ghostsofpompeii

@tim12string The salt treatment is a process in which you fill the bowl with salt (the salt used is usually something like Kosher salt), and then add alcohol. And let it set for approximately 24 hours. The snow white salt turns an ugly shade of yellowish brown afterwards, and hopefully absorbs the odor. My explanation may sound sketchy but I suggest you look up 'salt treatment for cleaning smoking pipes' on YouTube and you'll find a variety of pipe presenters giving you helpful step-by-step instructions. It's really quite simple and effective. 

Woodsman

It's possible that a pipe that was little smoked and left for 40 years could well have formed a layer of dust in the bowl, added to the slow build up of cooking vapors, etc. like long unused glasses cloud up. before smoking such a pipe I would suggest vigorous scrubbing with a lint free cloth dipped in a good bourbon, or other whiskey the higher proof the better using different parts of the cloth to fully clear out the buildup.

tim12string

Thanks, I will let you both know!

PappyJoe

You may also want to consider sending the pipes to a pipe repair shop. Many of them offer clean and polishing services and from what I've seen they are reasonably priced. 

The salt method does work good. I do it on pipes from time to time using ice cream salt and Everclear (180 proof grain alcohol). I've also use a coffee ground method and there is a discussion on how to do it somewhere on this forum. 

My guess is that it's not the bowl causing the problem though. It's probably the stem and the shank.

tim12string

ghostsofpompeii  I am going to give the salt treatment to about 15 of my older pipes.  Question:  I am going to use a vodka soaked pipe cleaner on all the others.  Should I wait the same 2 weeks before I smoke them again or since I won't be using a ton of vodka like the salt treatment, do I need to wait the full 2 weeks to be safe?

ghostsofpompeii

@tim12string I'll leave that answer for @PappyJoe he appears to be more experienced at it than I. The pipes I used were older pipes which I smoke infrequently, so I probably didn't smoke them for a considerable length of time after the treatment. And not so much as a precaution but simply because they were not a part of my regular rotation.

Woodsman

I always use whiskey dipped pipe cleaners on my pipes before return to the rack. I think 2 days rest is enough time before smoking.

PappyJoe

@tim12string - The "salt-method" is where you fill the bowl of your pipe with coarse or rock salt and then introduce an amount of high proof drinking alcohol like Everclear (180 proof). I use an eyedropper so I don't spill any of the alcohol on the pipe and damage the finish. You sit the pipe upright so the liquid don't spill. You may have to remove the stem and place a small cork in the stummel so the liquid doesn't come out that in either. Light it sit either overnight or for about 24 hours and the salt should turn brown. That will be from the alcohol and salt leaching out the old tobacco tars and nicotine. Dump the salt and alcohol.

Some people just wipe the bowl out and let it sit for a day or two before smoking. Others I know will rinse the bowl out with tap water, wipe dry and then let it sit. The water will not hurt a briar. 

I have also had success on some pipes with using damp coffee grounds instead of the salt and alcohol. I have a Keurig coffee maker so I will just cut the top of one of the cups after making a cup of coffee and pack the grounds into the pipe. The theory is that the coffee absorbs the old tobacco flavors. Just rinse the bowl and let it sit for a day to dry out.

tim12string

PappyJoe  Thanks.  You tube suggested letting it sit for 2 weeks after removing the salt/alcohol.  Two days sounds better!

Gordon

In another vein: Old taste? Brindley's Mixture.... both P&C and Sutliff claim they have a match blend.