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Used pipe question

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Knucklehead

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When you buy a used pipe do you replace the mouthpiece or clean it with something. What about AIDS or other diseases?
Also do you guys use filters in your pipes?
 

SmokesAhoy

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I cleaned mine. HIV wouldn't be a concern, but I cleaned it anyway, also redid the finish on the bowl.
 

Aaron

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No need to replace the stem, just give it a bath in some alcohol to sanitize it a bit and you'll be good to go.
 

Seanz

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I just give it a soak in some alcohol And a about five or six pipe cleaners through it.Also i use magic erasers on it to give it a buff, though if its heavily chewed i give a sand and then repolish
 

Jitterbugdude

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I remember as a kid we all "knew" you could get sexually transmitted diseases from toilet seats and door knobs.. not sure about pipes..:)

Actually, I do the same thing the other guys just mentioned. Clean the outside of the pipe stem with alcohol then run some alcohol soaked pipe cleaners through it and you're good to go. You can also "sweaten" the bowl by filling it with alcohol (Everclear works for me) and salt and letting it set a while. If you decide to do that make sure you take the stem off and plug the stummel so no liquid runs out and ruins the finish on your bowl.
 

SmokesAhoy

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Oh, sweetening the pipe is a necessity periodically too, it does so much for the smoke
 

BigCasino

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you can do alcohol treatments on pipes to, ream our the cake i the bowl and then fill the bowl with kosher salt and add about 4 or 5 drops of alcohol to it like a high proof grain alcohol or rum let it set for 24 hours, then clean the salt out you should clean the inside of the stem with alcohol until a pipe cleaner comes out clean and pay special attention to the bit end I fold a cleaner in half and put the curved end in the bit and work it around the edges, DO NOT soak a stem in alcohol some of them will swell and distort, and ebonite will discolor to a brown and then you will need to take of that oxidation with some oxy clean and buff them black again, there is also a pipe retort that uses boiling alcohol to flush out the stem and shank, this might be over kill but some tobacco blends will ghost the flavors if you don't clean the pipe well, also for stubborn pipes there is a place you can send them that runs them throughan ozone treatment that completely sanitizes and kills all ghost flavors
 

Knucklehead

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Light oxidation can be removed with the toothpaste that has peroxide and baking soda in it. Follow with carnauba.
 

deluxestogie

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What is unique about carnauba wax is that it melts at such a high temperature that its application usually requires a power buffer. I've never been able to adequately apply it by hand rubbing--unlike pipemaker's yellow wax and white wax. The resulting finish of carnauba is tough as nails.

Bob
 

Knucklehead

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The stem wouldn't actually need the protection of the wax the way wood does and it would probably end up stuck between your teeth anyway. Seanz had a good idea with the magic eraser. I saw that mentioned on the pipe makers forum too.
 
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