Maintaining a pipe is part of a pipe's smoker daily routine. It is necessary to clean your pipes if you want to enjoy your tobacco as much as possible. Over the uses, it is absolutely normal to find humidity and other substances in the stem and the shank. You will also notice that the briar will be less shiny and will therefore acquire a patina, and the stem will tarnish.
Routine maintenance for your pipe:
(Re)discover the few tools and accessories that will be very useful to clean your pipe on a daily basis:
Pipe cleaners:
The minimum to clean your pipe is to use pipe cleaners. There are many types of them, and some will be more rigid and will scrape more the inside of the shank and the stem.
If you do not know how to use pipe cleaners or if you need some recommendations, do not hesitate to have a look at the blog article "How to clean my pipe" to learn more about this crucial step.
You should first use a hard-bristled pipe cleaner that will remove most of the humidity and tar stuck in the pipe. Then, you can use classic pipe cleaners, that are softer. Shank and stem will be perfectly clean.
Claire, La Pipe Rit
Cleaning liquid:
Most pipe smokers will also use a cleaning liquid with their pipe cleaners. This will allow an even better result!
It is really easy to use this cleaning liquid: dip the pipe cleaner in the liquid before putting it into the stem. You can use this cleaning liquid with a hard-bristled pipe cleaner for example, and then use a classic and dry pipe cleaner.
Cleaning liquid for pipes' stems
What is great with these cleaning liquid, is that they can be used with any type of stem, no matter the material of the latter (whether it is acrylic, ebonite, cumberland, horn...). Moreover, the stem will dry quickly, and the liquid will not leave any after-taste. We recommend to use this cleaning liquid about every 5 pipes, it will be enough.
To be used with pipe cleaners. The pipe draft will come back to normal. Neutral taste, without any smell, and that does not leave an after-taste in the pipe.
According to P. PHILIPPE, La Pipe Rit's customer
Renovating your pipe (advanced maintenance):
You need to renovate your grandpa's pipe or one of your pipes that you forgot somewhere? Here are our pro tips...
Restoring radiance to the briar and the stem:
Your pipe may be good to smoke, but it could actually look better if the wood and the stem were shiny, almost as new.
This is when two waxes can be used: one is specifically made for the briar of your pipe, and the other one is specifically designed for its stem. They will restore shine to your pipe.
To use these wax, it is very easy:
- Get a soft piece of cloth
- Put a little bit of wax on the piece of cloth
- Rub the stem with the wax designed for the stem, and do the same for the briar with the wax designed for the briar
You can also find this video on Youtube
Between two uses, we advise you to store your pipe somewhere clean and at room temperature, ideally upside down (so that humidity will not stay in the shank or the stem). Do not leave your pipe under the sun for too long (on the windowsill for example), because the stem may quickly change color.
Jean, La Pipe Rit
Making the disassembling of the stem easier:
Is the stem of your pipe difficult to remove? Does it make weird noises when turning it? We have a solution for you: use a special stick. Designed by the German brand Vauen, you just have to rub this stick on the tenon. After doing so, you will see that it will be much easier do remove the stem and put it back on the pipe. You will love this very convenient tool.
Please note that these Vauen sticks are unfortunately no longer available. However, you can use solid soap or the wax of a candle instead of this stick. Proceed as described above. This technique will work marvellously well!
Claire, La Pipe Rit
Making some room in the tobacco chamber:
After smoking your pipe several times, the layer of carbon on the walls of the tobacco chamber will get thicker. Sometimes, it will be so thick that you will not even be able to pack as much tobacco as you did before. You will therefore be able to use a pipe-reamer, that will remove some of that layer. It is the ideal tool to scrape this layer without damaging the wood.
We have made a video to explain you how this pipe-reamer works. Do not hesitate to have a look at it to learn more about this very efficient tool.
We hope that these few recommendations will help you to clean your pipe. If you are a beginner and you need some help, do not hesitate to contact us, we will tell you everything that you need to know!
