New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart

[Neuromancer]

Originally Posted by Mister Moo

...There is the traditional soak in 100% chlorine bleach. It really works well but will damage nomenclature on a stem unless it's covered with a dab of Vaseline. Bleach takes an hour or three and it leaves vulcanite black as ink but feeling a bit furry. After a bleach soak (and water rinse) it'll need to be rubbed out with mild polishing abrasive. I never used sandpaper to clean stems - only MicroMesh polishing cloth (1500-12,000 for perfection). Depending on how furry the stems are post-bleach you may be able to skip sanding and find that a paper towel rubdown with toothpaste and/or baking soda will finish things up nicely.

Finish with a light rub of olive oil.....

Olive Oil can turn rancid sitting on the stem of a pipe if you don't rotate it fast enough...you're better off buying a can of Briar Pipe Wipe and some Handi-Wipes and making yourself some great polishing cloths...Briar Pipe Wipe has Mink Oil, Beeswax, and Lemon Oil in it...much better than olive oil...

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by Neuromancer

Olive Oil can turn rancid sitting on the stem of a pipe if you don't rotate it fast...

I must be a fast roto-tater; never experienced a rancid pipe (neither do I coat my pipestems until they're soggy).