Stop brass taste from brass pipe tip?

[Old_SSSC_Guy]

I know its probably a dumb question, but does anyone know how to stop the taste of brass on a brass pipe tip?

I've used a single-hitter brass pipe for maybe 20 years, an antique brass opium pipe that's like 100+ yrs old. My pipe is breaking down and its time for a change - so I hit Ebay and found 2 antique opium pipes which are almost mirror copies of my orginal pipe. Problem is that the new pipes have a tangible brass taste on the mouthpiece; you can taste brass even smoking from the pipe bowls themselves.

Does anyone know how to maybe remove the taste of brass from a brass pipe?

 

[Erbal]

Well, you could finally migrate to the glass pipe. I believe they are safer and easier to clean than metal pipes.

 

[jesuse]

yeh go glass.... nothing beats nice blast of herb from a new glass tool!![j]

 

[Old_SSSC_Guy]

thanks but no thanks on the glass. had them before and gave them up when many years ago one broke in my hand and ran shards of glass into my fingers. just what you get used to i guess.

 

[roadapple]

Can you post a pic of that pipe?

 

[ozzydiodude]

Soak your pipe in baking soda and water after you have cleaned it real good. The Baking soda and elbow grease polishes the brass removing the oxidation layer that gives off the bad taste.

 

[Old_SSSC_Guy]

here you go... they are about 14" long with brass at the bowl and tip ends. the brass pulls off the wooden dowel. after 20+ years my main pipe is now only about 4" long. the ends of center dowel "corrode" over time and can be trimmed back.

Can you post a pic of that pipe?

 

[Old_SSSC_Guy]

Any advice on how long to soak? I can pull the mouthpiece and bowl parts off the center dowel. figured to polish them with brasso before soaking them.

Soak your pipe in baking soda and water after you have cleaned it real good. The Baking soda and elbow grease polishes the brass removing the oxidation layer that gives off the bad taste.

 

[roadapple]

The reason I asked for the pic was being a machinist I thought I could help
with your pipe, I machine brass one hitters for friends all the time, but they are short round ones about 4" long. May sound dumb, but maybe clear nail
polish might help. Beautiful pipe by the way.

 

[Old_SSSC_Guy]

really appreciate that roadapple. i thought about the nail polish and just figured i'd try the clean & soak that ozzy mentioned before turning to 'better living through chemistry'... heh...

 

[roadapple]

No way to adapt old tip to new pipe?

 

[ozzydiodude]

Just soak til good and wet and then start polishing with a cotton cloth be sure to rinse with water often.. The Soda and water will polish almost as well as Brasso with out the funny taste brasso can leave behind.

 

[chenetaqwa]

I have been looking for a pipe just like that / used to have one and lost it / about the stem - try replaceing it with a bic pen body works great

 

[BlueNose]

nail polish may not be the best on something you smoke out of.

 

[Kupunakane]

Yo Ho Ho N,

Just the idea that you are thinking about trying to
clean up the taste got me to thinking. oxidation taste tells me that you are absorbing the stuff. Seriously if you can taste, or smell it then you are getting it in to your system.
Remember that cleaning off the old patina can often ruin a great antique, (if it is old).
I would consider coating the mouth piece with something that will harden up such as verathane, or even multiple coats of a light wax since the bowl is so far from the mouthpiece. I think that you would be safe after it has had time to off gas and harden up real well.
Then again a change, or a slight alteration to the mouth piece like slipping an amber pipe stem over it, or maybe getting something custom made to fit over the mouthpiece would be a good solution.

I'm going to be very interested in what you do for an answer.

smoke in peace
KK:cool2:

 

[BlueNose]

I was thinking about a thin wax coating last night but had already singed off. I have to second the vote for wax.

 

[Iron Emmett]

Nice pipe SSSC, looks like a great smoker, glad to find someone else in the anti glass club

 

[Sol]

And if you try wax, might i suggest bees wax. It is about as natural as possible and it is very workable and a thin layer shouldnt crack and chip off .Might melt though. If you think about it ppl use bees wax in lip protectors,balms and such, so its not like cheap birthday candle wax. Just an idea. I use bees wax for all kinds of applications and its great.