Pipe retort

[Heavyc252002]

Hey there Heavy, I've never used a retort so I don't know. I bet someone here will know though. Welcome to PSF by the way.

Thank you it's good to be here and I can't wait to learn as much as I can. As a newbie I'm enjoying learning about all of the different types of pipes and tobacco's out there as well as how to care for them. I got my first pipe back in July and he already have a growing collection!

[slowroll]

Well, bristle scrubbing and retort will sanitize nicely. Enjoy when you're done.

[Whalehead King]

This is beyond the scope of my jurisdiction. I didn't know what you were talking about until I read further down. I'm still not entirely clear on it. Good luck to you, friend. Restoring pipes is a vocation that isn't mine, I'm afraid, as much as I admire the skill and the tools and the dedication to bring history back to life.

[arturo7]

If you haven't looked yet, there are several decent pipe retort videos on youtube.

For anyone who wants to try it, start with beater pipe. If the alcohol overflows the bowl it can strip off the finish.

[MikeDennison]

Short answer:
Lots of tubes. I call it quits when the alcohol stays a light Amber after 2 cycles.

It's been a while since I've had to use the retort on anything. Mechanical cleaning gets me to "really clean" and sweet, which is all I need for the pipes I smoke and pass along.

How many cycles depends on how well you cleaned the pipe.
Scrub it out with bristled pipe cleaners, ream, clean and salt soak. Ream the airway with the right size drill bit, or one slightly smaller.

Then you can retort as a final step to make it squeaky clean sterile.

If you start with the retort right off the bat, it will take gallons of alcohol before it runs clear and you will be hunched over a candle for hours giving yourself a headache.

I just bought a retort kit on the 'bay.
So, you recommend a salt treatment in combination with the retort? Or is that only if there's a concern with ghosts?
Is it ok to just ream the bowl, scrub the inside of the stem, and then use the retort?

[Heavyc252002]

All of my estates I've been reaming the bowl giving a salt bath with everclear then retorting with everclear. I want to start totally fresh. I am new to the hobby and am learning every day so I'm sure I'm going above and beyond what is actually needed how ever I just want to make sure the pipe is clean, fresh, and sterile

[Citizen B]

I am giving this a bump because I know we have talked about pipe retorts in 2022, so some observations from 2018 may be apropos to the pipe retort conversation.

These two retort threads should probably be merged for convenience since I don't think the new one caught fire any more than this one did. It is probably best to keep all the pipe retort lore in one place.

[Wildcat]

I don't get all the hoopla. This place is full of retorts.

Let that sink in...




It's who we are. It's what we do.

[MikeDennison]

I knew the thread bump would result in witty rejoinders!

[Ronv69]

retort, vessel used for distillation of substances that are placed inside and subjected to heat. The simple form of retort, used in some laboratories, is a glass or metal bulb having a long, curved spout through which the distillate may pass to enter a receiving vessel.