Those bristly pipe cleaners

[Whalehead King]

What do we call the bristly pipe cleaners? You know the ones, they're all prickly to scour the stem when passed through it. I always call them bristly and I can't remember the last time I saw this topic thoroughly discussed. I went through the archives and came up with an empty tin. You know the ones I mean, even if I don't have the terminology right: they're the kind of pipe cleaners that stick you in your fingertips.

I don't think it's metal wire that sticks out off the sides of the bristly pipe cleaners. I think it's fishing line mixed in with the soft-as-a-cloud fabric that gets wound around the wire stem.

Anyway, the reason I'm bringing this up is because I think I don't like them.

I have a lot of bristly and soft pipe cleaners. I've been using the bristly ones more, recently, because I'm not interested in thoroughly cleaning my pipes so I figured I'd go on an incremental maintenance plan. The bristly pipe cleaners do their job, and I hate the really fluffy ones that leave lint everywhere, but the more I think about these things, the more I like the simple, trim and absorbent, regular old BJ Long pipe cleaner in natural color.

Consider this simple, basic, workhorse of a pipe cleaner, the kind we grew up with, before there were craft store aisles full of decorative pipe cleaners in neon colors. Consider a regular, every day, tried-and-true pipe cleaner, the kind that has withstood the test of time. I'm holding one now.

If I were to run this pipe cleaner I'm holding along a young lady's jaw line up to here ear, and, then, follow the curve of the outside of her ear, from lobe to crest, gently turning the pipe cleaner, then, to brush the longest part I could manage gently over the arch of her cheek, she would smile and tell me that it tickled. Tee-hee.

If I tried the same maneuver with a bristly pipe cleaner, the reaction would be the opposite. The bristly pipe cleaners are too prickly. Imagine relying on these pipe cleaners if you relied on your fingertips to read Braille. You'd wear gloves.

What do I know? I'm a simple man. I'm not the kind of gentleman who goes out of his way to try to tickle young ladies with pipe cleaners.

Does anyone else have any thoughts?

[Dr Uhaha]

I think they are called 'hard' pipe cleaners, and I would be surprised if those aren't actually wire barbs sticking out. I use them when I am cleaning estates and want to make sure I get all of the old funk out. I'm talking about the pipes that look like an old school codger (no cleaning ever) owned it.

As far as using a pipe cleaner for foreplay as described, I have thoughts, but no plans.

[Kevin Keith]

Bristly works for me and I don't like them either. The problem is that I have several hundred from an order a couple of years ago. I never intended to buy bristly pipe cleaners. It was just a typing error. I guess I should start using them just to get rid of them.

[Preacher1611]

If I'm remembering correctly, they're called abrasive pipe cleaners; though I can't confirm this, as a quick search on the worldwide information super highway revealed no results to confirm or discredit this info. Personally, I hate them. I got some free with a P&C order a few years ago and they still sit there, unused. They're not even good for cleaning the clay pipe pieces I find in the river.

[Middle Earth]

This article kind of covers it
I am in general agreement with the thread and the linked article
https://www.smokingpipes.com/smokingpip ... -222943029

[Houtenziel]

I hate them. I am also not convinced that there are really enough bristles to really make much of a difference. When I need deep cleaning for an estate that someone never cleaned, I'll use a proper nylon bore brush soaked in Hoppes no. 9....... just kidding. I do use a .17 nylon bore brush on anything with a 5/16"(~3mm) airway.
For everything else, I like to use Long's tapered.

[Fr_Tom]

Being a little different I guess, my favorite pipe cleaners are the Randy's tapered bristle cleaners I get at the local Low Bob's. The Zen cleaners are not stiff enough and they tend to fold. They are also not tapered. I still use them when they are all that Low Bob's has in stock. Every now and then I will get some tapered non-bristle Randy's just for variety.

[MikeDennison]

They have thier place, but I hate them because they hurt me.

[Fr_Tom]

They have thier place, but I hate them because they hurt me.

If you tamp with your fingers and thumb long enough, you build up some nice calluses.

[avid]

i got tapered, extra thick, bristlely...but use only the plain BJ Longs, $1.10 per 56 at most places. I also have the narrow brush, too, haven't tried it. have the little adjustable reamer, too, haven't tried it.