Pipe Sterilization - Salt Turning Blue?!?

[JSPiper71]

Title edited for capitalization.

Note: This will not sterilize the pipe or stem. It may clean them just fine, and remove the ghost. Is there a ghost? A hot water flush will remove all salt and perhaps other crud.


Hi All. I just picked up a 16 pipe collection from a guy who was selling his Dad’s estate. It was a great score for me as there were two Dunhills, a Peterson, a really nice Meer and a Calich among other goodies. The pipes all seemed to be reamed somewhat and sterilized as I think the man had given up smoking and put them into storage. Regardless I am going to sterilized them again and do a proper restore. I started with 4 of the pipes and noticed very quickly that the salt/alcohol in the bowls was turning a blue colour. Has anyone seen this before? Is this some kind of bowl cleanser that I’m not aware of? All of the pipes have a fruity smell to them that I’m hoping I can get rid of.

 

[georged]

It's ionized radiation transmogrified into solid form by a massive reducted electrical charge of prions.

Your pipes are radioactive, in other words. Deadly within 20 feet or so if exposure lasts more than a couple minutes.

Think hand-held Chernobyl.

It was nice knowing you...

 

[Hillcrest]

?????

 

[TakeThisCobAndStuffIt]

If iodized salt comes in contact with an acid it releases the iodine and can impart a blue to purple color. Harmless. Could be that whatever tobaccos the prior owner smoked were on the acidic side or could be that when they were cleaned someone used an acidic fluid like lemon juice or vinegar. In any case it's not going to hurt you or the pipes it just a chemical reaction.

 

[Bbailey324]

Interesting thought on the iodine. I've only used non-iodized salt for pipe rehab. Now I will have to buy some iodized salt to see if I can produce the 'blue effect' with some acid. Likely won't try it in one of my pipes, however.

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

Congratulations! Your pipe is expecting!

 

[ssjones]

I doubt the pipe was harmed, but I use non-iodized sea salt.
Salt typically turns brownish, depending on the condition of the bowl. Your bowls must have been pretty clean to start. I also recommend cleaning the shank. I dip a skinny bristle brush into alcohol, wipe off on a paper towel, and keep doing that until the paper towel stays unstained.

 

[JSPiper71]

I use pure course sea salt, so the iodine theory won’t hold.

 

[shanez]

Most likely it's a chemical reaction with an anti-caking agent in the salt. Many sea salts contain them. What brand are you using?

 

[Briar Lee]

Salt was used by the furniture industry for a hundred years until Browning Arms tried to speed up the process of curing gun stocks in 1966 using salt.

It was the worst disaster in Browning’s history. The salt could not be soaked out, it ruined the finish of fine walnut, and rusted the metal. The debacle almost bankrupted Browning.

I’ve used salt as a Hail Mary on severely skunky pipes instead of tossing the pipe, as a last resort. It does draw out nastiness, into the salt.

But that salt will never come out of the wood.

I’ve turned bad smokers into bland, mediocre acceptable smokers, never good ones, using a salt and alcohol bath.

Try cotton balls and alcohol first, if they need it.

 

[Green Hill piper]

Yellow Prussate of soda. Normal chemical reaction.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Are you sure this isn't a pipe full of crystal meth?

 

[JSPiper71]

Are you sure this isn't a pipe full of crystal meth?

I was waiting for a Breaking Bad response. Who knew that pipe smokers were so damn funny?!!?

 

[TakeThisCobAndStuffIt]

I use pure course sea salt, so the iodine theory won’t hold.

So raw sea salt does have iodine in it. It's just unfortified. Iodine is added to table salt because the trace amounts are not enough to get the recommended daily allowance from the raw stuff. Recall aqueous inorganic chemistry class: burning sodium made a yellow/orange color. Acid to salt makes a blue-purple color.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I was waiting for a Breaking Bad response. Who knew that pipe smokers were so damn funny?!!?

We are actually watching Breaking Bad right now for the first time. Good series. The blue crystals triggered me, ha ha.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

BTW, iodine in salt turning blue doesn't make it bad in any way. I wouldn't worry.

 

[fightnhampster]

Are you sure this isn't a pipe full of crystal meth?

 

[bayareabriar]

It’s the same affect if you ever had garlic turn blue. Enzymes and sulfur containing amino acids.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Salt was used by the furniture industry for a hundred years until Browning Arms tried to speed up the process of curing gun stocks in 1966 using salt.

It was the worst disaster in Browning’s history. The salt could not be soaked out, it ruined the finish of fine walnut, and rusted the metal. The debacle almost bankrupted Browning.

I’ve used salt as a Hail Mary on severely skunky pipes instead of tossing the pipe, as a last resort. It does draw out nastiness, into the salt.

But that salt will never come out of the wood.

I’ve turned bad smokers into bland, mediocre acceptable smokers, never good ones, using a salt and alcohol bath.

Try cotton balls and alcohol first, if they need it.

Actually, activated charcoal and alcohol is reported to be the best

 

[Briar Lee]

Actually, activated charcoal and alcohol is reported to be the best

I’ll try activated charcoal the next time I use cotton balls and alcohol.

Honestly, other than Pre 54 Marxman pipes, when they get brown on the outside the reaper is peeping over the shoulder of a briar pipe, and it’s not long before they are simply smoked out.