Cleaning and Maintenance of the Pipe
For each smoke to be a pleasure from start to finish, it is essential to regularly clean the pipe. This is done most effectively when the remnants of the tobacco are still moist.
ROUTINE CLEANING
After smoking, give two or three strong blows from the mouthpiece end to get rid of the remains of the tobacco. Be careful how you hold the bowl, as some ash and pieces of tobacco could soil white trousers! If the stem becomes clogged and it is not easy to blow through, leave it till the pipe is cool and you can remove the bowl from the mouthpiece without causing any damage. N.B. It's important not to undo and clean a hot pipe with the mouthpiece in the stem because the different coefficients of expansion of the materials can easily cause unsightly cracks, sometimes irreparable.
If your pipe does not take a filter, such as our 'Balsa', firstly you can pass a cleaner from the mouthpiece to the bowl and slide it a few times to rid the pipe of any debris. If you have a filter, skip this step and start again when the pipe has cooled.
Then fold the cleaner in half, holding the ends between two fingers, rub the inside of the bowl until there is only the grey ash which will form a carbon layer of 1 mm/1.5 mm. This will protect your bowl and prevent it from burning and give you a longer pleasure to smoke. It is usually more than enough to use a standard cleaner, but from time to time you can use a coarse cleaner made with nylon pieces added which will increase the cleanliness.
Rest your pipe with the mouthpiece up and bowl down, so that the moisture drops down the bowl and is left to evaporate naturally, and let it rest at least until it is cool, in any case not less an hour. We recommend replacing the filter every two or three 'Balsa wood' smokes; the saturation of the filter can vary depending on the type of tobacco used and how you smoke. When the mouthpiece is removed from the bowl, take the opportunity to clean the pipe with a cleaner.
PERIODIC CLEANING
With the passage of time and smoke, your pipe will lose the finish and shine that had fascinated you when you had the choice between thousands of others.
In addition with the burning of tobacco the bowl becomes dark with a carbon and the deposit of nicotine and tar in the pipe stem / mouthpiece.
And if your pipe has a hard rubber mouthpiece, this will tend to become yellow as a result of sulphur, a component of the material, which tends to happen as a result of use and exposure to light.
Here are some solutions proposed by Savinelli.
WHEN (AND HOW) TO REMOVE THE BOWL FROM THE MOUTHPIECE?
As already emphasized, soon after smoking, however, it is an operation to avoid, whenever you suspect that any source of heat has altered the proportions of the different parts of the pipe.
Usually it is recommended that the mouthpiece is removed from the bowl, gently rotating it clockwise, and likewise to refit the mouthpiece.This is because doing so is in the same direction of rotation of the lathe that has polished the stem and prevents the latter from breaking.
If the mouthpiece is held tight in the stem, or simply very difficult to remove, do not force it. A trick that usually works well is the same principle for which we do not recommend removing it when hot: the freezer! Protect your pipe from moisture and smells of food by keeping it in a bag and then let it chill in the freezer for about ten minutes. Once cooled, it can be magically removed without difficulty.
REMOVE DEBRIS WITH NIKOSOLVOL
We have already talked about the memories which are left in the beloved pipe when it has been smoked. Subsequent use of our 'Nikosolvol' is useful to break up deposits of tar and nicotine in the stem of the bowl and the mouthpiece and, if necessary, carefully and gently use a soft cloth on the edge of the bowl. For normal use, simply soak a soft brush and wipe the liquid inside the stem and mouthpiece, and if the hole is particularly dirty, you can leave the brush soaked in it for a few minutes and then use a new brush, and then dry it this time to make it clean.
SAVI CLEAN - PIPE SANITIZER KIT
For periodic cleaning, Savinelli has thought of this kit to have everything you need for a correct cleaning of the pipe. Savi Clean contains one 50ml bottle of sanitizing liquid and specific cleaners for the bowl and for the mouthpiece of the pipe, plus a cloth. Presented in a convenient transparent blister, it is easy to use and helpful to maintain your pipes always clean.
PIPE POLISH E STEM POLISH
If, by frequently smoking, the root of the briar becomes dark then it can be easily brightened: a little pipe polish, softly wiped and then wiped with a clean cloth.
When the ebonite mouthpiece of your pipe shows signs of wear, because maybe you have not just looked after it, you can restore the brightness with a soft cloth and the hardened paste and a little 'elbow grease'. Occasionally wipe with a clean cloth to check; if you are not satisfied, repeat the operation.
MAGIC CLOTH
It has the same effect of polishing wax, but is imbued with silicone wax and carnauba wax, and can clean 1000 times. The Magic Cloth is beige on one side, impregnated, and a blue on the other side. First rub the bowl of the pipe, then polish it up with the other side of the cloth. Its effectiveness will surprise you.
PIPE TOOL
When the residual carbon layer has thickened too much through over smoking, it is useful to use a pipe tool to remove the excess gently and gradually. They are available in various styles and designed specifically for the maintenance of pipes, some more and some less complex. The important thing is not to use machinery such as drills and lathes, because, for those who are not in the trade, they are difficult to control and there is a great risk of damaging the pipe.
