Who Actually Dries Their Stem After Cleaning It?

[mattarios2]

I know some run something through the stem with paper towels wrapped around it, and some just let them air dry. I personally, for my km's just use a blow drier, takes about 25 seconds on hot to dry it 100%. But lately since i have been using them more ... i am on the fence about drying it but i am a freak when it comes to keeping my hookahs mint.

Is it necessary to dry it after cleaning it? Will not drying it shorten the life on a km? I am sure Eric would know, because i am assuming he knows what km's are made of exactly, and what they can handle. (Was told they are galvanized steel)

Input on if you dry your stems or not, how long you have had them, how much use, and what condition the pipe is in now would be great. This mainly goes for "stainless steel" km's,mz's generic egyptians, etc. Mya's can post too, just make it known it is a mya.

thanks guys

[srawas89]

I just let my stems air dry and seem to have to problem and I have been doing that for a couple years now on hookahs that are not as great quality as KM so I am sure you will be find to just let it sit. That is unless you plan on using within the same day.

[mattarios2]

nah i smoke 1 bowl every night. So i'd scrub it after smoking then let it just air dry. Then smoke another bowl the following night.

[austinthecity]

I used to just "let it air dry"... but the water droplets won't go away inside the stem.

To be effective, you need to get a coat hanger and push a bit of paper towel through the stem.
However, air drying the outside is fine.

[mattarios2]

I used to just "let it air dry"... but the water droplets won't go away inside the stem.

To be effective, you need to get a coat hanger and push a bit of paper towel through the stem.
However, air drying the outside is fine.

yah i don't care about the outside, i am talkin about the inside. I blow dry it, i am just getting lazy to continue blow drying it, lol.

[Sonthert]

Air dry for the win. I let my shanks air dry and some of my shanks are the oldest I've heard of.

[Stuie]

i dry them with a towel over the ends a give them a good swing. then let them air dry. Obviously it's easier with my Mya's but I do it for my big stem ones also.

[Vladimir]

Go to wally world and throw down $60 for an air compressor. I bought one to clean my guns and have found it to be some of the best $60 I spent. Great for cleaning out the computer, the keyboard, speakers, filling the car tires, among other things... not least of which includes cleaning the hookah.

[liquidglass]

I have two KM's both of them are brass downstems.


To clean I use a few methods (lemon juice, tonic water, vinegar, and even a steel gun cleaning brush) depending on how clean I'm getting it.


Then after everything I run some water through it, take a paper towel, fold it over on itself until it's about a half inch across then roll it up and put it down my stem. Then I use a dowel rod I have to push it all the way through. No matter how much I've cleaned the paper towel always picks up water and puts the finishing touches on the cleaning job.


It's the way mine stay "mint" so It'll prob. work for you.


However, the fact that you're using a steel and not something that is as prone to oxidation then it should be easier to clean it, but I would still personally dry it, but that's just my thing.

[delSol_si]

Go to wally world and throw down $60 for an air compressor. I bought one to clean my guns and have found it to be some of the best $60 I spent. Great for cleaning out the computer, the keyboard, speakers, filling the car tires, among other things... not least of which includes cleaning the hookah.

Or go to Walmart and throw down $25-30 and get a shotgun cleaning kit. They come with a long ass rod and a cotton swab thing or a loop to put some paper towel on. I have to admit though, I didn't even think of this until mushy suggested using a rifle cleaning wire brush for a hose tip/handle.

I have always just let mine air dry. I set it upside down though since it has an ice bucket and I don't want that to rust.

[mattarios2]

alright thanks guys.

my main concern was ... if i don't dry it will it cause rust to form faster, but it seems as though people don't have issues with that really (obviously the brass people are excluded)

[Vladimir]

Go to wally world and throw down $60 for an air compressor. I bought one to clean my guns and have found it to be some of the best $60 I spent. Great for cleaning out the computer, the keyboard, speakers, filling the car tires, among other things... not least of which includes cleaning the hookah.

Or go to Walmart and throw down $25-30 and get a shotgun cleaning kit. They come with a long ass rod and a cotton swab thing or a loop to put some paper towel on. I have to admit though, I didn't even think of this until mushy suggested using a rifle cleaning wire brush for a hose tip/handle.

I have always just let mine air dry. I set it upside down though since it has an ice bucket and I don't want that to rust.

You would go through so many patches the air compressor would pay for itself awfully quickly! Besides rust is rust, leaving any water and you might as well leave it all. Patches are not going to be sure to get it all every time- there is a reason most people who know what they are doing include air compressors as standard in their gun cleaning kits .

Not to mention patches aren't made for absorption. When you run patches through the barrel the intent is to LEAVE some stuff there. Edited May 22, 2009 by Vladimir

[ikon]

If I want to dry it right away, I take it to the back porch and use my compressor (~60psi) through the stem just to dry it out

[Barnaby]

I airdry mine.. I don't see the need to do it any other way.

[RogueSmoker]

I airdry mine.. I don't see the need to do it any other way.

X2

[SmokinMoose]

I smoke once or maybe twice a day and I clean my KMs periodically.

I will do a deep clean once a month and run water down the stem once a week.

And they are in mint condition. I have had my kms for almost a year now. But before i had a no name Egyptian which i would clean on much less frequent basis and lasted me 5 yrs I still have it and its in perfect working condition.

[Scoop]

air dry

[lowspeedchase]

air dry

Seconded. Wait after reading the thread it's more like twelth'd