With the many attempts I've had at filling all the little holes that have developed in the old silent burners of the Optimus 182 I found that inadvertently I've removed the carbon deposits the old fashioned way. All most exactly as described in the old text on this excellent site.
I think with all the heating and plunging into pickling acid the little holes have been un-bunged from ages of carbon. After every pickling I flushed out the carbon with water - got some big chunks out too.