Condensation inside MM Legend Stem

[foolwiththefez]

I picked up a Missouri Meerschaum Legend when I was out rode tripping this weekend. First pipe I've bought from this company and I am mightily impressed. It's also the first filtered pipe I've smoked. I left the filter in and notice a signification amount of moisture inside the bit when I was done smoking. So much moisture that half of the filter ended up soaked. I cleaned the stem with a pipe cleaner till dry. I pulled that filter and popped in a new one. The condensation came back on my second bowl but the filter did not get wet.
Is this normal? It's highly possible this happens on my other pipes and I just don't notice because they don't have clear stems.

 

[mso489]

Different things could be going on. You could be smoking some fairly moist tobacco that leaves more than the usual amount of moisture. You could be smoking on a humid day so there is just more moisture around. Or you could just be a fairly moist smoker and just notice it more with this pipe and filter. Many people like to smoke MM cobs without the filter (or buy the pipes that don't have a filter), or buy a 6 mm adaptor to eliminate the filter, or buy a Forever stem that turns a filter MM cob into a non-filter pipe. Experiment with some dryer tobacco, or tobacco you have dried out yourself, and try smoking on a dryer day. And the other possibilities, and see what works for you. I avoid filters but use them now and then, mostly not so much.

 

[brudnod]

I smoke cobs infrequently but enjoy them when I do. The MM are impressive and durable representatives of this genre. I have always removed the filter from them; they then give a very generous draw which is not everyone's taste. If gurgling persists, try without the filter or with the 6 mm adaptor as recommended above.

 

[darwin]

I use Sav 6mm balsa in my filter sized cob stems. Works like a charm, smokes dry and smooth, and tightens the draw up perfectly, for me at any rate.

 

[haddoken]

I see condensation build up in my amber(clear) stem as well. Its on an unfiltered cob, so I think this is normal. Try what Mso said and smoke drier tobacco. Or just swab it out with a pipe cleaner every so eften before it gets too bad in there.

 

[anarchisthermit]

You just notice it because of the clear stem. When you burn any organic material, water vapor is one of the by-products.

 

[foolwiththefez]

It didn't seem to affect the smoke at all. It was tasty and delicious with no gurgling. I was smoking Frog Morton and I live in FL so humidity is probably a factor. My biggest concern was the damp filter. Should I have thrown it away or just let it dry out? It's a just a standard medico filter.

 

[fadingdaylight]

Ditch the filter and run a cleaner through once or twice during a bowl. You will be good to go. All pipes collect condesation in the stem, its just easier to see on MMs.