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"breaking in" of a new Meerschaum?

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mikethompson

mikethompson

Lifer
Jun 26, 2016
11,326
23,458
Near Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Hello all,

I'm pretty new to the pipe world and have some pretty silly questions about getting started. Ve tried searching but found some conflicting advice. I have a new Meerschaum coming in a few days (hopefully if Canada Post doesn't go on strike!) and I am really looking to smoking that first goal. I intend to keep this pipe for many years. Is there any special procedures one should do prior to smoking? I've heard that sometimes the bowl (is that what it's called?) Is coated with something and that needs to burn off first.
Thanks so much!

 
clickklick

clickklick

Lifer
May 5, 2014
1,700
212
Just smoke it, wipe the bowl out with a paper towel after and wax it.
Should color well!
Some where gloves or only hold it by the stem as oils from the hand can cause it to color unevenly. But if you are like me, you just enjoy and don't worry about it.

 
fordm60

fordm60

Part of the Furniture Now
Dec 19, 2014
598
5
Clickklick is right on with his advice. I personally do not wax my meers but that is just personal preference. I would add, don' t drop it, or get it overly wet. Enjoy your Meer, I find they smoke great. Sometimes they have a tight draw which is caused by the screw in tenon. But I have fixed the issue in my meers by using the drill bit in the handle of my senior reamer and hand drill from the tennon side and bore it out. Make sure you get all the plastic shavings out of the stem and presto, nice open draw.

 
Chasing Embers

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,399
109,160
I bend fluffy pipe cleaners into a "U", wet them with saliva and wipe the inside of the bowl after each smoke to remove all residue and prevent any cake build up.

 
mikethompson

mikethompson

Lifer
Jun 26, 2016
11,326
23,458
Near Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Wow - thanks for all the great advice guys. Looks like there is more of a maintenance aspect as opposed to a preparation aspect. The pipe is coming with some white gloves which I thought was delightfully aristocratic, but I guess they are used for something!
More questions though; would my local tobacconist have proper pipe cleaners or can I use normal ones? Also how important is drying out the stem after using it?
What a fascinating hobby this is turning out to be!

 
Chasing Embers

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,399
109,160
Use non bristle cleaners, and after running a cleaner down the stem, and allowing the pipe to cool, you will be ready to smoke again. Make sure when you run the cleaner into the draft hole to not let the end of the cleaner scrape the bottom of the chamber!

 
pappymac

pappymac

Lifer
Feb 26, 2015
3,294
4,326
Not with briar. You want to build a cake in briar pipes. No cake is needed in a Meerschaum

 
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