Calabash Pipe Question

Bulldog · Dec 17, 2012

I am looking at the currently available Calabash style pipes. I am intrigued by the appearance, but have no experience with this particular style. Are there any rules of thumb surrounding the Calabash pipe? Is there a particular type of tobacco blend that is a classic Calabash match?

tokerpipes · Dec 17, 2012

What's to know about a calabash, make sure it comes apart before you buy it and never let liquid soak in while cleaning. That's it.
Tobacco is up to you really, most like to smoke stronger blends as it tones them down. Hot burning blends as well. Try some five brothers, mellows that strong blend down to a bearable smoke.

philip · Dec 17, 2012

You might find some more answers in Gary Schrier's book -
History of the Calabash

sergemoat · Dec 17, 2012

Just finished reading Schrier's History of the Calabash Pipe and it was a great resource. Basically you want to find a calabash with good fitment of parts and no damage i.e. cracks/chips/fills. According to Schrier the cap material isn't as important as having an African Gourd body since coloring of the gourd is what you're after. I've been looking at the Baki calabashes, but they are, unfortunately, out of my price range.
Roth, I believe that the Strambach caps are pressed.

joshremy · Dec 18, 2012

I can't say much for the high end calabash pipes, except like any pipe, if you can afford it, go for it!
I do have and love my Butz Choquin gourd Meerschaum Calabash. They run between $200 and $250. It is an excellent pipe. Its listed as a block meerschaum. i havent confirmed this but it is definitely not like the processed meerschaums i have played with. It Started to tint in the first 1 or 2 smokes. It is one of my prize pipes! : puffy

:

wnghanglow · Dec 19, 2012

I really like some cheap pipes, dr garbow and corn cons smoke great! With that being said you can not get a cheap calabash. If your not familiar with how to fix them I wouldn't even suggest buying used. Make the decision to buy a nice 200 dollar new one or don't try at all. Everything else I could say has already been said by these great guys above my post.

shaintiques · Dec 28, 2012

How do you maintain the inner gourd? Wipe it with olive oil? alcohol? or what?

poligerard · Dec 28, 2012

roth

Josh, my Calabash was also made in Saint Claude, France, in the 1960's; real gourd, block meerschaum bowl, vulcanite stem. I paid $70 for it at Erhlich's Pipe Shop in Boston in 1967. I don't know for sure, but I wouldn't be surprised if mine was also made by Butz Choquin.

you are a lucky man :mrgreen:

lifeon2 · Dec 28, 2012

I've seen quite a few go for under 100 on ebay, nice ones not crappy at all.

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