Is there a way to "untone" a darkened meerschaum pipe back to white?
- Thread starter barrygman
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[Sorry: Didn't notice that you'd posted this question twice and already had it answered!]
No, you cannot "polish it off." The "toning" is the result of moisture/nicotine that colors the pipe from the bowl outward over the course of many smokes. For virtually all meerschaum smokers, this "toning" is something to be quite proud of! It shows that a pipe has been well-loved and colored over the course of time. Also, many meerschaums are carved with details that expressly highlight the coloring process down the road.
It's possible, I guess, that boiling the meerschaum would remove some of the coloring that has been developed. But unless you add bleach or some such, I cannot imagine it ever getting back to the original white mineral. And boiling would risk damaging/altering any carving on the pipe, as well as any kind of stem engineering (a screw-in shank, for instance) that might have been done.
I'd encourage you to cherish the antique meerschaum for what it represents. If what you really want is a pristine white pipe, then I'd recommend just buying a brand-new meerschaum and never smoking it.
Bob
No, you cannot "polish it off." The "toning" is the result of moisture/nicotine that colors the pipe from the bowl outward over the course of many smokes. For virtually all meerschaum smokers, this "toning" is something to be quite proud of! It shows that a pipe has been well-loved and colored over the course of time. Also, many meerschaums are carved with details that expressly highlight the coloring process down the road.
It's possible, I guess, that boiling the meerschaum would remove some of the coloring that has been developed. But unless you add bleach or some such, I cannot imagine it ever getting back to the original white mineral. And boiling would risk damaging/altering any carving on the pipe, as well as any kind of stem engineering (a screw-in shank, for instance) that might have been done.
I'd encourage you to cherish the antique meerschaum for what it represents. If what you really want is a pristine white pipe, then I'd recommend just buying a brand-new meerschaum and never smoking it.
Bob
The short answer is no followed by the question. Why would you? rmbittner is absolutely right and has saved me, as the resident meerschaum bore the trouble of explaining meerschaum chemistry. If you like a perfect white pipe you could swap your meerschaum for a nice white brylex pipe!
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I care not how my meers color, only how they smoke, so I don't worry about handling and wax.
That said, lightening the color is most likely not going to change the way the meer colors. If you could lighten the pipe and change the structure of that particular pipe you might get a different pattern the second time around. Your pipe is what it is and will color a certain way because of the structure of the block. That is what makes the meer so interesting.
That said, lightening the color is most likely not going to change the way the meer colors. If you could lighten the pipe and change the structure of that particular pipe you might get a different pattern the second time around. Your pipe is what it is and will color a certain way because of the structure of the block. That is what makes the meer so interesting.
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