Making An Effort To Smoke My Meers

Normally I am a briar pipe smoker, but this week I decided to make an effort to smoke my two meerschaum pipes. One is a CAO half bent and the other is an older Vienna meerschaum (Lee Van Cleef style). I primarily smoked the CAO because it is much lighter. I love the look of meers, the variety of carvings etc. and the light weight, not to mention how nicely they tend to color overtime. I really want to like to smoke them. They are just plain cool!

In the past I was never really impressed by the "taste" I got from meerschaums.

When I smoke a meer the taste I seem to encounter is always thin and for lack of a better term "ashy".

Well after a week of smoking them I am still not impressed. I tried with an open mind and several different blends. I just never seem to get the depth of flavor that I get from my briars.

Is there something that I may be doing wrong? Will the meers get any better with more smoking?

Any of you folks have similar experience with the taste?

For now, I guess I am going to remain primarily a briar smoker.

zekest I am not sure if the material will season or not. Good question though.

I know they are not supposed to add any flavors other than the tobacco itself, but the "ashy" taste just doesn't seem normal to me.

Update:

I kept working to get a decent smoke from my Meers.

The CAO meer simply would not allow for an acceptable smoke. My only guess is that some wax may have entered the smoking chamber and given the smokes the "ashy" taste. Anyway, I used it for partial trade at an antique shop for a cool 27 inch ripsaw blade for the mancave (with full disclosure of how it smoked, of course. I am an honest guy).

I took the Vienna meershaum and carefully opened up the airway of the stem. That immediately did the trick. Not so good smokes became good ones. The pipe is a little heavy for me, but I am generally happy with it now.

Next, I placed an order for a nice Peterson Baskerville smooth meerschaum. I haven't gotten it yet. Im hoping it is as nice as the photos and lighter than my current meer.