My Missouri Meerschaum Complaint

ruger414 · May 22, 2014

Upon the recent arrival of my MM Smokable Seconds Grab Bag I was ecstatic. I finally had enough pipes to try all of my blends without having to deal with ghosts and left over flavors from smokes past. Upon lighting up my new Aristocrat with a coin of Escudo I was ready to roll. The second the flame of my zippo hit the tobacco I was confronted with a horrible and overwhelming smell that I can only think to attribute to the shellac on the pipe. I mean it was bad. I couldn't even finish a bowl of a blend that I really love. I tried again with a different blend in a different cob and got the same result. I couldn't even taste differences in the tobacco because the offensive smell was so overpowering.
So tell me, is this normal for a new cob? I've smoked cobs before but they have never been brand new. My first cob was an MM that my dad had sitting around the house for years that had hardly been smoked, but it did not have this smell.
Also, if any of you have any ideas on how to get past this issue I would love to hear them. It would suck to have a whole box of pipes that I can't stand to smoke.

novicemaker · May 22, 2014

Are you talking the hardwood pipes or corn COBs :?: Because cobs have nothing but cob and a stem, the hardwoods will have protective coat on them yes, dont fill it up as high because the costing is on the rim as well as the outside of the bowl.

brewshooter · May 22, 2014

My MM seconds didn't have this problem, granted, I've only smoked a few of them, saving the rest as giveaway pipes. Maybe you just had incredibly bad luck on the first two. I say try another one.

ruger414 · May 22, 2014

All of the cobs I received had a yellow-ish finish on them. It doesn't smell very pleasant in the first place, and once it starts to heat up... it's not good :?
I posted a picture of my Grab Bag haul on this thread if you're interested: http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/missouri-meerschaum-grab-bag-picture-thread

novicemaker · May 22, 2014

Hmmm i have never seen a coating but i could be lucky i guess. Even in the stores i have only seen and felt cob no oil or finish. Id say thats why yours were seconds they may have been unintentionally coated in an oil or lacquer.

novicemaker · May 22, 2014

I am sorry, i looked it up and some of the pipes do have a varnish on them. Then yes theyll taste different but it should pass after a few smokes. Id put some cheap stuff through it that you think taste ok till a little cake builds up or just toss it.

andrew · May 22, 2014

Yeah woodroad had the same problem, maybe let them sit out in the sun for a few days?

topd · May 22, 2014

The cobs I smoked years ago had to be beat down.... Meaning they all had a "Production Issue" like shellac, paint, varnish, plaster of paris or some sort of crap that had to be smoked out. Just smoke your pipe a few times and whatever it is will go away..... The newer pipes don't have that issue, but.... just smoke it

antbauers · May 22, 2014

I know you shouldn't have to but in this case, or other pipes with coating inside the bowl, I'd wipe it out with high proof alcohol. It will get rid of it or at the very least lessen the punch of your problem.

dochudson · May 22, 2014

I never understood the constant advice to try a new tobacco in a fresh cob.. a new cob will taste and smell like burnt popcorn for the first dozen or so smokes.

settersbrace · May 22, 2014

5-10 bowls and you will be good to go. There's break in on cobs just like any pipe. I haven't had the seconds but just recently had a new Dane Egg that was a little stubborn out of the gate but it's smoothed out nicely.

settersbrace · May 22, 2014

Dochudson said:I never understood the constant advice to try a new tobacco in a fresh cob.. a new cob will taste and smell like burnt popcorn for the first dozen or so smokes.
I Enjoy Aromatics

I Enjoy Peterson Pipes
I respectfully disagree. Although a brand spanking new cob can give off that burnt buttered popcorn taste, periodically throughout the initial break in its easily recognizable and distinct. You know that what your faintly tasting is just the virgin cob and not some hidden condiment in whatever blend you happen to be smoking. I still feel that a cheap cob can give a smoker an honest, unbiased assessment of a new to them mixture and then allow the person to decide if that blend works for them.
A well smoked cob can deliver some great smokes as it has been reported many times here and elsewhere on the interwebs. I have had some sublime smoking sessions with just a simple cob and they beat out clay pipes IMO for tasting.

beefeater33 · May 22, 2014

That "horrible and overwhelming" smell is probably not from shellac. Like Top D says just smoke it and it will go away, I would think after a bowl or two. FWIW-- shellac is harmless, approved by the USDA for food items. They use it on apples to make them shine, M&M's are coated with the stuff. It actually comes from the "tail-end" of the female Lac bug----

woodsroad · May 22, 2014

All of the MM pipes that I received have a coating . Some are yellow, and smell like shellac, some are clear, and have a slightly less shellac-like aroma. Most have the coating inside and out. When I smoke one of the pipes, I can smell the shellac on the pipe, and taste it as it burns. It does burn off in the first bowl or two. I'll be cleaning it out of the remaining cobs with a rotary tool sanding bit.

fadingdaylight · May 22, 2014

Yeah, alot of the finished cobs come with a coating, some type of shellac, on the outside. Both of my "first" diplomats have it. But it should not be inside the bowl. That must be how they ended up "seconds". Woodsroad, you have the right idea, sand that crap out of there and you should be good to go.

michiganlover · May 22, 2014

The corn cobs that have a yellow finish are Legends. They are literally tossed in a tumbler (aka cement mixer) with the shellac, so I would be very surprised if a little shellac didn't end up on the inside.
This doesn't make therm seconds. All Legends are likely like this due to this form of processing.
Just smoke a few bowls through them, and they will be totally fine.

dochudson · May 23, 2014

Dochudson said:I never understood the constant advice to try a new tobacco in a fresh cob.. a new cob will taste and smell like burnt popcorn for the first dozen or so smokes.
I Enjoy Aromatics

I Enjoy Peterson Pipes
I respectfully disagree. Although a brand spanking new cob can give off that burnt buttered popcorn taste, periodically throughout the initial break in its easily recognizable and distinct. You know that what your faintly tasting is just the virgin cob and not some hidden condiment in whatever blend you happen to be smoking. I still feel that a cheap cob can give a smoker an honest, unbiased assessment of a new to them mixture and then allow the person to decide if that blend works for them.
A well smoked cob can deliver some great smokes as it has been reported many times here and elsewhere on the interwebs. I have had some sublime smoking sessions with just a simple cob and they beat out clay pipes IMO for tasting.

I'm not anti cob I have many that I enjoy but IMO using a new cob to try new tobacco is counter productive. as always you mileage will vary.

mso489 · May 23, 2014

I dote on my Missouri Meerschuam's like most Forums members. I've always bought "firsts," not the grab bag,

and I've never had the break-in taste problem, so that's my experience history with them. Personally, it's worth

a few bucks to me to buy the first run pipes, since they don't cost much. For a new pipe smoker who has no

rotation, the grab bag of seconds is still a good move, I think. The unwanted tastes and smells will soon dissipate,

I feel pretty sure. But if you feel discouraged by this experience, you now have the excellent alternative of

Old Dominion corn cob pipes, which are elegant little sweethearts. They are a little more than MM cobs, and

certainly more than grab bag seconds, but in this price range, two or three pipes instead of ten isn't going to

break anyone. In general, MM and Old Dominion pipes are fine smokers, so much so that several have gotten

aggravated on Forums by the continual enthusiasm. When you can get a quite comparable smoke from an $8

or $15 pipe as you can from a $700 (or more) beauty, that tends to extract some enthusiasm from pipe smokers.

So pardon me.

ruger414 · May 23, 2014

Thanks for the advice everybody. I have solved the problem! For the break in smoke I decided to use Molto Dolce (which I'm not a huge fan of) and it has beat down the shellac smell like a charm! I would much rather taste overly sweet tobacco than burnt shellac! But the good news is........ IT WORKS!
Woodsroad: if you get tired of sanding down your pipes this method has proven to be highly successful : puffy

:

woodsroad · May 23, 2014

Ruger, I would rather smoke pure bug shit shellac than Molto Dolce.
You collect Rugers?

My Missouri Meerschaum Complaint

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