Can Anyone Tell the Quality of this Pipe?

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Nohone

Lurker
Aug 4, 2020
16
6
EDIT: Fixed Capitalization in Title (See Rule 9)

So I've purchased this pipe in the beginning of June, it's probably had over 100 smokes as of now, and I'm concerned that it hasn't colored much in comparison to some of the pipes I've seen here that have been smoked like 12 times and already have something going on.

I'm positive the pipe is block meerschaum, though I'm unsure of the quality of block. I purchased the pipe for $100 on Meerschaummarket.com.

I also just waxed it with white beesewax, and I can see the color did come out more than before, but not as much as I'd expect it to.

I smoke black aromatics, pirate kake, and balkan sasieni.
 

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lawdawg

Lifer
Aug 25, 2016
1,792
3,801
I think it's coloring up quite nicely. If it smokes well, just keep enjoying it and don't worry about it too much.

I will add that next time you're in the market for a new meer, it is worthwhile to spend a little more and get a meerschaum where the mortise and tennon are designed so that there is no friction against any portion of the meerschaum since it's a soft material and can wear down over time, making a loose fit for the stem. Slightly pricier meers have some sort of insert in the mortise which the tennon will fit to, avoiding any friction against the meerschaum material itself.
 

Nohone

Lurker
Aug 4, 2020
16
6
Yeah, it does smoke well. Has a tendency to trap moisture though, but that could just be me.

Regarding the insert for the tennon, is this what you mean? Looks like mine has that, but the tennon has gotten looser when I twist it off. I never twist off the insert, if I take the stem out I take it out clockwise.
 

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lawdawg

Lifer
Aug 25, 2016
1,792
3,801
Yeah, it does smoke well. Has a tendency to trap moisture though, but that could just be me.

Regarding the insert for the tennon, is this what you mean? Looks like mine has that, but the tennon has gotten looser when I twist it off. I never twist off the insert, if I take the stem out I take it out clockwise.

Looks like yours probably has the type of insert (for lack of a better term) that I was talking about.
 
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Depending upon the exposure, white balance, etc ... which a camera calculates on its own, a Meerschaum may look more colored / less colored in a picture. If you include a piece of white paper, (and a virgin Meerschaum if you have one), take a reading of the white stuff in your photo, only then you can have a photo which represents true color in the photo.
Every Meerschaum colors differently, but I believe your pipe has picked up excellent color after 100 smokes.
 
Including a thread I posted which shows how much my Meerschaum pipes have colored - as a comparison

 

didimauw

Moderator
Staff member
Jul 28, 2013
9,888
31,594
34
Burlington WI
I think it's coloring up quite nicely. If it smokes well, just keep enjoying it and don't worry about it too much.

I will add that next time you're in the market for a new meer, it is worthwhile to spend a little more and get a meerschaum where the mortise and tennon are designed so that there is no friction against any portion of the meerschaum since it's a soft material and can wear down over time, making a loose fit for the stem. Slightly pricier meers have some sort of insert in the mortise which the tennon will fit to, avoiding any friction against the meerschaum material itself.
Huh, I didn't know that was what those fittings were for! You learn something new every day!
 
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mingc

Lifer
Jun 20, 2019
3,976
11,065
The Big Rock Candy Mountains
Yeah, it does smoke well. Has a tendency to trap moisture though, but that could just be me.

Regarding the insert for the tennon, is this what you mean? Looks like mine has that, but the tennon has gotten looser when I twist it off. I never twist off the insert, if I take the stem out I take it out clockwise.
That's one creepy looking pipe. I like it!

That's pretty much a standard meerschaum screw in mortise. You can buy replacement mortise/tenon sets on eBay and elsewhere. My one meerschaum, an SMS, uses the same set up. It too traps moisture.
 

Nohone

Lurker
Aug 4, 2020
16
6
That's one creepy looking pipe. I like it!

That's pretty much a standard meerschaum screw in mortise. You can buy replacement mortise/tenon sets on eBay and elsewhere. My one meerschaum, an SMS, uses the same set up. It too traps moisture.

Thanks. Didn't know they could be replaced that easy. The top just broke off too =/. Looks like it melted off when I was heating it while waxing.
 

mingc

Lifer
Jun 20, 2019
3,976
11,065
The Big Rock Candy Mountains
Thanks. Didn't know they could be replaced that easy. The top just broke off too =/. Looks like it melted off when I was heating it while waxing.
I assume this is what you have:
b06-tenon-mortise.jpg

They're cheap. Less than $5.
 
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F4RM3R

Part of the Furniture Now
Nov 28, 2019
567
2,512
38
Canada
Depends on the size of the pipe too. From the pics that looks pretty big and it will take longer to colour. Looks like it's doing quite fine to me
 
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Nohone

Lurker
Aug 4, 2020
16
6
I assume this is what you have:
b06-tenon-mortise.jpg

They're cheap. Less than $5.

Spot on. Thanks a lot. I'll check one out at the shop near me.

The thing is is the spacer broke off, and the spiral screw part of the plastic is stuck in the screw part of the mortise. I'll see if I can gently take it out tomorrow.
 

jhowell

Part of the Furniture Now
Jul 25, 2019
628
1,014
70
Phoenix, Arizona
Spot on. Thanks a lot. I'll check one out at the shop near me.

The thing is is the spacer broke off, and the spiral screw part of the plastic is stuck in the screw part of the mortise. I'll see if I can gently take it out tomorrow.
Dental pick or EZout (tm) - BE GENTLE!
 

Nohone

Lurker
Aug 4, 2020
16
6
meers color at different rates. Also not sure if this is normal but my first meer took a while before it really started to color and once it did I swear each smoke makes a visibly noticeable difference.

I mean that does make sense. After the pipe veins are saturated with tobacco parts, every smoke pushed it further and further through the vein and to the surface.
 
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anotherbob

Lifer
Mar 30, 2019
15,675
29,392
45
In the semi-rural NorthEastern USA
I mean that does make sense. After the pipe veins are saturated with tobacco parts, every smoke pushed it further and further through the vein and to the surface.
precisely I assume. It's actually really cool seeing how it spreads out over time. And once it hits a certain point then it really starts coloring. Also if you smoke slower that seems to color it faster, and certain leafs and blends also seem a tad faster or slower or a tiny little bitter darker.
 
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