1903 K&P Meerschaum Cutty

[Ahi Ka]

Kia ora everyone,

Here are some pics of my first meerschaum. I have resisted grabbing one until now as there is already a Kaywoodie (from memory) block meer in the family that I’ll one day restore and get smoking...however a friend found this for me in an antique shop and I well how could I say no?

Despite the chatter around the button and break in the amber stem (still solid and functional) and an overzealous previous attempt at restoration - sanding scratches on silver band and file marks on rim - she appears to be relatively lightly smoked judging from the lack of colouring. Unless anyone feels otherwise?

a bit of carbon to deal to in the chamber, looks like 5mm needs to be removed to discover and dislodge the “butt plug”.

both the stem and shank appear to be blocked in some capacity.

my plan is to get her up and running and then smoke the heck out of it.

Any big no-nos or tips for the dealing to blockage and carbon for a first time restoration job on a meer?

thanks for looking

Chur chur

dave

 

[ashdigger]

That is fantastic.

 

[klause]

Incredible, Dave. THAT is a piece of history - beautiful.

 

[Ahi Ka]

Calling @condorlover1 and @weezell. This thread needs your advice and inappropriateness

 

[ChuckMijo]

Beautiful my friend!!!

 

[BrokenRecord]

Awesome pipe. Does anyone know how common the multiple draft holes were in early meers?

 

[Simmerdown☕️]

Wonderful find!?️

 

[ashdigger]

Awesome pipe. Does anyone know how common the multiple draft holes were in early meers?

You mean at the bottom of the bowl? On old meers it’s extremely common. It’s actually a removable button. Granted, over time they become cemented in with tar.

 

[BrokenRecord]

You mean at the bottom of the bowl? On old meers it’s extremely common. It’s actually a removable button. Granted, over time they become cemented in with tar.

Thank you. I never knew that.

To the OP, I like the thread fix on the stem. It reminds me of how the Japanese used to repair ebonite fountain pens. They would wrap the broken piece with thread and then lacquer over it.

 

[BROBS]

Kia ora everyone,

Here are some pics of my first meerschaum. I have resisted grabbing one until now as there is already a Kaywoodie (from memory) block meer in the family that I’ll one day restore and get smoking...however a friend found this for me in an antique shop and I well how could I say no?

Despite the chatter around the button and break in the amber stem (still solid and functional) and an overzealous previous attempt at restoration - sanding scratches on silver band and file marks on rim - she appears to be relatively lightly smoked judging from the lack of colouring. Unless anyone feels otherwise?

a bit of carbon to deal to in the chamber, looks like 5mm needs to be removed to discover and dislodge the “butt plug”.

both the stem and shank appear to be blocked in some capacity.

my plan is to get her up and running and then smoke the heck out of it.

Any big no-nos or tips for the dealing to blockage and carbon for a first time restoration job on a meer?

thanks for looking

Chur chur

dave


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Are you sure it’s meer and not clay?

 

[BROBS]

But man whatever it is I’m jealous that thing is sick! I’d probably use a bit of alcohol to wet the pad and let it soak a while then maybe after it had dried from the alcohol a bit use a toothpick and gently try to lift the pad from the inner holes.

 

[Mr.Mike]

You mean there are 100 year old cutty meers out there that don't already belong to weezell and condor? I thought they bought them all lol.

 

[condorlover1]

You have nice standard 6 1/2' 'cutty' pipe. Lets talk about a few basics here starting with what I call the 'Butt Plug' which is the obstruction you are looking at in the bowl. These were often buttons or a silver Three Penny piece that was drilled with air holes. The idea was to keep tobacco crap from jamming up the stem but to also act as a primitive version of a coloring bowl. The cavity created by the disk allowed moisture, tar and other crap to collect in the bottom of the pipe. The heat cause by the action of smoking caused all the moisture to be absorbed into the meerschaum causing the stem and the bowl below the disc to turn yellow and over time deep brown as shown in some of the pipes in the attached picture. Since you have a fairly robust meerschaum you should scrape the bowl so that the edge of the disc becomes visible and then carefully using a cork screw you then pull the disc out of the bowl. Do not force the disc out and if possible use one of those cork screws with arms so that the pressure is evening spread. Once removed scrape and clean the bowl removing all the crud that has built up below the disc. How are the threads in the shank? If the threads in the shank and the bone tenon are in good order then consider yourself very lucky. More to follow regarding the stem in the second post.

 

[condorlover1]

Part 2:

One you have evacuated the bowl you should have a clear airway from the bowl to the shank. If not I would take a piece of wire and gently probe for obstructions but my guess is that the pipe with breath OK. With regard to the stem do not attempt to remove the bone tenon from the amber/bakelite stem as it will shatter. Normally I would gently use a piece of stout wire to see what is blocking the stem. Do this by introducing the wire through the bone tenon and not the mouthpiece otherwise it will chip/break. If you encounter a blockage and you have access to a long and very fine drill you could gently try drilling out the obstruction. To be brutally frank with you if the shank threads are sound and you cannot move the stem blockage send the pipe to either Northern Briars Northern Briars | Smoking Pipes | Pipes | Tobacco Pipes - https://www.northernbriars.co.uk or Briarville and they will make you a new faux amber stem. If the threads in the shank are worn away then the new stem sans tenon will have to be cemented into the shank. The trick to owning these pipes is not to treat them like a folding rifle and forever taking them apart. Always use soft, long modeling pipe cleaners and just wipe the bowl out after each smoke. In terms of the 'butt plug' buy yourself a supply of 'Philt Pads' from Sharrow Mills Buy Sharrow Philtpads From 61p at Wilsons & Co - https://sharrowmills.com/category/philpads or the reusable ones made from meerschaum that Weezell has a source for in the U.K. I hope that is of some help.

 

[cshubhra]

Very nice ? Have fun restoring it

 

[weezell]

High Absorbent Natural Block Meerschaum Pipe Cone Filters 5 pcs. Bowl Filters​

MeerschaumMarket

1 × $6.99...

 

[yohanan]

All I can say is, Congrats Man!!!

 

[Ahi Ka]

All I can say is, Congrats Man!!!

Chur bro.

 

[canucklehead]

Dang, I need to get a meerschaum. All the cool kids are doing it lately.

 

[OzPiper]

Nice score, Dave. Have fun cleaning it, then even more fun packing it for your inaugural smoke
Ray