Adventures In Restoring A Meerschaum.

[pappymac]

Give me an estate briar and I know how to clean it and make it smokeable. Give me an estate corn cob and I know how to throw it into the trash. But, give me an estate meerschaum and I've got no clue on how to clean and make it smokeable again.

Here's the meerschaum I received in a box of briars I was asked to restore and sale. The pipe has a vulcanite stem (not shown in the photos because I've starting the deoxidizing process). Instead of a push-pull or screw in delrin tenon, it has what looks to be an black acrylic mount on the shank and the stem fits into it like a military mount.

Being as it's an old meerschaum, there is no brand name or carver name on it but on the lower part of the right side of the shank, "Block Meerschaum" is carved or stamped into it.

So. I'm asking for advice. What's the best method for cleaning the outside of the pipe? I'm cleaning the inside by using a cotton swap dipped in 190-proof grain alcohol. The airway is being cleaned with pipe cleaners dipped in alcohol. So far that has seemed to work.

Any helpful advice would be appreciated.

 

[smittyd]

I know there are some videos on you tube about how to re-coat the outside with new bees wax. But that is all I have seen.

 

[briarbuck]

Not sure I would be hitting a Meer with too much alcohol.

 

[shanez]

What's the best method for cleaning the outside of the pipe? I'm cleaning the inside by using a cotton swap dipped in 190-proof grain alcohol.

This is just a guess on my part but I would try a very soft bristled toothbrush and lukewarm water and gently test areas on the outside.

I'd do the same for the chamber and a stiffer bristled brush for the airway instead of alcohol.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Hot water inside and out for the meershaum. I wouldn't use alcohol.

 

[mso489]

I have only one Meerschaum, given to me by the late great fish'n'banjo, an estate which I cleaned up by guidelines mentioned in various posts here. It was easy because the pipe was generally clean. I ran hot tap water through the pipe and hand dried it, and soaked the stem in dish washing liquid and cleaned it out before and after with pipe cleaners. I didn't soak the Meerschaum bowl/shank, of course. But I used pipe cleaners on the stem and shank airways. In the case of my pipe, this cleaned it up nicely. A helper at my pipe shop was shocked to hear I'd run the Meer under the tap, but having the spirit of my conviction, I didn't apologize and the proprietor backed me up by dropping the subject. That is a handsome pipe, and if I were you, I'd be tempted to keep it.

 

[pappymac]

Not sure I would be hitting a Meer with too much alcohol.

I found that suggestion in an article on here by Frank Bass.

 

[pappymac]

That is a handsome pipe, and if I were you, I'd be tempted to keep it.

The woman I'm doing the work for told me I could keep any three pipes I wanted. This may be the third one I keep. (The other two area Castello Sea Rock KKK and a Thomas Cristiano free hand.)

 

[snagstangl]

I think its a Pioneer brand, style and stamping matches pipephil.

 

[deleon]

Read this article I think it might help

Restoring Meerschaum Pipes

 

[pappymac]

Read this article I think it might help

Restoring Meerschaum Pipes

I have. Steve Laug and I communicate quite often.

 

[pappymac]

More photos. Stem has been deoxidized, outside of bowl cleaned and waxed. Inside of the bowl I wiped out with a paper towel wetted with Everclear. Airway cleaned with pipe cleaner dipped in Everclear.