Another Meer Coloring Tip/Method

Log in

SmokingPipes.com Updates

Watch for Updates Twice a Week

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

JackofNone

Starting to Get Obsessed
Dec 22, 2023
141
283
Central New Jersey
www.youtube.com
Edited title after significant feedback. 3/14

It works.
I'm disappointed that it was this easy, but it works. I feel like the meerschaum mafia is on their way to my house now that I'm disclosing this.

Put the meer in a glass jar. Smoke another pipe. Blow smoke into the jar, seal the lid. Repeat several times a day. After 2 days my throwaway meer is more colored than the ones I won't use this cheat code to color. I have had my Tekin for a month and smoked it every day, but it has less color than the meer I have colored in this experiment. This is cheating. But I know there are some coloring-freaks out there. Well, this is it. The cheat code to coloring meerschaum. I'm sorry.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

JackofNone

Starting to Get Obsessed
Dec 22, 2023
141
283
Central New Jersey
www.youtube.com
No secret. That method is known since a long time. It is mentioned on Carl Ehwa book but it is known long before that. Anyway is good that you found it by yourself and that it is usefull for you. Very few things are new on this hobby.
I get what you're saying, but I'd think the majority is unaware, since coloring bowls are a thing, and the majority of information on the Internet on the subject says "just smoke it".
 
Oct 3, 2021
1,139
5,363
Southeastern PA
Damn, I never heard of this nor ever thought about something like this. While I agree it is cheating and I wouldn't do this with a new pipe, I MIGHT ONLY consider it later on down the road on any stubborn parts of the bowl. And even then...a mighty big MIGHT.
 

JackofNone

Starting to Get Obsessed
Dec 22, 2023
141
283
Central New Jersey
www.youtube.com
I fail to understand why people go out of their way to color a Meer.
Cognitive dysfunction. Such as:

"If my meerschaum pipe is colored, my wife will love me."

"If my meerschaum pipe is colored, life will be joyful."

"If my meerschaum pipe is colored, I will not regret my past mistakes."

"If my meerschaum pipe is colored, I can go to sleep at night."

The list goes on.

I think you see what I'm getting at. It is a silly thing to be obsessed with.
 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
45,009
117,881
The thing they fail to tell you when doing that is that prolonged smoking or rewaxing will make that color fade. You can also achieve the same effect with a hair dryer or a heat gun.
 
I fail to understand why people go out of their way to color a Meer. It colors as you smoke it, some easily, some not. No smoked Meer has even coloring.

Could you not just soak it in a dark tea? Or fill it with wet tobacco and let it dry?
Meers have become the crafty DIY tye-dye of the pipeworld.
For me, I am not particularly crazy about those dirty brown colors... but these guys seem to love them.
 

Swiss Army Knife

Can't Leave
Jul 12, 2021
459
1,349
North Carolina
Meers have become the crafty DIY tye-dye of the pipeworld.
For me, I am not particularly crazy about those dirty brown colors... but these guys seem to love them.
I'm in a similar boat. I love the really old deep red meers that presumably somebody smoked as their only pipe for 50 years straight.

How many folks these days are one pipe guys? I'd imagine very few, feels like we've all got way too many to get that kind of rich coloring.
 
  • Like
Reactions: seanv

runscott

Lifer
Jun 3, 2020
1,290
2,835
Washington State
A Couple of Dogs

I just received the top pipe - it's only been smoked once or twice. The bottom one is a well-smoked Peterson. Both probably date to early 1900's.

My personal 'secret' which has only been a forgotten secret for the last ~40 years, is Jojoba oil. Pipe-makers started using it to replace sperm whale oil when it became illegal/hard to get. Rub that into your meer well and it will bring back the color on an old faded meer, or brighten up one that already looks good. I've found that it even works on meers that I had previously used beeswax polish on.

The greatest thing about Jojoba oil is that you don't have to wash your hands after use - just rub it into your wrinkles!

nSxtCQ0.jpeg