Another Meer Coloring Tip/Method

[JackofNone]

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.

 

[TheIronMonkey]

Before and after pics?

 

[JackofNone]

might have smoked a max of 5 bowls after the first pic but then I retired this pipe. It's not pretty and has a metal rod supporting the air way. So smoke does not enter the meer through the airway. Figured I'd try this experiment for that reason

 

[didimauw]

I've noticed my pipes all color of the left side more. Then realized thats where I exhale the smoke to, because I clench on the right.

 

[Sobrbiker]

Interesting

 

[camaguey]

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.

 

[JackofNone]

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".

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I love the coloring but I'll settle for doing it the old fashioned way.

 

[PA Piper Mike]

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.

 

[jpmcwjr]

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?

 

[daveinlax]

I'd say using a coloring bowl is the most effective way to color a meer.

 

[JackofNone]

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.

 

[kcghost]

I've often wondered why guys who want a colored meerschaum didn't try this.

 

[Chasing Embers]

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.

 

[Sigmund]

One member here did a test with tobacco water and it did a nice job. Im probably going to sell my Meer. I think I prefer briar and I have too many pipes to ever really color it.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

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]

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.

 

[runscott]

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!

 

[Piping Abe]

You’ll forever know that you cheated. Just smoke the damn thing.

 

[BriarLinedMeer]

I have an off white Kiko meer, and have never waxed it.
Thought I'd give it a go, so I then smoked it hot to get the wax to soak in, and it COMPLETELY changed colour instantly!

It still smokes awesome, which is really the only thing I'm worried about.