Block Quality

[Said.ALTINAY]

Thanks for the responses Said.

Could you also speak to the properties of the so called "translucent" blocks? How do these differ exactly from "ordinary" meerschaum blocks and how rare are they?

You're welcome @brian64
I can't give you an exact statistical figure, but I can say that we get it once or twice a year. So they are very rare.
This type of block offers a visual feast to its owner. this type of block offers a visual feast to its owner. There is no additional benefit to the smoking performance.

 

[jonasclark]

The old old carvers (European and otherwise) treated their pipes with spermaceti (whale oil), and late French carver Philippe Bargiel claimed it's the secret to making meerschaum almost a living thing. I've read about there being modern replacements.

I wish I knew more about the "transparent" meerscaum. All I do know is that I have several pipes with it, all Turkish. Some of my Beklers, my Huseyin Yanik (Sadik's father) rose-in-hand, my Eyup Sabri unicorn, my Erdogan Ege Bacchus, and a gorgeous no-name saxcophone featuring a man wearing a turban that looks like it was made using an icing bag and star tip, all have it. The most I know is only rumor, and it is that this shows very high-quality, very porous block dipped in very high-quality wax.

 

[jerry]

Every meerschaum is it’s own thing ?

 

[TheWhale13]

The old old carvers (European and otherwise) treated their pipes with spermaceti (whale oil), and late French carver Philippe Bargiel claimed it's the secret to making meerschaum almost a living thing. I've read about there being modern replacements.

I wish I knew more about the "transparent" meerscaum. All I do know is that I have several pipes with it, all Turkish. Some of my Beklers, my Huseyin Yanik (Sadik's father) rose-in-hand, my Eyup Sabri unicorn, my Erdogan Ege Bacchus, and a gorgeous no-name saxcophone featuring a man wearing a turban that looks like it was made using an icing bag and star tip, all have it. The most I know is only rumor, and it is that this shows very high-quality, very porous block dipped in very high-quality wax.

Isn't just the wax the substitute for whale oil?

 

[jhowell]

Isn't just the wax the substitute for whale oil?

Correct. The modern day equivalent of spermaceti is jojoba oil. Spermaceti is banned for all except NASA - it is used as a lubricant for many things sent into space.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Spermaceti is banned for all except NASA - it is used as a lubricant for many things sent into space.

That certainly explains why that whale probe was so pissed.

 

[jonasclark]

Yep, jhowell has it: jojoba oil is that stellar replacement for spermaceti. Beeswax is the Turkish replacement.

 

[isaac]

Correct. The modern day equivalent of spermaceti is jojoba oil. Spermaceti is banned for all except NASA - it is used as a lubricant for many things sent into space.

just mixing jojoba in the wax, correct?

 

[Sharp_tungsten]

?Sorry for my poor expression.
"for a large size classic pipe" like apple, billiard etc..

Is there a list for a translucent meerschaum pipes? I want one.

 

[jhowell]

just mixing jojoba in the wax, correct?

Different melting points. They probably wouldn't play well together. Jojoba oil is liquid at room temperature - spermaceti and beeswax are not. When I clean one of my meerschaums I put a couple of drops in my hand and rub the pipe down and wipe the excess off. Don't use too much - it will overload the pipe and taste really bad. Less is better - just want it on the surface.

 

[brian64]

Is there a list for a translucent meerschaum pipes? I want one.

Altinay posts them occasionally along with all the rest of their offerings (not very often)...the description on the main page will say if it's translucent block.

 

[Said.ALTINAY]

Is there a list for a translucent meerschaum pipes? I want one.

Hello @Sharp_tungsten
Unfortunately we don't have any translucent meerschaum for now.

 

[anotherbob]

am I right that translucent shows the different layers of the mineral more clearly especially when coloring. Or is it something more. I ask cause mine seems to have clearly visible layers and I don't know how typical that is.

 

[Said.ALTINAY]

am I right that translucent shows the different layers of the mineral more clearly especially when coloring. Or is it something more. I ask cause mine seems to have clearly visible layers and I don't know how typical that is.

we can say that.

And you can see mine translucent meer on top.
Can i see yours?

 

[anotherbob]

we can say that.

And you can see mine translucent meer on top.
Can i see yours?
View attachment 137272

nope. I posted the best picture I can get with what I have. I guess I got lucky. Funny fact I got it cheap too. Though I keep planning on getting a good camera sometime soon. So maybe after I smoke it more and get the camera. Thanks though that's pretty great to know.

 

[Jef]

Back in the late 80s early 90s I lived in Adana Turkey while stationed with the Air Force. I spent a lot of time with both meerschaum merchants and pipe carvers. There are many different grades of meerschaum. (If I remember correctly, the Turkish beak it down into 16 different grades). The more rock contained in the meerschaum the lower the grade. Impurities in the mereschaum cause the weight.

Jef

 

[Jef]

Coloration can be affected by both porusness of the mereschaum and the tobacco smoked through it. It is the tobacco resin that colors the pipe. The Turkish sometime would coat the pipe with heated bees wax to help with coloration. But I never found that to help very much. If the pipe colors in splotches then it is the rock showing through in the meerschaum. It is called flecking.

Jef

 

[Sharp_tungsten]

Back in the late 80s early 90s I lived in Adana Turkey while stationed with the Air Force. I spent a lot of time with both meerschaum merchants and pipe carvers. There are many different grades of meerschaum. (If I remember correctly, the Turkish beak it down into 16 different grades). The more rock contained in the meerschaum the lower the grade. Impurities in the mereschaum cause the weight.

Jef

How much easier a pipe back then in turkey? I see weights vary greatly too. I always try buying larger pipes as light as I can in the hope it's better meerschaum.

 

[newbroom]

I’m not concerned as much that it’s not coloring. My main reason for creating the thread was to discuss if quality of meer may effect coloring or the weight of the pipe

I think about the differences in briar and meerschaum densities too. I believe meer to be lighter than briar, inherently, and that there are different densities in both. I think a heavier, but similar sized briar might have closer cellular make up? Same with meer. I would think that lighter materials transfer from inside to out more readily. Where the heck does the heat go in a meer though? Hard to get one hot!

 

[jhowell]

I saw (and used) a small meer back in the early 70's that had colored a dark jade green...