Cleaning an Oversmoked Meerschaum

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cortezattic

Lifer
Nov 19, 2009
15,147
7,637
Chicago, IL
I saw a guy on YouTube put a freshly waxed meer in a 200°F oven long enough to allow the extra wax to drip off. Didn't seem to hurt the pipe.

 

workman

Lifer
Jan 5, 2018
2,793
4,219
The Faroe Islands
I cannot for the life of me imagine tar vanishing from meerschaum by boiling in water. It's just, no way. The tar is there to stay.

As to the weight. I've seen barely smoked estates of the same kind, listed at about 60g. So this pipe might have gained 15-20g over the years. I have no idea if that's possible.

 

hugodrax

Can't Leave
Jan 24, 2013
448
669
Sorry, gents, I'm not as active here as I'd like. This was a fun thread, though, and I genuinely thank you all for the help. You convinced me that I am crazy and the pipe is just too heavy for my tastes.
I havent boiled it nor put it in the oven for the simple reason that I am married and wish to continue to be married.
I have not cut it in half because I find it impossible to smoke half a pipe.

 

warren

Lifer
Sep 13, 2013
11,699
16,205
Foothills of the Chugach Range, AK
I'm late to the party, seriously late. Many meer smokers have spent years getting their pipes fully colored. It's what a good meer should do, soak up residues and color from the bottom up. The very nature of the mineral means it will usually be splotchy in color. And, yes a well colored meer will be noticeably heaver than a pure, brilliant white, unsmoked meer.
Depending on the "grade" of the meerschaum, some bowls will be heavier than others, not as pure in color, etc. and all will gain in weight as they color. The voids are filling with tars, oils and other residues from the tobaccos, toppings, casings, including whatever is in the air you are drawing into the bowl as you smoke. It's the nature of the mineral.

 
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