He's referring to the yellow and gold waxed meers.African (Tanganyikan) meerschaum is denser than the Turkish variety and less porous.
It does colour but at a much slower rate.
It also has more impurities and is rarely a pristine white, hence they are usually pre-coloured to "improve" their appearance
Ah !
Still not sure why they do it though. Sort of defeats the purpose.Ah !
Talking at cross-purposes
Maybe there is a feeling that anything but pristine white is "impure" and unacceptable
Yeah, I believe one of the grading systems the Turks use is the whiteness of the stone, purer white, the higher the grade. But, if the smoking qualities an d the ability to carve is the same as the pure white, I would love to see a pipe carved out of that green meerschaum! I’m with warren, I won’t buy a meer that is anything but pure white, because a major selling point for meer to me is the way they color. Although, I would have a hard time not picking up that pirate skeleton that embers has.lol the farthest I’ll go is the color of my latest PAD buy. An Altinay that is just a lil off white. I don’t know if they used unbleached wax or what, but I couldn’t pass it up either way!!Maybe there is a feeling that anything but pristine white is "impure" and unacceptable
I think the green mottling is interesting and rather like it.
Perhaps if there is a demand, they will make them to test the market
Hello @Chasing Embers
That's not exactly true.Because meerschaum is only in white and cream tones.,
Unfortunately you still won't have a green meerschaum pipe .That's not exactly true.
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That color makes me think of key lime pie, and I want to eat it!!lolUnfortunately you still won't have a green meerschaum pipe .
Thanks for your reply so this made me realize that my explanation was insufficient.
Attached photo of two RAW(wet) meerschaum block. As you can see; one of them white - whitish and the other one greenish. You are right so far.
But when these blocks dry they will both be white or whitish as indistinguishable from each other.
Truly a pity. Good thing I only shop for estates now, no need to search for unusual colored ones.Unfortunately you still won't have a green meerschaum pipe