In my experience, there literally isn't anything that you can do with a briar that you can't do with a meer.
Coloring Progress Over Time/No of Bowls in one Meerschaum Pipe
- Thread starter cshubhra
- Start date
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My experience as well. The aesthetics of meerschaum are the only reason they are replacing my briars.
@canucklehead Sounds like a good job for me; I didn't know there were professional pipe smokers; you're probably right about browning a clay pipe with the best of them! I think a dark strong twist would be good for browning a clay pipe.
I think this is a good example of a vintage meerschaum that’s been actually colored and aged I suppose; bottom is a Billiard Egg of recent make probably a tourist special which I’ve now gotten a little more golden color on but I’m aware it’s clearly only on the surface.
But who knows, all of our displays will have different color temperatures aside from the variations in panels (TN, IPS etc)
I've never had much of an issue with the weight of a pipe, but I like the look and feel of meerschaum better than briar. You can generally find very large meerschaums more regularly than briar and they're much easier to hold with my bad hands.
I have a feeling your definition of larger is a pipe about the size of a softball? Seems to me that any meer wider than say 2 inches without costing 3-4 times as much is rare as hens teeth. For example a meer carver quoted me $250 just to make a slightly larger cutty (say 40mm thick) The briar or Morta pipe I could buy for that price would be lavish, exquisite, and much larger.
No prejudice against big pipes but I detect there’s something very bourgeoise about a melon-size-meerschaum and the price they demand.
No prejudice against big pipes but I detect there’s something very bourgeoise about a melon-size-meerschaum and the price they demand.
Considering I can't close my hands all the way, I really haven't got much of a choice when it comes to pipe size. Just for size reference though, both of these were under $280.
And the owl.
Here's the mountain lion invoice, can't find the one for the skull.
Glad your getting some good use out of those out and about, reminds me of the Elgin marbles.
…Ok not that big
Perhaps the market is a little inflated right now, those prices are comparatively good.
PS: I still want a dunhill nightcap man someday… bourgeoise or not.
…Ok not that big
Perhaps the market is a little inflated right now, those prices are comparatively good.
PS: I still want a dunhill nightcap man someday… bourgeoise or not.
I got the owl recently, I guess it's a matter of where you shop.Glad your getting some good use out of those out and about, reminds me of the Elgin marbles.
View attachment 203961
…Ok not that big
Perhaps the market is a little inflated right now, those prices are comparatively good.
Throw convention out the window. You're doing something as anachronistic as smoking a pipe so go nuts!
I think the smoothness allows an even dissipation of heat. All the nooks and crannies allow for a more targeted exit strategy.
I just read 20 pages of wtf in order to see like 6 pictures of @cshubhra’s pipe.
I hate you all.
I have a strong desire to load one of my Meers with some BMP and go for a bike ride.
I hate you all.
I have a strong desire to load one of my Meers with some BMP and go for a bike ride.
I wondered about that. Always thought it was a man-made process, and then I received a 1910-20 meer that looked like Van Cleef's. I'm wondering if it's the 'translucent' meerschaum that members here have been talking about lately.
Regarding the rim treatment - when I have to restore a chipped, flumed Peterson meer, I use an ebony stain pen. It works great. My best guess is that they got that affect in the 1960's/'70s by spraying on the stain, since it fades out at the low area below the rim. But it is into the meer a little - I tried to sand it off of a smooth Pete, and the results were not fantastic.
This is the bowl on the 1910-20 meer I'm talking about. It is slightly grey at the top where I had to sand a little to get some ugly chipping smoothed. I did not give it the stain pen treatment, as I'm keeping it and don't care.
That's pipe smokers doing what we do best...endless insanely complex argument over something simple.
