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terrygoldman123

Can't Leave
Jun 2, 2013
427
1
Virginia
Got an estate Meer and wonder how long does it take before the stem/bowl begins to darken and become colored. Does it make any difference whether you smoke Aros or non Aros to make this occur?

 

peteguy

Lifer
Jan 19, 2012
1,531
910
I have about 30 bowls smoked in my SMS and it has barely any color. I have heard it depends on lots of factors, such as the quality of the briar, the bees wax, etc. I am not sure if Aros have any different effect. I have no preference on if it colors or not as it is one of my best smokers.

 

cortezattic

Lifer
Nov 19, 2009
15,147
7,637
Chicago, IL
Fred Bass's article, "Slave To The White Goddess" will answer your questions.
If your estate meer has been smoked a lot, you can obtain good results very quickly by brushing melted white bee's wax on the surface

of the pipe while heating it with a hot air blower. The wax, which is good for the meer anyway, will draw the patina to the surface.
Here's my claw, which I smoked on and off for many years, and it was practically bone white until I started brushing bee's wax on it.

NoNameClawmeer3.jpg


Then, the color popped right away! You can find white bee's wax on eBay, and a lifetime supply is pretty cheap.
I should add that you must keep the bowl interior clean and free of carbon build-up; and don't do any alcohol soaks.

If you must use alcohol to clean the shank, use very little, and be quick about swabbing it dry. Alcohol will soak into

the porous meerschaum and ruin its appearance.
This is what a meer can look like by exposing it to alcohol.

meer.jpg


 
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