Didimauw's One Meer for One Year Redemption. 12/15/2022

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dunnyboy

Lifer
Jul 6, 2018
2,594
32,415
New York
Just seeing this great thread for the first time. I'm saddened to hear of Weezell's passing. Although I didn't know him personally, I was inspired to buy a vintage cutty because of him. It was deeply colored, with an amber stem and some kid of plug near the bottom of the chamber. Per instructions in a blog Weezell published, I replaced the plug with stainless mesh. Unfortunately, I never enjoyed smoking the pipe and either sold it or gave it away, can't remember which.
 

dunnyboy

Lifer
Jul 6, 2018
2,594
32,415
New York
To return to the main topic, I'm in the "treat meerschaums like any other pipe" school. I hold the bowl in my fingers and clean the pipe after every smoke like I do my briars—water rinse and paper towel swab. To avoid putting a groove in the bottom of the chamber, I use the middle of a folded pipe cleaner to carefully clean the stem. I rather like the amber coloring my fingers have added to the bowl. Not sure whether the color is coming from the inside or outside but it's definitely not dirt.
 

condorlover1

Lifer
Dec 22, 2013
8,561
30,423
New York
Just seeing this great thread for the first time. I'm saddened to hear of Weezell's passing. Although I didn't know him personally, I was inspired to buy a vintage cutty because of him. It was deeply colored, with an amber stem and some kid of plug near the bottom of the chamber. Per instructions in a blog Weezell published, I replaced the plug with stainless mesh. Unfortunately, I never enjoyed smoking the pipe and either sold it or gave it away, can't remember which.
The blog 'allthingscutty' is me dear boy - reports of my demise are greatly exaggerated!!
 

condorlover1

Lifer
Dec 22, 2013
8,561
30,423
New York
@dunnyboy and @rustiepyles: I have been collecting the pipes since the mid 1980s. I was a dedicated clay 'cutty' pipe smoker until my dentist inquired how I liked the 1850s due the number of pipe notches on my teeth caused by wear from clenching a clay stem. I discovered meerschaum 'cutty' pipes in flea markets in the U.K circa 1985 which no one was really interested in since everyone purchased the carved Victorian specimens for mega £ whilst I could buy 'cutty' pipes for a few Pounds each. Dave and I met through my love of these pipes and he started collecting them. We used to trade and gift pipes to each other and another gentlemen also gave him quite a few. Since we shared the same taste in tobacco we both used to bulk buy and share the various blends as and when they showed up. With regard to the blog I have been horribly busy for the last five years and when I retire hopefully at the end of 2023 I will update the blog more often.
 

The Clay King

(Formerly HalfDan)
Oct 2, 2018
6,361
60,596
42
Chesterfield, UK
www.youtube.com
@dunnyboy and @rustiepyles: I have been collecting the pipes since the mid 1980s. I was a dedicated clay 'cutty' pipe smoker until my dentist inquired how I liked the 1850s due the number of pipe notches on my teeth caused by wear from clenching a clay stem. I discovered meerschaum 'cutty' pipes in flea markets in the U.K circa 1985 which no one was really interested in since everyone purchased the carved Victorian specimens for mega £ whilst I could buy 'cutty' pipes for a few Pounds each. Dave and I met through my love of these pipes and he started collecting them. We used to trade and gift pipes to each other and another gentlemen also gave him quite a few. Since we shared the same taste in tobacco we both used to bulk buy and share the various blends as and when they showed up. With regard to the blog I have been horribly busy for the last five years and when I retire hopefully at the end of 2023 I will update the blog more often.
@condorlover1 I never clench my clays:)
Good luck with your retirement.
Got some GH twist for smoking in my clay pipes at the Sealed Knot re-enactment this weekend.
 

The Clay King

(Formerly HalfDan)
Oct 2, 2018
6,361
60,596
42
Chesterfield, UK
www.youtube.com
@halfdan : I am excited for you and I will be sure to notify the world media of this astounding development! The difference between retirement and retardment is purely a matter of semantics!
@condorlover1
Notice the man smoking the clay pipe at 0:40; a good cloud of smoke! I wonder what baccy he's smoking...
 

huckleberry

Starting to Get Obsessed
Mar 12, 2017
231
625
Kentucky
Sitting here admiring all those beautifully colored meerschaums got me to ruminating about my own meerschaum stash, and in particular about Jack.

Twenty years ago, at a Ducks Unlimited dinner in the fall, my wife bought Jack, a started golden Labrador retriever puppy.

By Thanksgiving, I took an A H Fox Sterlingworth and doubled on two cock pheasants south of Mitchell, South Dakota that Jack had pointed, and watched Jack retrieve both to me. Those were the first wild pheasants the pup had ever seen.

My family bought me a meerschaum pipe with a carved dog for Christmas 2002, that I naturally named Jack.

I’ve had exactly one dog worth stealing my entire life, that would load up for a stranger.

My neighbors warned us how they saw a blue van and strangers trying to get Jack to get in. I hope that Jack spent a lifetime hunting with them, because one day the sunsabeeches got him to load.

This year, I’m smoking a pound of Creme Brûlée in Jack.

Or at least that’s my New Year’s resolution.

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There isn't anything much lower than someone who'd steal a mans' dog! I hope the person who stole him has his legs grow together, so you know him when he slithers by...
 

didimauw

Moderator
Staff member
Jul 28, 2013
10,728
37,718
SE WI
Ok where were we?

Oh yeah. My pipe.

66 bowls in. I can finally say now, that this pipe is really starting to sing to me. It's as if she knows what I want out of her. She was "broken in" around bowl 12, but now we really get each other. I truly look forward to meeting with her every day, and miss her and think about her when I'm at my new part time job.

The cake is even and just about all the way down to the bottom, the color is coming through finally, and the flavor it's now bringing is always great.

PXL_20230126_164441518.MP.jpgPXL_20230126_164459237.jpgPXL_20230126_164552543.MP.jpgPXL_20230126_164527099.jpg
 

Fo0zle

Lurker
Jan 22, 2023
46
250
30
Western N.C.
Great thread. Really makes me want a Meerschaum even more than I already did.

Any recommendations for which ones to look out for? I’ve seen some folks say the best ones are just no-name finds from eBay. Is that really true?

I’d rather spend more up front to end up with something that’s guaranteed to be good quality than buy a bunch of disappointing randoms to maybe end up with one I like.
 

didimauw

Moderator
Staff member
Jul 28, 2013
10,728
37,718
SE WI
Great thread. Really makes me want a Meerschaum even more than I already did.

Any recommendations for which ones to look out for? I’ve seen some folks say the best ones are just no-name finds from eBay. Is that really true?

I’d rather spend more up front to end up with something that’s guaranteed to be good quality than buy a bunch of disappointing randoms to maybe end up with one I like.
For a starter meer, I'd suggest SMS. Absolutely fantastic Pipes at any price. (therightpipe.com)
Middle road I'd suggest Astas
Higher end I'd suggest Altinay.

But those are just three out of the 4 Meer brands I've ever smoked. I also have one no name meer, that doesnt pass a pipe cleaner, even without the stem, but it still smokes great, and colors nicely.

You really can't go wrong with any block meerschaum pipe.

Edit: Thinking about it, just look at the SMS Meerschaums. You won't be dissapointed.
 

Fo0zle

Lurker
Jan 22, 2023
46
250
30
Western N.C.
For a starter meer, I'd suggest SMS. Absolutely fantastic Pipes at any price. (therightpipe.com)
Middle road I'd suggest Astas
Higher end I'd suggest Altinay.

But those are just three out of the 4 Meer brands I've ever smoked. I also have one no name meer, that doesnt pass a pipe cleaner, even without the stem, but it still smokes great, and colors nicely.

You really can't go wrong with any block meerschaum pipe.

Edit: Thinking about it, just look at the SMS Meerschaums. You won't be dissapointed.
SMS standard shapes or premium?