Don't Purchase Meerschaum From This Retailer!! Buyer Beware

[MisterBadger]

I thought that Turkey had made it illegal to export meerschaum. The chances that you'll get a good grade of meer stone is rather low.

Spain, Greece, Moravia, Somalia and, I believe, Namibia also have deposits of Meerschaum. No idea about the quality, though - probably not good or we'd know about it - could be from any one of those countries?

 

[solideogloria86]

I am not trying to convince you whatsoever. Just some experience to shed a light. Do you know how many blocks we throw away to make a decent pipe? It is 6 or 7 out of 10 on average. Especially while making smooth pipes. That’s so hard to find a ‘good’ block. When a customer orders a raw block to make his pipe out of it, nobody would give a guarantee that it is a perfect block. Because, most likely it wouldn’t be.

When we start carving a block to make a pipe, all our fingers crossed. Because, we paid for it already. Unless it ends to be a good one, your money would go for nothing! It is definitely not similar to briars. Every raw meerschaum has its own hidden story.

Good luck!
Sinan

This is the only reply we need

 

[olkofri]

I am not trying to convince you whatsoever. Just some experience to shed a light. Do you know how many blocks we throw away to make a decent pipe? It is 6 or 7 out of 10 on average. Especially while making smooth pipes. That’s so hard to find a ‘good’ block. When a customer orders a raw block to make his pipe out of it, nobody would give a guarantee that it is a perfect block. Because, most likely it wouldn’t be.

When we start carving a block to make a pipe, all our fingers crossed. Because, we paid for it already. Unless it ends to be a good one, your money would go for nothing! It is definitely not similar to briars. Every raw meerschaum has its own hidden story.

Good luck!
Sinan

Thanks for the enligthening tidbit. Guess that explains why Meerschäume have a higher price tag right off the bat: all that overhead.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Thanks for the enligthening tidbit. Guess that explains why Meerschäume have a higher price tag right off the bat: all that overhead.

I mostly switched to meerschaum due to it being less expensive than many briars.

 

[dd57chevy]

I didn't know exactly what meerschaum was :

Sepiolite - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[anotherbob]

I am not trying to convince you whatsoever. Just some experience to shed a light. Do you know how many blocks we throw away to make a decent pipe? It is 6 or 7 out of 10 on average. Especially while making smooth pipes. That’s so hard to find a ‘good’ block. When a customer orders a raw block to make his pipe out of it, nobody would give a guarantee that it is a perfect block. Because, most likely it wouldn’t be.

When we start carving a block to make a pipe, all our fingers crossed. Because, we paid for it already. Unless it ends to be a good one, your money would go for nothing! It is definitely not similar to briars. Every raw meerschaum has its own hidden story.

Good luck!
Sinan

I sort of see this in a weird way. I saw a video of a carver almost done with a large intricate piece and right at the end found the fatal flaw. His face showed disappointment and little surprise. He shrugged and said that's a thing that happens.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I sort of see this in a weird way. I saw a video of a carver almost done with a large intricate piece and right at the end found the fatal flaw. His face showed disappointment and little surprise. He shrugged and said that's a thing that happens.

The same can happen with briar. Out of ten blocks, one or two may be free from flaws.

 

[Zamora]

I thought that Turkey had made it illegal to export meerschaum. The chances that you'll get a good grade of meer stone is rather low.

That's what my thought was as well, not sure how much of a priority it is to enforce it

 

[olkofri]

I mostly switched to meerschaum due to it being less expensive than many briars.

After spending some time to-day at my local store looking at pipes, I believe you.

 

[Chasing Embers]

After spending some time to-day at my local store looking at pipes, I believe you.

The most I've ever paid for a meerschaum was around $270 for my giant mountain lion.



Most of mine were less than $180 though as they were purchased directly from the carver instead of a distributor.

 

[jonasclark]

I wish I could find a block of raw meerschaum! I'm okay if mine's not perfect, it's just going on my shelf. I'm sorry to hear yours weren't good.