East Africa Block Meerschaum

[Diver777]

Hello everyone, new here. First pipe I have ever owned. Not smoked it yet, I was thinking to do some Beginner-level refurbishment first. I would like to hear your thoughts, advice regarding. I have ordered a small bottle of Oxy-clean and a few grams of Beeswax. My wish is to get the Bowl looking better, rid of that gray, dusty look, then to have the Stem look as good as possible because I feel it is such a fine feature of the pipe. I also need to tighten the Mortise / Tenon fit. Both parts feel/look sound, but the fit I would rate 94/100. Last but not least I'd love to hear from the History buffs who could tell me any stories of the pipe. The fella who sold it to me said it was branded as 'Countryman'. Thanks much.

 

[MisterBadger]

Nice pipe. I've never cleaned a rusticated Meer (all mine are smooth), but you might try a little rubbing alcohol and a soft toothbrush, then finish with a jeweller's polishing cloth. Other, more experienced, members may well have better suggestions. Meanwhile, if you haven't already come across it, this may be of interest:

A Surprising Bee’s Wax Result for a Kiko Countryman Genuine Block Meerschaum of Tanganyika

The next pipe on the worktable has some sentimental value for me. I remember well seeing a trove of pipes sitting on the vendor’s table in the shadow of Nevski Cathedral in the center of Sofia, Bu…

thepipesteward.com

 

[Hillcrest]

Tanganyika Genuine Block Meerschaum Pipes – rebornpipes

Posts about Tanganyika Genuine Block Meerschaum Pipes written by rebornpipes

rebornpipes.com

 

[OzPiper]

These are my 2 Kikos


Your bowl looks well reamed.
If it smells dusty or ghosted (ie remnant of previous tobacco), wipe down with wipes wetted with alcohol.

The external can be cleaned easily with an old toothbrush and liquid soap.
I’d be very careful applying wax to a rough exterior. If applied TOO thickly, it’d be a PITA getting the excess off

Clean out the shank, mortise and inside of the stem with alcohol-dipped cleaners until they come out clean.

The stem may need a bit of work getting it back to black

 

[Chasing Embers]

No need to apply beeswax to African meerschaum. You can get the oxidation off of the stem with a Magic Eraser then polish it up with a manicure block. The airway can be cleaned and sanitized with a pipe cleaner and alcohol while the chamber can be cleaned and deodorized with alcohol and cotton balls.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I have ordered a small bottle of Oxy-clean

Never use that or bleach on vulcanite stems. It will pit the material and the stem will need refinishing.

 

[Diver777]

Never use that or bleach on vulcanite stems. It will pit the material and the stem will need refinishing.

So, my stem is vulcanite? is that good or bad? haha how about the oxy-clean on the Bowl?

 

[Diver777]

No need to apply beeswax to African meerschaum. You can get the oxidation off of the stem with a Magic Eraser then polish it up with a manicure block. The airway can be cleaned and sanitized with a pipe cleaner and alcohol while the chamber can be cleaned and deodorized with alcohol and cotton balls.

I hope I can find Magic Eraser out here. Ok, isopropyl alcohol. easy to source.

 

[Diver777]

These are my 2 Kikos
View attachment 360189

Your bowl looks well reamed.
If it smells dusty or ghosted (ie remnant of previous tobacco), wipe down with wipes wetted with alcohol.

The external can be cleaned easily with an old toothbrush and liquid soap.
I’d be very careful applying wax to a rough exterior. If applied TOO thickly, it’d be a PITA getting the excess off

Clean out the shank, mortise and inside of the stem with alcohol-dipped cleaners until they come out clean.

The stem may need a bit of work getting it back to black

Ok, will do. Back to black? I thought it was supposed to have this semi 'Tortoise shell' appearance?

 

[Diver777]

These are my 2 Kikos
View attachment 360189

Your bowl looks well reamed.
If it smells dusty or ghosted (ie remnant of previous tobacco), wipe down with wipes wetted with alcohol.

The external can be cleaned easily with an old toothbrush and liquid soap.
I’d be very careful applying wax to a rough exterior. If applied TOO thickly, it’d be a PITA getting the excess off

Clean out the shank, mortise and inside of the stem with alcohol-dipped cleaners until they come out clean.

The stem may need a bit of work getting it back to black

So, Im ok calling mine a Kiko? What am I saying when I say that, the Company name? Could you Date mine?,approximately of course. Seems there is an '8' where they wrote Block Meerschaum.

 

[Diver777]

Tanganyika Genuine Block Meerschaum Pipes – rebornpipes

Posts about Tanganyika Genuine Block Meerschaum Pipes written by rebornpipes

rebornpipes.com

Thanks much.

 

[Diver777]

Nice pipe. I've never cleaned a rusticated Meer (all mine are smooth), but you might try a little rubbing alcohol and a soft toothbrush, then finish with a jeweller's polishing cloth. Other, more experienced, members may well have better suggestions. Meanwhile, if you haven't already come across it, this may be of interest:

A Surprising Bee’s Wax Result for a Kiko Countryman Genuine Block Meerschaum of Tanganyika

The next pipe on the worktable has some sentimental value for me. I remember well seeing a trove of pipes sitting on the vendor’s table in the shadow of Nevski Cathedral in the center of Sofia, Bu…

thepipesteward.com

Thanks for the report.

 

[OzPiper]

So, Im ok calling mine a Kiko? What am I saying when I say that, the Company name? Could you Date mine?,approximately of course. Seems there is an '8' where they wrote Block Meerschaum.

Yes, your pipe IS a Kiko - it has an elephant logo on the stem.
It is most likely from the ‘60s - early ‘80s
I bought both of mine in the mid-‘70s

The meerschaum comes from Lake Amboseli in Tanganyika, close to Mt, Kilimanjaro.
African meerschaum is denser/heavier than Turkish meerschaum and has more impurities, hence the pipes are always pre-coloured

The mine(s) were closed in the early 1980s, but African meers continued to be made in the Isle of Man from imported blocks

 

[OzPiper]

Ok, will do. Back to black? I thought it was supposed to have this semi 'Tortoise shell' appearance?

I have not seen a Kiko with a coloured stem before.
I suppose yours could be coloured acrylic.

 

[Chasing Embers]

So, my stem is vulcanite? is that good or bad?

Personal preference. I like vulcanite because of the softness of the material.

how about the oxy-clean on the Bowl?

Being a mineral, it may damage it. Warm water and a toothbrush will get the exterior clean.

I hope I can find Magic Eraser out here. Ok, isopropyl alcohol. easy to source.

If you can only find a manicure block that will do a fine job.

Ok, will do. Back to black? I thought it was supposed to have this semi 'Tortoise shell' appearance?

It's oxidized. Vulcanite has a habbit of oxidation so occasional application of oil or wax is necessary to keep it from happening. Here's an example of one that I cleaned.

 

[Diver777]

Personal preference. I like vulcanite because of the softness of the material.



Being a mineral, it may damage it. Warm water and a toothbrush will get the exterior clean.


If you can only find a manicure block that will do a fine job.


It's oxidized. Vulcanite has a habbit of oxidation so occasional application of oil or wax is necessary to keep it from happening. Here's an example of one that I cleaned.

View attachment 360230View attachment 360231

That clears it up. Ok, I read about a pipe-stem de-oxider solution (commercial), I'm 99% certain no way I'll find that out here. Research, here I come!