Finally Scratched The Morta Itch

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brian64

Lifer
Jan 31, 2011
9,602
14,666
Supposedly English blends smoke best in Morta. How do Virginias smoke in Morta? I doubt I'd notice a difference once a little build up develops.
I hadn't heard that before...not sure why English would be better, but I've smoked it twice now with OJK both times...the second time I did already notice less muting of flavors.

Both times though, in the second half of the bowl, I noticed a bit of a strange taste in the background that I don't know how to describe...something completely new to me and very unusual...I'm assuming it was from the Morta and should go away after a few more bowls.
 

olkofri

Lifer
Sep 9, 2017
8,033
14,644
The Arm of Orion
Both times though, in the second half of the bowl, I noticed a bit of a strange taste in the background that I don't know how to describe...something completely new to me and very unusual...I'm assuming it was from the Morta and should go away after a few more bowls.
That's probably remnants of dinosaur dung splattered on the tree before it fell on the bog and fossilised over hundreds of thousands of years. You don't need latakia blends: your pipe already came with latakia built in.
 

brian64

Lifer
Jan 31, 2011
9,602
14,666
Well, believe it or not, the stem on this thing has already cracked. I do sometimes have a tendency to be a little hard on stems, but I use vinyl tape and I didn't bite this one any harder than I do any of my others and somehow this one just broke.

I guess I'll have to have a new one made for it...I seem to recall Briarworks being recommended often on here for such things. Any other suggestions?
 
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Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,248
108,343
Well, believe it or not, the stem on this thing has already cracked. I do sometimes have a tendency to be a little hard on stems, but I use vinyl tape and I didn't bite this one any harder than I do any of my others and somehow this one just broke.

I guess I'll have to have a new one made for it...I seem to recall Briarworks being recommended often on here for such things. Any other suggestions?
I'd go straight to the source and inform Askwith about it.




Briarville would be my second suggestion.

 

brian64

Lifer
Jan 31, 2011
9,602
14,666
I really enjoyed mine while I had it but eventually sold it. I felt it was a little heavy for it size.
I'm actually a bit surprised this one is not heavier...it seems to weigh only a little more than a meer of the same size to me.
 
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brian64

Lifer
Jan 31, 2011
9,602
14,666
Well, this has been the strangest pipe experience I've yet had. I decided to send it to Briarville because I just didn't want to deal with shipping it overseas. Rich at Briarville called me and was very polite and helpful. The cost for a new stem is very reasonable, so I requested two...a vulcanite for regular use, and since those are only in black I also wanted an acrylic in the original blue color so I could still approximate the original look of the pipe if I ever wanted to...and also as a backup in case I ever need another new stem for it.

When I received the invoice after a couple of days it included a charge for shank repair with nickel band. I replied asking if this was a mistake because there was no shank damage and I had not requested any such repair. Rich explained that he discovered a hairline crack that was not easily seen...and so just went ahead and repaired it.

I know for certain I did not do anything with the pipe that would have caused this...the stem cracked while clenching...it was never dropped or anything. Rich said Morta cracks easily. It may have been there from the start and I didn't notice it. I replied that if I had known this type of repair was needed I would not have ordered the acrylic stem. To his credit, Rich said he refunded the second stem price but included it in the order anyway free of charge. I wasn't expecting that but thanked him and let him know it was much appreciated.

Below is the final result with the acrylic stem attached, which as you can see is not even close to the original color LOL...so now I'm glad I wasn't charged for it. To be fair, I did say it didn't need to be a perfect match, just close...but I can't consider that to be close.

Anyway...my Morta itch is now permanently scratched...I will not be buying another...but hopefully this one will be ok now. The upside of the nickel band is it will look ok with the black stem now.

IMG_20221224_140713.jpg
 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,248
108,343
Well, this has been the strangest pipe experience I've yet had. I decided to send it to Briarville because I just didn't want to deal with shipping it overseas. Rich at Briarville called me and was very polite and helpful. The cost for a new stem is very reasonable, so I requested two...a vulcanite for regular use, and since those are only in black I also wanted an acrylic in the original blue color so I could still approximate the original look of the pipe if I ever wanted to...and also as a backup in case I ever need another new stem for it.

When I received the invoice after a couple of days it included a charge for shank repair with nickel band. I replied asking if this was a mistake because there was no shank damage and I had not requested any such repair. Rich explained that he discovered a hairline crack that was not easily seen...and so just went ahead and repaired it.

I know for certain I did not do anything with the pipe that would have caused this...the stem cracked while clenching...it was never dropped or anything. Rich said Morta cracks easily. It may have been there from the start and I didn't notice it. I replied that if I had known this type of repair was needed I would not have ordered the acrylic stem. To his credit, Rich said he refunded the second stem price but included it in the order anyway free of charge. I wasn't expecting that but thanked him and let him know it was much appreciated.

Below is the final result with the acrylic stem attached, which as you can see is not even close to the original color LOL...so now I'm glad I wasn't charged for it. To be fair, I did say it didn't need to be a perfect match, just close...but I can't consider that to be close.

Anyway...my Morta itch is now permanently scratched...I will not be buying another...but hopefully this one will be ok now. The upside of the nickel band is it will look ok with the black stem now.

View attachment 190033
Wow, that's an ordeal. Looks great, but like you, one was enough for me.
 
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sleepy57

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jan 28, 2021
105
171
Spring Hill, Florida
Well, this has been the strangest pipe experience I've yet had. I decided to send it to Briarville because I just didn't want to deal with shipping it overseas. Rich at Briarville called me and was very polite and helpful. The cost for a new stem is very reasonable, so I requested two...a vulcanite for regular use, and since those are only in black I also wanted an acrylic in the original blue color so I could still approximate the original look of the pipe if I ever wanted to...and also as a backup in case I ever need another new stem for it.

When I received the invoice after a couple of days it included a charge for shank repair with nickel band. I replied asking if this was a mistake because there was no shank damage and I had not requested any such repair. Rich explained that he discovered a hairline crack that was not easily seen...and so just went ahead and repaired it.

I know for certain I did not do anything with the pipe that would have caused this...the stem cracked while clenching...it was never dropped or anything. Rich said Morta cracks easily. It may have been there from the start and I didn't notice it. I replied that if I had known this type of repair was needed I would not have ordered the acrylic stem. To his credit, Rich said he refunded the second stem price but included it in the order anyway free of charge. I wasn't expecting that but thanked him and let him know it was much appreciated.

Below is the final result with the acrylic stem attached, which as you can see is not even close to the original color LOL...so now I'm glad I wasn't charged for it. To be fair, I did say it didn't need to be a perfect match, just close...but I can't consider that to be close.

Anyway...my Morta itch is now permanently scratched...I will not be buying another...but hopefully this one will be ok now. The upside of the nickel band is it will look ok with the black stem now.

View attachment 190033
I haven't had great luck with Morta pipes either I purchased two of them .The first developed a hairline crack at the end of the stummel ,the second one (also an Askwith) so far is intact. I just don't think that the Bog Oak is that stable. Great look, smoke well but too fragile for me.
 
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OzPiper

Lifer
Nov 30, 2020
5,756
30,561
71
Sydney, Australia
They do. Not being fully mineralized, you can allow a slight bit of carbon buildup to protect the chamber.
I haven't had great luck with Morta pipes either I purchased two of them .The first developed a hairline crack at the end of the stummel ,the second one (also an Askwith) so far is intact. I just don't think that the Bog Oak is that stable. Great look, smoke well but too fragile for me.
I bought a few mortas early in my pipe-buying days because I was intrigued by a material that was thousands of years old.

Sorry to read all your stories of problems with your mortas.

Like briar (and other organic material) there will be variations in quality.

The only one of my mortas that developed problems was a light-coloured one which developed a couple of burn spots.
It could be that the light coloured morta is not as heavily mineralised as my darker ones.
It could also have been a couple of soft spots in the stummel.
Or I could have smoked too hot.

In any case a couple of thin layers of pipe mud fixed that.

Supposedly English blends smoke best in Morta. How do Virginias smoke in Morta? I doubt I'd notice a difference once a little build up develops.
Some report that their mortas had an earthy, slightly sulphurous taste with the initial smokes
Probably from being immersed in mud for eons.
Most likely due to insufficient curing or dry time.

I have not noticed this at all.
 
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