How to Get the Musty Smell from a Meerschaum?

[Briar Lee]

I gave my son a Mastercraft billiard meerschaum for his birthday, and he called to inform me the pipe smelled musty.

The pipe has sat around in dank basement for years, and absorbed a musty smell.

I’ve encountered this on other briar pipes and I just smoked it out of them, a lot of Five Brothers preferred.

But my son is impatient, and I advised him on a salt and Everclear treatment overnight.

Any other ways to get the musty smell from an old meerschaum?

As always, any help is sorely needed and much appreciated.

 

[Duck]

I gave my son a Mastercraft billiard meerschaum for his birthday, and he called to inform me the pipe smelled musty.

The pipe has sat around in dank basement for years, and absorbed a musty smell.

I’ve encountered this on other briar pipes and I just smoked it out of them, a lot of Five Brothers preferred.

But my son is impatient, and I advised him on a salt and Everclear treatment overnight.

Any other ways to get the musty smell from an old meerschaum?

As always, any help is sorely needed and much appreciated.

Don not use the salt and alcohol treatment on a meer, it'll absorb the alcohol, soften, and take out the beeswax. Sand off any cake, then clean it with an alcohol dipped cotton bud, dry it with the other end of the cotton bud. Repeat until the mustiness fades. Then leave it somewhere dry and warm, to dry completely.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I gave my son a Mastercraft billiard meerschaum for his birthday, and he called to inform me the pipe smelled musty.

The pipe has sat around in dank basement for years, and absorbed a musty smell.

I’ve encountered this on other briar pipes and I just smoked it out of them, a lot of Five Brothers preferred.

But my son is impatient, and I advised him on a salt and Everclear treatment overnight.

Any other ways to get the musty smell from an old meerschaum?

As always, any help is sorely needed and much appreciated.

Fill the chamber with baking soda and allow it to sit for a few days.

 

[Duck]

Fill the chamber with baking soda and allow it to sit for a few days.

I was wondering earlier today why I'd never seen baking soda recommended for deghosting pipes. It seems an obvious choice, so I was wondering if it had some unknown adverse effect. Good to know it doesn't.

 

[mikethompson]

Yeah, I would second the warning against alcohol and meer. They don't mix, at least not like that.

I've never heard of the baking soda trick, but even if it doesn't work, it is the least invasive and harmful to the pipe. If it doesn't work, you can go one step further in regards to your 'strength' of cleaning.

 

[FurCoat]

Fill the chamber with baking soda and allow it to sit for a few days.

Would activated charcoal work?

 

[mso489]

I think the baking soda treatment followed by a few bowls of burley like Five Brothers will heat it up and displace any residual mustiness. Then store the pipe in a dry place at room temperature.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Would activated charcoal work?

I would imagine so. May have to warm the pipe in an oven to achieve the full effect though.

 

[Briar Lee]

Fill the chamber with baking soda and allow it to sit for a few days.

I called my son back and advised him to not use salt and alcohol on meer, but try baking soda instead.

Let’s see how that works.

Thanks.

 

[OzPiper]

Anyone tried fresh coffee grounds ?
It's been recommended for briars.
I can't see why it wouldn't work for meers as well.

Disclaimer: I have not used coffee grounds to exorcise a pipe, so I can't speak for its effectiveness. Just curious

 

[Chasing Embers]

Anyone tried fresh coffee grounds ?
It's been recommended for briars.
I can't see why it wouldn't work for meers as well.

You use them wet in briar, it would stain meerschaum.

 

[OzPiper]

You use them wet in briar, it would stain meerschaum.

Could be a win-win.
Getting rid of the ghost and helping with the patination at the same time

 

[Chasing Embers]

Could be a win-win.
Getting rid of the ghost and helping with the patination at the same time

You've got a point.?

 

[condorlover1]

I had this issue with a meerschaum once. It had the dreaded 'Meter Cupboard' smell and taste. In this instance I just gifted the pipe to Weezell who smoked the piss out of it using Condor Plug and that seemed to cure the issue after a few weeks. Do not put any form of spirit near a meerschaum, scrape the bowl, clean the shank and use pipe cleaners dipped in cheap vodka to clean the stem. Put the pipe in a warm, airy environment for a few days and then aggressively smoke it and all should be well. As an after thought try not to dismantle the pipe!

 

[cossackjack]

Yeah, I would second the warning against alcohol and meer. They don't mix, at least not like that.

I've never heard of the baking soda trick, but even if it doesn't work, it is the least invasive and harmful to the pipe. If it doesn't work, you can go one step further in regards to your 'strength' of cleaning.

I’ve posted several times about using baking soda as a deodorizing treatment for briar & meerschaum.
I pack the the bowl & airway, then place the pipe into a plastic bag to completely cover it with baking soda. Depending on the stench, it may take a few days up to 1 month or longer to deodorize. Rinse well under warm, running tap water to removes any residual baking soda..
Often I’ll then pack with damp coffee grounds until dried. (Coffee grounds do not stain meerschaum, in my experience.)

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Tell him to load up tobacco and start smoking. Musty smell? Seriously?

 

[Briar Lee]

My son texted me this evening that he’d smoked hell out of his meerschaum using Gambler Gold.

By bowl five it was delicious as any pipe gets:

Good boy, he is, figuring these things out.

He even sent me a little thank you, from Gene Autry, knowing my fondness for such old ballads, that he shares.

Now I’ll wonder if baking soda works, too.

 

[Fralphog]

Enjoyed this thread. Bought my first meerschaum a week ago. I definitely picked up a few essential tools for the “tool box”. Thanks