I Smoked my Meer in a Bad Way!

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warren

Lifer
Sep 13, 2013
12,350
18,538
Foothills of the Chugach Range, AK
In my opinion the pipe was already cracked. I've smoked meers outside in below zero temps and never had a problem. I keep the pipe in my inside pocket until ready to smoke, my hand keeps it warm, load and light, the burning tobacco keeps the meerschaum warm. Now, I've always been smart enough not to load and light a pipe that has been sitting outside in the truck over night in subzero temps without warming it a bit.. It gets to ride in my pocket for a while. But, I treat my briars the same way, no radical temp changes unless it's already simmering away. Never had a pipe crack or "blowup". 60 years smoking in Alaska and never a problem nor, any concerns.

Nowdays I only smoke meers in the house or on the wooden deck. I pay no attention to to temp changes but, particularly with figurals, try not to expose them to drops on concrete.
 

jpmcwjr

Lifer
May 12, 2015
26,263
30,344
Carmel Valley, CA
I grew up in Anchorage, Alaska and one of my first pipes was an estate meer. This was roughly 1994. The proprietor of the tobacco shop where I bought it was in his 80s and been smoking a pipe daily for at least 60 years at that point. When he sold me the meer he mentioned to never light up indoors and then take it outside in the winter, it will crack. His name was Pete Switzer and he ran Pete’s Tobacco Shop in Anchorage until he passed away, 2003 I believe.
Certainly better safe than sorry! I appreciate warren's experiences. I suppose keeping the pipe out of a wind chill, and wrapping a mit around it would help.
 

craig61a

Lifer
Apr 29, 2017
6,164
52,948
Minnesota USA
I grew up in Anchorage, Alaska and one of my first pipes was an estate meer. This was roughly 1994. The proprietor of the tobacco shop where I bought it was in his 80s and been smoking a pipe daily for at least 60 years at that point. When he sold me the meer he mentioned to never light up indoors and then take it outside in the winter, it will crack. His name was Pete Switzer and he ran Pete’s Tobacco Shop in Anchorage until he passed away, 2003 I believe.
Now that I could see, 70F indoors to -40F outdoors is quite an excursion.
 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
45,248
119,236
I recall being advised not to even take a lit meerschaum from a warm room into a cold room. Apparently, there is some truth to them being fragile when thermally stressed. I've always regarded them as a pipe for the easy chair.
I use them as work and hiking pipes and have always found them to be very durable. I dropped a giant three piece figural on my kitchen floor once. It left a dent in the linoleum without leaving a mark on the pipe.
 

lraisch

Part of the Furniture Now
Jul 4, 2011
734
1,529
Granite Falls, Washington state
Probably YouTube. I literally saw a YouTube video a few weeks ago that said the same thing he's saying.
I've never watched a YouTube video about pipes. This was information I heard or read many years ago. I couldn't tell you where specifically I got this advice since it was 40 or more years ago when I got my first meerschaum.
 

Speak Easy

Lifer
Jan 12, 2024
2,817
31,298
44
Western Oklahoma
There have been many posts on here about meerschaums breaking when stepping into the cold while smoking them. Fortunately, I don't own a meer nor live where it gets that cold.
I’m seeing that it may be a coin toss on the belief of whether it’s detrimental or not. I’m a bit of a coin flipper. Reckon I’ll keep on flipping.
 
I’m seeing that it may be a coin toss on the belief of whether it’s detrimental or not. I’m a bit of a coin flipper. Reckon I’ll keep on flipping.
I haven't read the whole thread, but what i remember was people would get the pipe going in a warm room, and then step out into very cold weather and the bowl would snap away from the stem, as pictured in this thread. It makes sense, thermal shock affects all rocks.
When I was considering buying a meer, I saw this quite a bit on here, which added to my hesitancy, even though I don't think that cold down here is anything like the cold up North. I eventually just decided that I didn't like the way that they turn all splotchy brown at the bottom like a dirty diaper. But, but, but... I'm glad that you guys like them. More power to you guys.