March Meerschaum Madness - Let the Madness Begin!

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Homer

Can't Leave
Aug 7, 2020
348
1,527
44
Finland
I got yesterday estate real gourd calabash pipe with block meerschaum bowl. I put some lanolin cream to the cork since it felt dry. I put some obsidian oil to the pipe stem. I think the pipe looks good. Do you think it needs any more maintenance?
 

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DKpiper

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jan 14, 2023
170
2,149
Denmark
Hello to all of you.

Now we have MMM-days I will like to show my Altinay collection.

No. 1 (from the top) is my newest addition - a translucent billard with bamboo. Smoked a few months and the bowl is now started to colour from the bottom.

No. 2 is a rusticated billard silver spigot - as you can see it has been smoked a lot more and are colouring very nicely.

No. 3 is a slightly rusticated billard with a silver band - not smoked many times yet.

No. 4 is a le van clief bent billard. A nice little pipe when I have to smoke for a short time.

As you can see, I still have a lot of colouring to do, so I will continue smoking this beautiful pipes :)

20230305_144018_001.jpg
 
I have been smoking my Altinay every day, but I will bring out some of my other meerschaum pipes soon.

Re Waxing: Waxing always brings out the colors. Sometimes it is temporary and would vanish soon. However I have not waxed the pipe in my coloring experiment as I want to see how it goes without wax.



Two easy ways to wax. Get a block of beeswax. While smoking (or heat it up with a hairdryer) gently rub the wax block against the hot surface. Don’t overdo it. Then when it is slightly cooler, rub the excess wax off with a clean cloth.

Hairdryer method is better as it is a more even coat
 

Said.ALTINAY

Might Stick Around
Hello to all of you.

Now we have MMM-days I will like to show my Altinay collection.

No. 1 (from the top) is my newest addition - a translucent billard with bamboo. Smoked a few months and the bowl is now started to colour from the bottom.

No. 2 is a rusticated billard silver spigot - as you can see it has been smoked a lot more and are colouring very nicely.

No. 3 is a slightly rusticated billard with a silver band - not smoked many times yet.

No. 4 is a le van clief bent billard. A nice little pipe when I have to smoke for a short time.

As you can see, I still have a lot of colouring to do, so I will continue smoking this beautiful pipes :)

View attachment 207245
@DKpiper nice collection. Thanks
 

Said.ALTINAY

Might Stick Around
I have been smoking my Altinay every day, but I will bring out some of my other meerschaum pipes soon.

Re Waxing: Waxing always brings out the colors. Sometimes it is temporary and would vanish soon. However I have not waxed the pipe in my coloring experiment as I want to see how it goes without wax.



Two easy ways to wax. Get a block of beeswax. While smoking (or heat it up with a hairdryer) gently rub the wax block against the hot surface. Don’t overdo it. Then when it is slightly cooler, rub the excess wax off with a clean cloth.

Hairdryer method is better as it is a more even coat
@cshubhra Thanks for additional info about rewaxing methods.
Your method sounds pretty simple and harmless.
 

LeafErikson

Lifer
Dec 7, 2021
2,285
20,148
Oregon
EBACACE8-B8CF-4866-96F4-0A6A37292C61.jpegDA8CD65C-0106-4CC4-8896-9E58E720ABD1.jpeg
Let’s see if I can get my Altinay to color any more before the end of March. I got this pipe in Jan of last year and it’s strictly an at home pipe since it doesn’t have a case. I used to use pipe cleaners to take out moisture but now I blow the moisture back into the bowl so maybe it will color a bit more. I refuse to engage in the tedium of bowl counting but if I had to guess this thing has had 450-500 bowls smoked out of it. Mostly SWR and Pegasus so they’re pretty dry blends.
 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
45,328
119,777

runscott

Lifer
Jun 3, 2020
1,294
2,842
Washington State
In fact, there is information about re-waxing in many sources on the internet, I think I even read it in this forum too.
re-waxing ensures that the tar and oils trapped between the pores of the block are homogeneously dispersed and defined.
However, misapplication can also render the pipe unusable.
So I don't recommend everyone to apply this in home.
When I receive an old meerschaum with dull colors, I rub in Clapham's polish, let it dry, then go over it with a heat gun and re-polish. The color will come back initially, then most of the time will begin to fade. I'll repeat the process until any coloring that is brought back, stays. For severe cases I begin the process (after cleaning) by melting pure beeswax onto a paper towel and rubbing it over the stummel while still slightly melted. Wipe off excess, let dry, polish.
 

runscott

Lifer
Jun 3, 2020
1,294
2,842
Washington State
Here is a pretty good example of what I'm talking about. You can see how the bare spots started filling in. I eventually brought back all the dark red on the cuff and most on the hand.

vZXdfg9.jpg