March Meerschaum Madness - Let the Madness Begin!

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LeafErikson

Lifer
Dec 7, 2021
1,856
15,801
Oregon
09F2C310-922C-4904-93F0-589308653826.jpeg
Had to do my monthly reaming on my well loved Altinay. This is the after picture. I usually do it once my favorite tamper has a hard time fitting in the chamber. Is there anything more tedious than gently reaming out a meerschaum? 😂 I usually just use a tamper with a flat, circular bottom and just scrape around in there till I get it to my liking. D35C8E99-ABB8-41FF-88D7-BD7B7A8812AB.jpeg
 

BarrelProof

Lifer
Mar 29, 2020
2,701
10,577
39
The Last Frontier
Received my newest piece today. We will call it a cheroot holder for the sake of the forum. It was a cheaper option, and clearly it was cheap. But it smokes nicely, and it's block meerschaum, so it'll be fun to watch it color. And the way I smoke, this one should see tons of color.
View attachment 211808

Well, let’s see a photo after the first 100 through it!
 

LeafErikson

Lifer
Dec 7, 2021
1,856
15,801
Oregon
I’ve found that the paper towel does a lot more than the pipe cleaner, though. I guess we’ll see, but no sign of any cake build-up, yet.
I’d be astonished if you didn’t have to ream before you hit 500 bowls. That pipe pictured has had at least 500 bowls through it and I’ve cut the cake back multiple times. It’s hard to get a good pic of it though and the cake in person looks well trimmed. For some reason in the picture it looks super thick.
 

BarrelProof

Lifer
Mar 29, 2020
2,701
10,577
39
The Last Frontier
I’d be astonished if you didn’t have to ream before you hit 500 bowls. That pipe pictured has had at least 500 bowls through it and I’ve cut the cake back multiple times. It’s hard to get a good pic of it though and the cake in person looks well trimmed. For some reason in the picture it looks super thick.

I’ve got no clue how many bowls any of my meers have seen, but I’ll buy another one and document the trip to 500 with nothing but a paper towel wipe down. Definitely don’t have to ream monthly using the paper towel, though.

I’m not being argumentative, so I hope it doesn’t read that way. I just know I see substantially less build up with a paper towel vs. a pipe cleaner. I’m doing it for science!

Off to Altinay’s website.
 
Last edited:

B.Fee

Lifer
Nov 28, 2019
1,018
7,717
Honolulu / Colorado
I’d be astonished if you didn’t have to ream before you hit 500 bowls. That pipe pictured has had at least 500 bowls through it and I’ve cut the cake back multiple times. It’s hard to get a good pic of it though and the cake in person looks well trimmed. For some reason in the picture it looks super thick.
I thought maybe you accidentally posted the before picture, it sure looks thick in the picture. 😁
 

B.Fee

Lifer
Nov 28, 2019
1,018
7,717
Honolulu / Colorado
I’ve got no clue how many bowls any of my meers have seen, but I’ll buy another one and document the trip to 500 with nothing but a paper towel wipe down.

I’m not being argumentative, so I hope it doesn’t read that way. I just know I see substantially less build up with a paper towel vs. a pipe cleaner. I’m doing it for science!

Off to Altinay’s website.
I also cram a paper towel and twist after every bowl full. I have had to ream every now and then but I don't keep track of the amount of bowls I've smoked in it. 🤙✌️
 
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LeafErikson

Lifer
Dec 7, 2021
1,856
15,801
Oregon
I’ve got no clue how many bowls any of my meers have seen, but I’ll buy another one and document the trip to 500 with nothing but a paper towel wipe down.

I’m not being argumentative, so I hope it doesn’t read that way. I just know I see substantially less build up with a paper towel vs. a pipe cleaner. I’m doing it for science!

Off to Altinay’s website.
No apologies necessary as I didn’t read your post as argumentative. I would be very interested to see the results. I’ve also noticed that with my cake I can tend to get weird rings or ridges in there. It’s probably due to uneven pressure from the pipe cleaner? It would make sense that the pipe cleaner sheds more cotton fibers than a paper towel but I’m not sure. I’ve only been smoking a pipe for a few years so I’m no expert. 500 is just an estimate. I’ve had the pipe since Jan of 2022 so it’s really not many bowls. It’s about 1 bowl a day on average. This pipe has seen a lot of 3-4 bowl days and then 3-4 days of smoking other pipes. Just depends on what I’m in the mood for 😃
 

LeafErikson

Lifer
Dec 7, 2021
1,856
15,801
Oregon
I also cram a paper towel and twist after every bowl full. I have had to ream every now and then but I don't keep track of the amount of bowls I've smoked in it. 🤙✌️
I don’t exactly track the bowl count either it was just an estimate. Darn maybe paper towel is the way to go then. I seem to have more pipe cleaners on hand than paper towels as my wife goes through them quickly. I probably had to start cutting cake back at around 300 bowls or so even with the post smoke pipe cleaner wipe down. I remember Duane says he uses a moist baby wipe or wet paper towel but I have just been sticking with my tried and true. I’ve mostly smoked SWR regular in this pipe and I think most of the OTCs build cake like nobody’s business. That could be a factor as well.
 

BarrelProof

Lifer
Mar 29, 2020
2,701
10,577
39
The Last Frontier
No apologies necessary as I didn’t read your post as argumentative. I would be very interested to see the results. I’ve also noticed that with my cake I can tend to get weird rings or ridges in there. It’s probably due to uneven pressure from the pipe cleaner? It would make sense that the pipe cleaner sheds more cotton fibers than a paper towel but I’m not sure. I’ve only been smoking a pipe for a few years so I’m no expert. 500 is just an estimate. I’ve had the pipe since Jan of 2022 so it’s really not many bowls. It’s about 1 bowl a day on average. This pipe has seen a lot of 3-4 bowl days and then 3-4 days of smoking other pipes. Just depends on what I’m in the mood for 😃

My favorite one has seen KBV BMP almost exclusively, but I do throw other stuff through it occasionally. Usually a Virginia or VaPer, but then I always follow that almost immediately with more BMP to get that VA/VaPer flavor out of my mouth/pipe.

And I’m just looking for an excuse to buy another one!
 

LeafErikson

Lifer
Dec 7, 2021
1,856
15,801
Oregon
My favorite one has seen KBV BMP almost exclusively, but I do throw other stuff through it occasionally. Usually a Virginia or VaPer, but then I always follow that almost immediately with more BMP to get that VA/VaPer flavor out of my mouth/pipe.

And I’m just looking for an excuse to buy another one!
Haha for sure. This one really only sees swr or Pegasus with other burley blends sometimes as well. That’s what I’m smoking most of the time. I pretty much only smoke burleys out of my meers and briars and virginias/vapers out of my cobs. I have a Louis bent mm cob that smokes any va/vaper beautifully for whatever reason. Don’t question the pipe gods in their infinite wisdom. 😂
 

didimauw

Moderator
Staff member
Jul 28, 2013
9,894
31,624
34
Burlington WI
I’d be astonished if you didn’t have to ream before you hit 500 bowls. That pipe pictured has had at least 500 bowls through it and I’ve cut the cake back multiple times. It’s hard to get a good pic of it though and the cake in person looks well trimmed. For some reason in the picture it looks super thick.
My Grabow year, needed reaming every 30 bowls or so. Once you let it grow, it can really take off.