Meerschaum - Don't Touch?

[Manawydan]

I was admiring some Meerschaum pipes in my local B&M and was severely reprimanded for reaching out to hold one. They said the oils from your fingers affect the bowl and even said that you aren't supposed to touch them when you smoke (like a clay). This seems extreme to me. Can Meerschaum owners please weigh in on the issues if any of holding your pipe while you smoke?

 

[VDL_Piper]

Yes your hands have oils and sometimes grime and this imparts on the bowl/shank of all pipes, briar included but more on meerschaum. Meerschaum is more porous than briar and more accepting of oils/tars/grime and it’s this feature which makes it colour. I can understand a shop not wanting a hundred hands to fondle a meerschaum pipe.

 

[Manawydan]

Yes your hands have oils and sometimes grime and this imparts on the bowl/shank of all pipes, briar included but more on meerschaum. Meerschaum is more porous than briar and more accepting of oils/tars/grime and it’s this feature which makes it colour. I can understand a shop not wanting a hundred hands to fondle a meerschaum pipe.

Thanks. I can understand them not wanting people to handle prior to sale -- but it seems far-fetched that people don't actually touch the bowl while smoking?

 

[PA Piper Mike]

Yeah, if you look closely, you can see the oil marks and loss of detail in the tiny circles that my thumb has caused.

 

[Manawydan]

Yeah, if you look closely, you can see the oil marks and loss of detail in the tiny circles that my thumb has caused.

View attachment 329342

So you do hold the pipe like you would a briar and don't worry about it, right? That seems logical.

 

[PA Piper Mike]

So you do hold the pipe like you would a briar and don't worry about it, right? That seems logical.

Yeah, it's my pipe and will always be my pipe. I'm going to smoke it as I want and as nature intended, lol. Holding it any other way would be awkward. And since it a fairly large bowl, it's usually an hour+ smoke, so I'm not going to force myself to hold it in a way that isn't comfortable.

 

[VDL_Piper]

Thanks. I can understand them not wanting people to handle prior to sale -- but it seems far-fetched that people don't actually touch the bowl while smoking?

They do and it shows up!

 

[jpmcwjr]

Your shop experience is the main reason Meers are ever waxed in the first place.
I hold my Meers as I do briars—usually with clean hands/

 

[warren]

but it seems far-fetched that people don't actually touch the bowl while smoking?

It's your pipe, do as you wish. Want a nice, natural darkening keep your hands scrupulously clean or, wear cotton gloves or, keep a clean handkerchief between the warm bowl and your greasy fingers or ... simply handle the pipe by the bit. But, it all depends on your goal. Your decision and yours alone.

 

[elvishrunes]

When I spill some food or drink on my unfinished wood table and wipe it up the stain looks better than before, and creates a memory... So you’re supposed to stain a Meer with smoke, but not with your hands, seems an odd idea to me... hmm.

 

[didimauw]

Yes I can see a shop not wanting everyone to touch the meers for that reason. But when you get it home, touch it all you want!

 

[xrundog]

Yes I can see a shop not wanting everyone to touch the meers for that reason. But when you get it home, touch it all you want!

Right. Dirt wipes off. So what if you get some handling marks?

 

[Sig]

Just make sure your hands are clean, and move the pipe around in your hands while smoking. Nothing crazy or uncomfortable, just don't hold it in the identical place all the time.
Ive been smoking Meerschaum pipes for many years with no issues.
Also, keeping it waxed with white beeswax makes a HUGE difference. It helps the pipe color evenly and, sinse there is a layer of wax, it keeps your hand oils off the pipe.....for the most part.
I cannot even tell you how important the white beeswax is.
I learned this years ago from some "expert" Meer smokers on the old Smokers Forums. I wax my pipes after about every 20 smokes.
It seems excessive, but it pays in the end.
You end up with a nice EVEN caramel golden color and not a darker, or black color.
Waxing is very easy and very fast. I get a pipe done in ten minutes or less.
I melt the wax in a small tin with a candle flame....this is the perfect amount of heat. Then I use a Q-tip to wipe the wax all over the pipe......it will dry chunky. Then use a hair dryer to heat the waxed pipe, and rotate the pipe by the stem until the wax spreads all over the pipe evenly, or drips off.......use a lot of wax, it comes off easy. Then I rub the pipe with a soft cloth.....bam, done....easy peasy.
I even do my lattice pipes, the wax melts off and out of the holes but leaves a thin layer of wax.
You can use yellow beeswax, but it will leave a yellow color on your pipe and make the "natural" coloring look odd.
This is how I was told to do this procedure and its worked fantastic.

 

[LeafErikson]

I could understand a shop not wanting a bunch of people to touch the meerschaum pipes. They're extremely absorbent and will eventually get discolored spots from excessive handling. I handle my meers no differently than my briars so mine are all mottled and colored from smoking as well as handling.

 

[mikethompson]

I can understand the mindset of the shop, but I would never 'severely reprimand' a customer over touching one.

In any case, I've wondered how overblown the 'oils from your fingers' thing was, but I guess there is some truth to it.

 

[warren]

but I would never 'severely reprimand' a customer over touching one.

I'd stop them before they did. Akin to some idiot with a big buckle wanting to play a guitar in a music shop. Not gonna happen until the buckle is removed..

 

[sardonicus87]

I can understand the mindset of the shop, but I would never 'severely reprimand' a customer over touching one.

In any case, I've wondered how overblown the 'oils from your fingers' thing was, but I guess there is some truth to it.

I mean, my meer has two stains from the leather pipe rest it sits in when I am done smoking... but we're talking a freshly smoked pipe placed in it (not while I am smoking, just when I have finished a bowl). The pipe rest is tanned brown.

Just took these pics, I smoke this pipe almost every day and have smoked for just over 1 year now and it always sits in this pipe-rest 24/7 when I am not smoking it (unless it's in its case because I am on a trip). So as far as staining from grime, that should give you some perspective on how they can stain.

I don't otherwise touch the bowl except when I am cleaning it, or removing the stem, etc, while smoking I hold by the stem.

Oils from your hands will be different than stain from a piece of leather, there's more to the oils in your hands than just oil and grime.

 

[JimInks]

Yes I can see a shop not wanting everyone to touch the meers for that reason. But when you get it home, touch it all you want!

Many years back, I was very cautious about how I handled my meers because of all the things people kept saying about it. It was not as much fun smoking them as it was for briars for that reason, so they just sat around in a drawer. Finally, I decided to ditch that attitude, and quit worrying about it. I don't worry about what any of my meers are going to look like because that reduces the fun of smoking them for me. Being precious doesn't always bring one happiness. But, if it does, then that enjoyment is worth one's while.

 

[Manawydan]

Just make sure your hands are clean, and move the pipe around in your hands while smoking. Nothing crazy or uncomfortable, just don't hold it in the identical place all the time.
Ive been smoking Meerschaum pipes for many years with no issues.
Also, keeping it waxed with white beeswax makes a HUGE difference. It helps the pipe color evenly and, sinse there is a layer of wax, it keeps your hand oils off the pipe.....for the most part.
I cannot even tell you how important the white beeswax is.
I learned this years ago from some "expert" Meer smokers on the old Smokers Forums. I wax my pipes after about every 20 smokes.
It seems excessive, but it pays in the end.
You end up with a nice EVEN caramel golden color and not a darker, or black color.
Waxing is very easy and very fast. I get a pipe done in ten minutes or less.
I melt the wax in a small tin with a candle flame....this is the perfect amount of heat. Then I use a Q-tip to wipe the wax all over the pipe......it will dry chunky. Then use a hair dryer to heat the waxed pipe, and rotate the pipe by the stem until the wax spreads all over the pipe evenly, or drips off.......use a lot of wax, it comes off easy. Then I rub the pipe with a soft cloth.....bam, done....easy peasy.
I even do my lattice pipes, the wax melts off and out of the holes but leaves a thin layer of wax.
You can use yellow beeswax, but it will leave a yellow color on your pipe and make the "natural" coloring look odd.
This is how I was told to do this procedure and its worked fantastic.

Thanks for this — really good info.

 

[captainsousie]

I'd stop them before they did. A kin to some idiot with a big buckle wanting to play a guitar in a music shop. Not gonna happen until the buckle is removed..

Or properly covered. Had a couple people want to add buckle rash to my sales.