Meerschaum Pipe Issues- or Operator Error?

[bmdfm]

A few years back, I did some research into buying a meerschaum pipe. I ended up getting a fairly robust apple shape carved by F. Baki, as these pipes tended to get excellent reviews. I smoked it a few times, but never really liked it much. I just pulled it out a few days ago and decided that I really need to give it a second go. It was rather pricey, and I keep reading all these wonderful things about meerschaum pipes.

The 2 main issues I seem to be having are that this pipe smokes incredibly hot and as a result, the tobacco tastes awful. I have been smoking it as I do my briars and have tried to be conscious of smoking it as slowly as possible. The bowl heats up to where it is much too hot to hold and the smoke just wants to scorch my mouth. What little flavor there is, is just awful. This is far from the meerschaum experience I keep reading about and I find it difficult to believe that anybody could find this to be an enjoyable experience. Is it possible I just got a defective pipe? I suspect that it may be something I am doing wrong though. Do I need to change my smoking habits between a briar and a meerschaum? I wouldn't have thought so, but......

Is this common for a new meerschaum? Will this thing improve as I smoke it more? I really like this pipe and would love for it to become a great smoker. It does have a very long way to go I’m afraid. Assuming, of course, that it ever gets there at all.

 

[Spa32]

I had a similar problem with a billiard meerschaum. The walls on the billiard are on the thin side and when it was new got hot to the point that I had to stop smoking and let it cool down. It took several smokes before it would stop overheating. I've never considered myself a fast smoker so I don't feel that was the issue. I think it just needed to break in. I am one of the meerschaum owners that believe that meers smoke hotter then briars but I think I'm in the minority. Can you post a picture of the pipe? That may help other members to better answer your questions.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Have you tried packing it more loosely?

 

[bmdfm]

Here is a picture of the pipe.

 

[bmdfm]

Have you tried packing it more loosely?

I haven't, although it wasn't packed all that tightly to begin with. I did suffer for awhile from over packing my bowls. I have gotten much better at this, with briars anyway. I packed this the same way. As I was typing up the original post, I did try packing it slightly tighter which may have been a slight improvement, but not enough of a difference to really stand out.

 

[Spa32]

The walls seem to be plenty thick. Try embers suggestion. Btw, nice pipe.

 

[bmdfm]

I had a similar problem with a billiard meerschaum. The walls on the billiard are on the thin side and when it was new got hot to the point that I had to stop smoking and let it cool down. It took several smokes before it would stop overheating. I've never considered myself a fast smoker so I don't feel that was the issue. I think it just needed to break in. I am one of the meerschaum owners that believe that meers smoke hotter then briars but I think I'm in the minority. Can you post a picture of the pipe? That may help other members to better answer your questions.

Thanks for the feedback. Hopefully this one will break in as well and settle down. Keeping my fingers crossed......

 

[lightmybriar]

I would think user-error based on how the pipe looks and based on the fact that the heat is coupled with bad taste (many tobaccos taste terrible if smoked too hot), but if it doesn’t happen to your briars then it does make me wonder.

 

[bmdfm]

The walls seem to be plenty thick. Try embers suggestion. Btw, nice pipe.

Thanks!

 

[BROBS]

Is the airway constricted between the shank and the stem? It might be that and have nothing to do with the material.

did you break it in with at least 10 half bowls?

 

[Spa32]

Is the airway constricted between the shank and the stem? It might be that and have nothing to do with the material.

did you break it in with at least 10 half bowls?

Good point on the airway. There could be a piece of plastic that needs to be trimmed. I had this issue with one of my SMS meerschaums.

 

[perdurabo]

Where is the draft hole? Is it under the bowl? Mine is under the bowl, not drilled at an angle, like a briar. It’s a Tekin. If it’s smoking that hot, it has to be gurgling too. Dry your tobacco bone dry and see if this will cool it down. What tobacco are you smoking in it?

 

[warren]

but never really liked it much.

You only allow two options so I vote for "operator error." It is easier to blame the tools than the workman though. I think the answer lies, at least partially, in the fact that you don't like the pipe and feel you might have spent too much on it.

 

[pappymac]

You only allow two options so I vote for "operator error." It is easier to blame the tools than the workman though. I think the answer lies, at least partially, in the fact that you don't like the pipe and feel you might have spent too much on it.

Warren has a point. I have a CAO meerschaum that was given to me by the original owner because he said he didn't like it because the bowl always got hot, the tobacco didn't taste "right" and felt he had paid too much for it back in the 70s. I find it to be a great smoker and once I had smoked about 10 bowls through it, find it doesn't get as hot as my three Preben Holm briars.

 

[voorhees]

I have noticed my newer meers get a bit hot at times. I slow down, push through and over time they get better. I also had the same issue with a morta. But now all is good.

 

[jerry]

For what it’s worth, I’ve owned eight meers crafted by Mr. Baki and each one is a superior smoker. There might be exceptions, but Baki clearly cares about making a quality pipe.

 

[BROBS]

I guess my brand new meers maybe did smoke hotter in the very beginning until you get the inside of the chamber good and black with tar/oils.

 

[danimalia]

Nice pipe. Have you tried smoking Latakia/English blends? Since they tend to burn cooler, they might make it more comfy to smoke if it just needs to be broken in. If you don't like latakia, an Oriental-heavy VaOr or burley based blend might be the ticket.

 

[gervais]

It is my understanding that meers just naturally smoke a tad warmer than briars. I have no experience though with meerschaum so I can't give any actual useful insight ?

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Never mind,They all smoke hot at the beginning ,at least those med price range meerschaums,,