Meerschaum question.

[Franco Pipenbeans]

Good morning, good afternoon, good evening.

I have bought a pipe from EBay - see the attached photos - that was sold as a meerschaum with a Meerschaum cigarette holder.

Is there a sure fire way of knowing if it is a real meerschaum and not a resin or something similar? If so, how?

I haven’t received them yet but want to check when they arrive.

Thanks for your time.

 

[gjshaw284]

Can't say...but looks good. Looks like meershaum to me.

 

[tklee]

Tap some water with your finger, and wipe on it. Original Meerschaum block will absorb water. The faster it absorb, the purer it is.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Touch the inside of the chamber with your tongue. If it sticks, it's block meerschaum.

 

[Franco Pipenbeans]

Tap some water with your finger, and wipe on it. Original Meerschaum block will absorb water. The faster it absorb, the purer it is.

Thanks @tklee i’ll give that a go when they arrive.

 

[Merton]

Touch the inside of the chamber with your tongue. If it sticks, it's block meerschaum.

this if the best method. you can also use a bit of saliva on a finger.

 

[Franco Pipenbeans]

Next question - does meerschaum get “full”? i.e does it have a finite amount of juice that it will soak up or not?

 

[romaso]

It should smell like meerschaum, kinda like clay. A resin wouldn't be close to that.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Next question - does meerschaum get “full”? i.e does it have a finite amount of juice that it will soak up or not?

Maybe over multiple lifetimes of constant smoking.

kinda like clay

And sometimes briny.

 

[didimauw]

I have a cigarette holder like yours. It was too gawdy to use for me for cigarettes, but I have another purpose for it. Love it.

 

[romaso]

with a Meerschaum cigarette holder.

View attachment 150412

If you don't smoke cigarettes, you might be able to convert the holder into a pipe tamper.

 

[anotherbob]

Next question - does meerschaum get “full”? i.e does it have a finite amount of juice that it will soak up or not?

I've seen some old ones that look saturated. They look midnight black. And apparently they weigh a significant amount more then they did before. Basically at least a life time of smoking to get there.
And the chances of it being anything other then block are pretty much next to nothing. Haven't had one story here of someone getting anything other then block without it being advertised as pressed.

 

[Searock Fan]

Anyone know what kind of resin would be used to make a fake meerschaum? And how would it smoke? This is a new one for me, don't think I ever heard of it before.... and to think, I usually know it all!!!

 

[Franco Pipenbeans]

I have a cigarette holder like yours. It was too gawdy to use for me for cigarettes, but I have another purpose for it. Love it.

Repurposed as a tamper? That’s what I was going to see if that one could be used for I think.

 

[Franco Pipenbeans]

Anyone know what kind of resin would be used to make a fake meerschaum? And how would it smoke? This is a new one for me, don't think I ever heard of it before.... and to think, I usually know it all!!!

The only reason I ask is because I bought a really cheap, new pipe, sold as meerschaum from Amazon. I didn’t realise it was coming from China; I’ve no idea what it was made from but I’m nearly certain it wasn’t meerschaum - during the second smoke I managed to catch it on a towel hanging on the washing line and it flipped the pipe out of my mouth. In slo-mo I saw it fall to the concrete floor and I thought “We’ll that’s that one done then!” and the bloody thing bounced - twice!

I’m guessing real meerschaum would have at least cracked, if not shattered? Like a clay pipe would?

 

[Franco Pipenbeans]

I've seen some old ones that look saturated. They look midnight black. And apparently they weigh a significant amount more then they did before. Basically at least a life time of smoking to get there.
And the chances of it being anything other then block are pretty much next to nothing. Haven't had one story here of someone getting anything other then block without it being advertised as pressed.

That’s good to know.

I can’t see me smoking it all the time so it should hopefully last me a fair while, I was just curious about how much it would soak up.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I’m guessing real meerschaum would have at least cracked, if not shattered? Like a clay pipe would?

I dropped my big Kenan on the kitchen floor and it left a dent in the linoleum without leaving a mark on the pipe.

 

[mav]

Tap some water with your finger, and wipe on it. Original Meerschaum block will absorb water. The faster it absorb, the purer it is.

That's the best way I've found, you'll also know when you smoke it because as you get to the bottom the first dozen smokes you will get an earthy, clay taste happening. I haven't been smoking these long enough to know absorption but if you go on eBay you can see some that are almost translucent, fully saturated.

 

[mav]

The only reason I ask is because I bought a really cheap, new pipe, sold as meerschaum from Amazon. I didn’t realise it was coming from China; I’ve no idea what it was made from but I’m nearly certain it wasn’t meerschaum - during the second smoke I managed to catch it on a towel hanging on the washing line and it flipped the pipe out of my mouth. In slo-mo I saw it fall to the concrete floor and I thought “We’ll that’s that one done then!” and the bloody thing bounced - twice!

I’m guessing real meerschaum would have at least cracked, if not shattered? Like a clay pipe would?

Just a word of advice, if you are in a cold climate don't smoke outside in below freezing tempts, I cracked a shank that way

 

[Franco Pipenbeans]

Just a word of advice, if you are in a cold climate don't smoke outside in below freezing tempts, I cracked a shank that way

Thanks for that. I’m going to try and keep it in its box. ??