Meerschaum Stench

[burleybreath]

Bought a new meerschaum and it literally stinks. I had smoked two bowls in it and even the next day could smell the cold pipe from another room. I've owned a Baki, two SMSs, an IMP, and a no-name off Etsy, so I'm not really a beginner with the things. I've never experienced this before. It doesn't smell like tobacco, but more like burning hair, or piss on a campfire, mixed with the usual waxy notes of a new meer. Tobacco taste, except on first light, is overwhelmed by the stench

Two questions: Has anyone else ever experienced this? And will it go away? I'm talkin' borderline gag reek, man.

The culprit in question is a Lubinski straight billiard, a shape I've wanted in a meer for some time. Do Lubinskis suck or something? I had never heard of them. Anyone wanna buy it? Har har.

 

[warren]

Never experienced such in 60 years of smoking meers. My sympathies.

 

[dottlejockey]

Strange, indeed.

A few bowls of heavy Lakeland blends might do the trick. Or perhaps you can pull the stem, wrap the bowl up like a piece of quality brisket and throw it in a smoker with some fine hickory chips. You know...slow and low.

On a serious note, i'll be curious to see what others might say on this.

 

[Waning Embers]

It's the wax. I've had a few like that and a few with a briny smell left over from mining. The only cure is smoking it.

 

[craig61a]

Did you contact the vendor to see what they might have to say?

 

[burleybreath]

It's the wax. I've had a few like that and a few with a briny smell left over from mining. The only cure is smoking it.

I was afraid of that. Might take me a while. Think I detect a fish scent on top of the others. Thanks.

 

[Waning Embers]

I was afraid of that. Might take me a while. Think I detect a fish scent on top of the others. Thanks.

Very welcome.

 

[Mez]

I’ve also heard if the pipe was put in the case too soon after being made it can pick up some of the glues or whatever they made case with.

 

[Steddy]

I smelled an oceanic kind of funk from two of my meers, took longer than I thought to fade. It just barely would come through in the smoke, here and there. Never experienced your predicament. I wish you luck and I hope it fades out.

 

[burleybreath]

In my younger days, the pipe would be "gone" by now and in several pieces. With age comes forethought. If it doesn't start to fade, I may cake the hell out of it, just to see if I can get the bowl to split before my tongue does. You gotta take your amusement where you find it.

 

[stanwellman]

In 40+ years of pipe smoking I only smoked a meerschaum pipe one! Made it through half a bowl specifically because of the reason you described: the stench! It turned out in my case that the pipe had a bone tenon/connector and it was it that was giving off the odor. What is the tenon made of in your pipe?

Could that be the problem?

 

[burleybreath]

In 40+ years of pipe smoking I only smoked a meerschaum pipe one! Made it through half a bowl specifically because of the reason you described: the stench! It turned out in my case that the pipe had a bone tenon/connector and it was it that was giving off the odor. What is the tenon made of in your pipe?

Could that be the problem?

Nope. It's today's conventional nylon (?) tenon/mortise thing, with a great draw for a change. Your experience seems even weirder than mine. Did they leave meat on the bone or something?

 

[okiematt]

I had this same problem with the one meer I own. The scent was ocean wildlife like. Almost tossed it but it did eventually fade away. All good now.

 

[Piping Abe]

Can’t recall my Meerschaum smelling but it indeed tasted like salt and ocean. It took about 40 bowls to finally smoke through it. Totally worth it.

 

[burleybreath]

I had this same problem with the one meer I own. The scent was ocean wildlife like. Almost tossed it but it did eventually fade away. All good now.

I'll see your ocean wildlife and raise you one horse blanket being laundered, tinged with campfire and faint hydrocarbon residue. If it weren't for the pipe being new, I'd suspect someone of smoking it rectally. But it's definitely fading after a dozen nasty smokes. I'll keep it.

Thanks guys, for your concern, advice, and sympathy. You've saved a pipe's life.

 

[Bassman65]

I'll see your ocean wildlife and raise you one horse blanket being laundered, tinged with campfire and faint hydrocarbon residue. If it weren't for the pipe being new, I'd suspect someone of smoking it rectally. But it's definitely fading after a dozen nasty smokes. I'll keep it.

Thanks guys, for your concern, advice, and sympathy. You've saved a pipe's life.

Smoking it rectally, lol. Made me almost spit out my beer chuckling.

 

[okiematt]

I'll see your ocean wildlife and raise you one horse blanket being laundered, tinged with campfire and faint hydrocarbon residue. If it weren't for the pipe being new, I'd suspect someone of smoking it rectally. But it's definitely fading after a dozen nasty smokes. I'll keep it.

Thanks guys, for your concern, advice, and sympathy. You've saved a pipe's life.

 

[metalheadycigarguy]

With all the meers I've owned over the years, I've never had an experience like that. That's very unfortunate. Two options; get rid of it or smoke the heck out of it, with a barf bag at your side. LOL

 

[Waning Embers]

Fill the chamber with baking soda, place it in a ziplock bag and leave it alone for a couple of weeks.

 

[Uniquemeerschaum]

Could there be wax inside? Sometimes wax can leak from the cork during coating,if it is not fit well.
I don't see any problem since it's not brown, this will go away after a little use. I wouldn't recommend it for browns if wax has seeped into them.Because henna powder is added to the wax to obtain the brown wax.