Meerschaum 'stinger'?

[Andriko]

Hi all,

My first ever Meershaum arrived today. It's not particularly fancy or expensive, but I was looking for something affordable and filter-less to travel about with, and was also curious about trying one.

The only issue is, the stem is connected to the bowl with a plastic screw set up (see photo), which I didn't expect. Are all meers put together like this, and is this something I should worry about? Naturally, I don't want to smoke melting plastic! Is there something else I can use to hold it all together instead?

The smoke was mostly pleasant, though I could taste hints of clay, which I suppose is normal in a new 'clay' pipe. Are there any other things I should keep in mind about meershaums - special ways to clean them or anything like that?

Thanks,

A

 

[didimauw]

This is how most meers work. No worries about melting or smoking plastic. Smoke away!

 

[Andriko]

That's good to know! Been curious about these things for ages.

 

[warren]

I could taste hints of clay, which I suppose is normal in a new 'clay' pipe.

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Is it clay? Or Meerschaum, a mineral?

 

[Andriko]

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Is it clay? Or Meerschaum, a mineral?

It's meerschaum (which I thought was a type of clay?). Not sure quite how to describe the taste, but the first bowl has a hint of a mineraly type of flavour, a bit like my cob, when new, had a slightly nutty aspect to it. It could also be some of the tobacco vapours which I am not used to, since I usually smoke with a filter.

 

[Searock Fan]

In stead of the stem going in like a briar where the stem would stick directly into the meerschaum it works so that there is no wear on the meerschaum from putting the stem in and out. This is done because the meerschaum is somewhat soft and could wear quickly resulting in a loose stem.

I can't tell much from your picture, but will say that if it were mine I would discard any "stinger".

 

[Chasing Embers]

It's meerschaum (which I thought was a type of clay?)

It is.

Only ever turn the stem clockwise when removing, inserting, or adjusting the position of the stem to prevent the removal of those inserts. Frequent removal can cause excessive wear on the threads in the meerschaum. Many companies are moving away from that design to function more like a briar fitting.

 

[Searock Fan]

It is.

Only ever turn the stem clockwise when removing, inserting, or adjusting the position of the stem to prevent the removal of those inserts. Frequent removal can cause excessive wear on the threads in the meerschaum. Many companies are moving away from that design to function more like a briar fitting.

View attachment 167451

Can't help but wonder how this will hold up over the years.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Can't help but wonder how this will hold up over the years.

The inserts have been used for decades and many companies have been using the permanent delrin mortise for over ten years. Both seem to last.

 

[OzPiper]

Not sure what you are referring to as a “stinger”

Looks to me like the Delrin fitting common to a lot of meerschaums

 

[Andriko]

It is.

Only ever turn the stem clockwise when removing, inserting, or adjusting the position of the stem to prevent the removal of those inserts. Frequent removal can cause excessive wear on the threads in the meerschaum. Many companies are moving away from that design to function more like a briar fitting.

View attachment 167451

This fitting seem much more practical! In the UK though, none of the places selling pipes seem to differentiate which company makes the meer pipes, o it seem a bit of pot luck.

Not sure what you are referring to as a “stinger”

Looks to me like the Delrin fitting common to a lot of meerschaums

It just kind of reminded me of a stinger in a way.

 

[Chasing Embers]

This fitting seem much more practical! In the UK though, none of the places selling pipes seem to differentiate which company makes the meer pipes, o it seem a bit of pot luck.


It just kind of reminded me of a stinger in a way.

Some pipes have multiple inserts.

 

[OzPiper]

Stingers are metal bits used to condense water vapour in an (usually failed) attempt to reduce gurgle and to give a drier smoke.

The fact that they are not seen in currently produced pipes speaks of their lack of efficacy

 

[Chasing Embers]

The fact that they are not seen in currently produced pipes speaks of their lack of efficacy

Tsuge still uses them on the Mizki pipes.

 

[Searock Fan]

The inserts have been used for decades and many companies have been using the permanent delrin mortise for over ten years. Both seem to last.

I think we may have a "failure to communicate". What I'm saying is that I don't think it would be good for a tenon to go in and out of meerschaum itself. It would cause too much wear on the meerschaum. There needs to be an insert in the meerschaum for the stem to fit into.

 

[OzPiper]

Tsuge still uses them on the Mizki pipes.

I wasn't aware of that.
I'd not looked at that line of pipes by Tsuge

I did have a lower-price range Tsuge which did not have a stinger.
I gifted it to a friend who was returning to pipe smoking

 

[Servant King]

Looks pretty normal to me. When I obtained my estate meer earlier this year, I went straight to the forum before doing anything to it. Considering the fact that it was my first meer, I wanted to make sure I didn't screw anything up. @Chasing Embers was most helpful (wish I had a dollar for every time I said that!). I had to replace the tenon/mortise plastic pieces, which were all cracked, worn with age, and a nasty brown hue I can only liken to carnivore feces. Meerschaum Market was well stocked in these (the replacement parts, not carnivore feces), and installation was a cinch. Haven't had a single issue smoking it since the switch.

 

[Chasing Embers]

What I'm saying is that I don't think it would be good for a tenon to go in and out of meerschaum itself.

Oh, okay. I've never seen one like that. The more modern ones have a permanent delrin fitting in the mortise as opposed to the screw in that gives them a more briar type fitting and more open airway.