Meerschaums "Your Best Advice/Tip"

[easterntraveler]

I just bought a very nice block Meerschaum handcrafted by S.Yanik. It shipped from turkey a few days ago. I really do not want to ruin the pipe. I am asking for your best advice or tip to maintain the pipe. It alreaady has 3 coats of beeswax. It is also an 11.5 inch churchwarden (My first Warden). What I do not know is should I dedicate a specific blend to it say mainly virginia or latika (Not sure if Meerschaums Ghost easy). I have 2 "latika" pipes and 2 "virginians". All 4 briars.

 

[bentmike]

Sage advice from roth. My only advice is smoke it often and enjoy your new meer. ::

 

[bigboi]

S. Yanik is a terrific meer carver. Post up some pics when you get a chance!!!

 

[jerry]

I agree with roth. A clean meer is a happy meer!

 

[jerry]

Enjoy your meerschaum!

 

[tennsmoker]

Roth hit it on the head.
A clean meer is a joy forever. It can handle just about any tobacco you throw at it!
The only thing I can add is that if you must take the stem off for any reason (I never do this unless just absolutely, positively no way around it), turn the steam very, very softly clockwise. Put it back on that way as well. No rough stuff with the stem.

 

[shortyeastcoast]

So I should NOT let a cake build up in my SMS Meer?
The bowl should always look as if I've just smoked it once or twice?

 

[easterntraveler]

I am slightly confused. In my research I have read contradicting advice. First I have read use a cotton swab or paper towel and remove any "moister" that may have built up after smoking and that's it. I read do not "ream" the bowl with anything after smoking because the meerschaum is too soft. I have heard do not use water, do not use alcohol. Yet then I read its ok. Too much contradicting going on. Can anyone short this out for me?

 

[bentmike]

Eastern when I am done smoking my pipes I run one cleaner through the stem to the bowl careful not to run the wire too deep so that it will not dig into the meerschaum where the smoke hole enters the bottom of the bowl. After that I wipe out the chamber with a paper towel. I've noticed that over time a tar-like residue builds up on the walls of the chamber and the paper towel wipe is not enough to remove this "pre-cake" as I like to call it. This is where some kind of gentle scraping is required. A dull blade of a pipe knife used with caution seems to work well for most.

 

[foggymountain]

Roth said it, but I disagree about the cake. A thin cake is OK. Also, I have used gin to wipe the outside of the pipes, VERY little on a paper towel. One of the Turkish pipemakers recommended this, I forget who. He said alcohol. I would not use rubbing alcohol, but gin. It cleans off the little smudges and has never caused me a problem. I have had meers since 1965.

 

[meerqueen]

Hi,
DONT USE ALCOHOL! Meerschaum is a good filter and absorber.(I am talking about grade 4-6)it may absorbs the alcohol.so you can taste of alcohol during smoking.
a brief description for meerschaum care can be found on our website.

http://www.meerschaumstore.com/care/
Regards,

B.B

 

[numbersix]

I never really thought about it, but I wonder if different tobaccos would color a meer differently, i.e. aros like Danish Black giving a darker, browner shade than a VA might , which may give more orange, light brown color?
If so, then there might be a reason to only use certain tobaccos in a meer if you're going for a light amber coloring vs a dark, brown shade. Thoughts?

 

[meerqueen]

@numbersix it is a good question.
actually it is not about the color of tobaccos but it is about how much the tobacco contains nicotine or other material inside.
For example if one tobacco contains much nicotine than the other tobacco than the tobacco which has more nicotine can make your pipe more darker than the other one.and also this is not related with only nicotine but also related with the other material percentage inside the tobacco.

I hope this gives you an idea about it.
Regards,

B.B

 

[locopony]

I use Bourbon to clean mine with no ill effects. You just have to dry it ,and if ya get it on the out side rewax it. Easy peasy.
Yes number six that is the case sir.

 

[meerqueen]

grade 5-6 block meerschaum can absorbs faster and better than low grades so i dont recommend any alcohol especially for higher grades

 

[johnnyrebel]

The best advice/tip I have about Meerschaums you already took, you went out and bought one!! ::

 

[numbersix]

actually it is not about the color of tobaccos but it is about how much the tobacco contains nicotine or other material inside.

Thanks meerqueen - very interesting!

 

[tennsmoker]

Meerqueen: I recently purchased a small calabash lattice from Meerschaumstore.com. How do I determine pipe's grade?
And, btw, I love the way the calabash meer smokes!

 

[meerqueen]

@numbersix thank you
@tennsmoker please can you tell me the exact model id and when you bought this pipe?
we have been writing "grade of block" and "grade of workmanship" and "carver name" on the products label for sometime.Please advice

Regards,

B.B