Missouri Meerschaum Explains Shank In Bowl Bottom

[PipeIT]

Hello Pipers!

Just like myself, and for those that wondered about the shank at the bottom of the bowl you might see in a Missouri Meerschaum, they explained it to me, because I know some people like to burn it out over time.

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We assemble our pipes so the spoon on the shank goes all the way across the bottom of the pipe. This helps to protect the bottom of the bowl and is particularly important on the natural bottom bowl pipes. We don’t ever recommend that folks smoke their corn cob pipes down to the last shred of tobacco and doing this does burn away the wood spoon. Some folks don’t really believe their pipes are broken in until that wood spoon is burned off, but what they aren’t thinking about is that the spoon is also helping to hold the shank into the bowl since it gives a large surface area for the glue we use to assemble the pipe.

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Happy Puffing - PipeIT

 

[ophiuchus]

Thanks for sharing what you learned here.

I didn’t think smoking the spoon at the end of the shank was a thing.

 

[bullet08]

That "spoon" is a pain. Tobacco gets trapped under and around it. I usually pick them out with a bamboo bbq skewer.

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

Yep, It helps hold the shank in.. but by the time it's burned out, you have some cake and tar to help hold the shank on.

Some have more "spoon" than others.

 

[FurCoat]

I leave the shank and mud if necessary. I've never burnt one out and I have cobs with over 20 years on them.

 

[blackpowderpiper]

Interesting. I have always just smoked the crap out of them until the wooden spoon is burned off. I've never had a problem with the shank coming loose. Maybe I've just been lucky but some of my cobs are over 10 years old. One is about 15 years old. I don't abuse them and they have held up pretty well for me.

 

[BROBS]

What in the hell are you guys doing to burn that off?!
Mine just turns black and fills in around it.

 

[ashdigger]

The very first pipe I bought was a cob. On the second bowl that “spoon” burned away. One the fourth bowl the shank essentially burned away from the bowl. On the sixth smoke the bottom essentially burned away. On the seventh bowl my face and tongue burned away.

Yet, here I am. Maybe traumatic cob disorder is why I prefer briars.

 

[BROBS]

Well they aren’t for rock cocaine!

 

[wyfbane]

I have some old ass cobs and I never thought of burning the wood spoon away.

OP, thanks for the info!

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

What in the hell are you guys doing to burn that off?!
Mine just turns black and fills in around it.

An ember made of fire sits on it..

 

[BROBS]

An ember made of fire sits on it..

Right ... same with any pipe. I dunno mine has just never burned off ?‍

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

Right ... same with any pipe. I dunno mine has just never burned off ?‍

Made of a soft wood too.. Idk. If you keep them dirty I guess the sides just fill in. If you rinse them though, or go OCD (and I know some of these dudes do), It burns away for sure.

 

[BROBS]

Gotta let that shit fill in all natural-like.

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

Gotta let that shit fill in all natural-like.

I'm sure that makes em last longer..

 

[BROBS]

I'm sure that makes em last longer..

Shit mine get heavy with tar over time. It’s kind of crazy. At some point they are like a tarcob.

 

[Country Bladesmith]

I have some that I cut that “spoon” out with a chisel, and some where I left it. No big difference either way. That part gets charred some, but hasn’t burned away, even in cobs I’ve smoked for years.

 

[Ahi Ka]

The very first pipe I bought was a cob. On the second bowl that “spoon” burned away. One the fourth bowl the shank essentially burned away from the bowl. On the sixth smoke the bottom essentially burned away. On the seventh bowl my face and tongue burned away.

Yet, here I am. Maybe traumatic cob disorder is why I prefer briars.

This has to be my third favourite post I have read so far. Number two goes to @jguss when he cited the idea of god making harris as a cause for atheism. Number one was @hoosierpipeguy reference to “more pounds per pound”

 

[Magpiety]

What in the hell are you guys doing to burn that off?!
Mine just turns black and fills in around it.

Same. I've torched the hell out of a few of mine while drunkenly finishing bowls, and they're still fully intact.

 

[brut666]

I thought when you first got one, you was meant to smoke a couple of bowls till it tastes horrible then stop. I thought you was supposed to "char" the spoon part.
That's what I done with mine as I thought I was meant to, was that wrong, who knows but I'd never heard of smoking it that much you burnt the spoon part away ?