Morta???

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morbious81

Lurker
Sep 1, 2016
41
0
So I'm basically looking for a knowledge dump on Morta. I have seem some wonderful looking Morta pipes, but know little of the wood, or the pipes made of it.

I think I know it's really old bog wood, hard as a rock, and looks pretty. What are the facts, pros and cons?

 
Jan 8, 2013
7,493
733
It's bog oak. Often between 4000 and 6000 years old.
Pros: It's really old and you can tell people you're smoking out of a 5000+ year old piece of oak. And then you can tell people the piece of oak was a branch that was in the hand of mummified man who had apparently fallen into the bogs and tried to save himself by grasping a low hanging tree branch... unfortunately for him, the branch broke and he sank into the bogs with what is now your pipe in hand. But don't be sad because after 5000 years he would be long dead anyway! Oh yeah. It doesn't hold a ghost like briar, and doesn't need to rest between smokes like briar does.
Cons: It's old. Like really old! And some dead guy could have been holding onto it when they found it.
:mrgreen:

 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,248
108,340
Something about it makes it great for Latakia blends, and the closer to completely black it is, the older it is.

 

clangillespie

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jan 7, 2015
106
2
Ironwood Michigan
Bog Oak (Morta) is excellent for pipe making, it smokes cooler than Briar and the biggest advantage is the weight, the heaviest part of a Morta pipe will be the Acrylic or Cumberland stem. I get request for Morta all the time. The people that request them usually prefer Morta period, over any other wood.

 

morbious81

Lurker
Sep 1, 2016
41
0
Thanks again guys. I thing I'll have to add one to my collection when I can.
It may take time, but I think I'll be able to the potential dead guy part :p

 

pagan

Lifer
May 6, 2016
5,963
28
West Texas
And some dead guy could have been holding onto it when they found it.
:rofl:
Then there the thought of estate pipes, most likely smoking some dead guys pipe, I never realized what a morbid hobby I have :rofl:

 
May 4, 2015
3,210
16
the closer to completely black it is, the older it is.
Based on no research or information whatsoever, I'm inclined not to believe this.
I'd think the final color of the morta has more to do with how (and specifically with what) it mineralizes.
Then again, you could be right.

 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,248
108,340
Based on no research or information whatsoever, I'm inclined not to believe this.
I'd think the final color of the morta has more to do with how (and specifically with what) it mineralizes.
Then again, you could be right.
Can't remember where I read that, but I am very partial to the copper morta. Gorgeous stuff!

 

drennan

Can't Leave
Mar 30, 2014
344
3
Normandy
I disagree with some. Morta imparts its own unique taste.
I kind of agree.
I've got a matching pair of morta pipes that imparted a flavour that was hard to miss but after 20ish bowls it's pretty much disappeared and I've got morta pipes that have smoked neutral from the word go. I've certainly not noticed a flavour that lasts for any length of time but then all pipes are different.

 
May 4, 2015
3,210
16
Wonder if it's left over scorching from drilling or something?
Also wonder how much variation there is in morta. Ie. what minerals the particular piece is comprised of, if that's even a variable.

 

texmexpipe

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 20, 2014
998
246
I would really like a morta pipe, are there any carvers who sell then for around $100? That's really about my top end for a pipe.

 

texmexpipe

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 20, 2014
998
246
Also check out this article about the age and color correlation. https://davorinmortapipes.wordpress.com/what-is-abonos-morta/

 
May 4, 2015
3,210
16
Neat article!
I had forgotten reading that a while back.
So the color is a function of age (and conditions to a lesser degree.)
It's neat stuff to be sure. Looking forward to owning one someday.
Any possibilities of cheaper/lesser morta or counterfeit morta to be concerned about? Seems like it's much more affordable currently than it was when morta starting becoming popular.

 

clickklick

Lifer
May 5, 2014
1,700
212
No counterfeit Morta. It is actually grey , not black. Most stain it black for

Aesthetics. The gold stuff is younger and more difficult to get. Characteristics are the same.

It tastes different than briar but it is minuscule once a cake is developed. It definitely tastes different than a meerschaum like some claim is neutral. In the working with it, I feel it is much softer than briar but seems to dull tools quicker.
I'm a fan of morta. Love how it blasts, and it blasts very quickly!

 
May 4, 2015
3,210
16
So is it fair to say it's harder (denser) but more brittle?
Good to know that if something says morta, it probably IS morta. It sounds like it's fairly standard in quality, so there shouldn't be variables there when considering different makers.

 

kamikaze

Lurker
Sep 12, 2016
41
0
Davorin Morta pipes are absolutely beautiful, my favorite being the copper. They are entirely out of my budget, unless my local B&M has a layaway policy of some sort. :puffy:

 
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