Multiple Questions Please Help

[wallbright]

I had a few questions and I am hoping that you guys can answer them for me. If you can only answer one or two that is better than none at all and I appreciate it. Thanks.
1) I recently purchased this a Royal Coachman on Ebay and noticed that there is a strange smell. It smells kind of musky and it went away after I restored it for the most part but there was still a hint left. I smoked the pipe and I started to smell it again. I am wondering if this is mold and what can be done to resolve this?
2) If it is mold, what are the adverse effects of smoking a pipe with mold? I only smoked it once but I didn't know if I could harm myself if I smoked one and didn't realize it until I have smoked it a bunch of times.
3) This same pipe has small cracks in the bowl but they don't seem to be deep at all and I don't know if they are cracks at all. I was wondering if you guys could help me decipher what the problem is. Here is a picture:

4) I received this meerschaum pipe in a lot I bought on Ebay last week (it seems to be a very cheap meerschaum and I don't know if it is even worth trying to restore) and I was wondering what the best way to restore it is? I know that you can't restore them exactly the same as briar and when researching I found an old posting in the forums that had a link to a website but the site is no longer up. Any information would be helpful and greatly appreciated. Here are some pictures of the pipe, though I have removed the stem and I am cleaning it already.

5) I purchased some PA from Walmart a couple of weeks ago and noticed that it was a little on the dry side from sitting on the shelf too long. I rehydrated it using the method in the article recently posted, and put 3/4 back into the mason jars for cellaring. I then read what Bob had posted about not wanting to have your tobacco too moist when cellaring. My question is how long before it starts to grow mold in the mason jar? It is just Prince Albert so I am not too worried if something does happen and on top of that it is only half a pound or so.
Thanks guys I know that between all of the knowledgeable members here these questions will get answered.

 

[wallbright]

Sorry for the bad grammar. I went back to edit but when I hit edit post it said too much time had passed.

 

[unclearthur]

Use Chuck's method for getting rid of the possible mold. Put alcohol in the bowl, slosh it around including up the shank. Don't get it on the finish. Then touch it off with a match. If it is still wet after going out touch it off again. Kills all the mold spores.

 

[wallbright]

Does this work with 91% rubbing alcohol or only grain alcohols and the like? I live in a dry county up here at school is the reason I am asking.

 

[excav8tor]

G.L. Pease has a very good article on cleaning out remaining tastes Out, Damned Spot!

 

[unclearthur]

I wouldn't put anything into a pipe that I wouldn't drink myself.

 

[cortezattic]

You've probably already contracted AIDS, so just go ahead and smoke the pipe -- you can't catch it twice.

 

[wallbright]

Lol has that ever happened? A seller put aids on the pipe.

 

[spacecowboy57]

here's my idea. print out a label that reads:
Brendan's Famous Pipe Cleaning Solution

For use in fine tobacco pipes

-caution: flamable-
(you can buy label sheets from walmart or office max etc.). go to a non-dry county and buy a small shot bottle of vodka and remove the label, replacing it with yours. No one is going to question you for smuggling 50ml of liquor, and chances are they won't even know that it's really vodka. just a crazy idea.

 

[wallbright]

Haha well it's not illegal to have alcohol, it's just the stores can't sell it in this county so I'd have to drive to the next county over.

 

[unclearthur]

Could always do like my Great Uncle Ike and fire up a still.

 

[wallbright]

Haha well I will make a trip to purchase some everclear sometime so I can clean it out. I really need some for my pipe restoration projects but it is inconvenient to get. I have just been using 91% rubbing alcohol and it seems to work perfect for the bowl. I just don't know what burning it in the bowl would do? I don't want to risk it on this particular pipe as this is one of my more valuable ones (I only have about 5 pipes, and the most expensive was $50). I suppose I could try it on one of the estate pipes I have.

 

[chuckw]

91% rubbing alcohol will work providing there is no scent. Pour about 1/2 thimble full in the bowl and slosh it around then set it alight. If grain alcohol is availablein the next county, I would rather see you use it.
The pictures of the inside of the bowl tell us the pipe has been smoked hot. Here is a not so quick cure. Thouroughly dry some tobacco, I mean powder dry and mix it with some grape jelly, not jam. Smear a thin coat on the inside walls and set the pipe aside to dry. It may take a week or more for the jelly to dry completely. When it is dry, assemble the pipe and load it to the top. Smoke it to the bottom. The jelly will not melt like honey has a tendancy to do and the tobacco in it will create enough heat to bake the jelly on the sides of the bowlforming an instant protective cake. The jelly will be tasteless.

 

[juozapas]

I'm no Gynecologist but I will have a look at what options are available....

 

[cortezattic]

Chuck, that's a brilliant way to rescue the pipe! Plain, unflavored pectin would probably do too if the idea of using jelly is objectionable.

 

[wallbright]

Hey Chuck what ratio of tobacco to jelly do you use? I have about a bowls worth of tobacco dried out, should I crumble it to a powder? I need enough to do this pipe and then this pipe: