My First Morta with a Cosmic Band

[Ray Popp]

Ok, I didn't want to post anything about what happened until I talked with Mark. So, he called last night, so here it goes.
My first smoke, and as I had posted above, I tasted oak and peat all the way down. My wife was complaining about something smelling like it was on fire, and she is very aware of what tobacco smells like. I had set the finished pipe down, and maybe I should have dumped the bowl. But, the pipe kept smoldering. 15 minutes later, and the finished pipe was smoking more than what tobacco ought. I picked the pipe up, and it burned my fingers. But, despite what Briar Lee says, it was not 1000 degrees.

But, when it finally cooled down, I noticed that it had a hole burned clean through both sides.
View attachment 196979

View attachment 196980
View attachment 196981
View attachment 196982

I sent Mark these pics in an email, and asked him if when he had asked me to send it back to him before smoking, if maybe he was going to put a bowl coating on it... and, maybe I had done this by being in too much of a hurry to smoke it. I didn't ask for a replacement. I'm just not that kind of guy. I figured that my first burn out in over a decade of smoking hundreds of different pipes was pretty good odds, and I was bound to get one.

He called me as soon as he read the email, and told me that a bowl coating would not have prevented a burn out and that he wasn't the biggest fan of bowl coatings, same as me. Super nice guy. He went on to say that he has had reports of 2 to thee of every 10 of his mortas burning out (compared to 1 in a thousand briars burning out). He was not pleased with this. They do make super sexy pipes, but what good is that if he is having to remake all of these pipes again... and then there is that oak taste. I'm afraid that reports of morta being neutral in taste is being made either by guys who can't taste worth a shit, or there is a super small portion of mortas that do not have a flavor. But, after being on here for years with a majority of people saying that they can't taste hay, citrus notes, or even the aroma of warmed briar in their pipes, that most people just can't taste things.

Anyways, he asked me to remove the band and send it to him so that he can make me a new one. I assured him that I did not expect to have him replace the pipe. But, he is such a nice guy that me refusing was making me feel like the bad guy. So... we will see. I will send him the band. Besides, making a pipe to fit a band is like cutting a stone to fit a setting. It is working backwards and takes a lot more skill. And, I am sure that Mark will impress me.

If he sends me another morta, I will give it another chance. But, in summation, I am not so sure that I would recommend morta except to the very slowest and most careful of smokers, and those who are just curious about the exotic. As far as recommending one to someone looking for an every day smoker... oh hell no. IMO, these should just be exotic special occasion pipes, even if the special occasion is just popping open a new McClellands tin.

So, what do you think, if I get another morta, should I smoke it, or just let it be a display piece?

Your choice ... but I will not be smoking a pipe made from firewood.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Your choice ... but I will not be smoking a pipe made from firewood.

Yeh, it is really going to be hard for me to suggest that folks try a morta, now. Especially after hearing from mark on how many of these burn out. And, not burning out because of neophytes smoking too fast, but just because it's a piece of oak. It is also far from being petrified. I have buckets of petrified wood, and this is nothing like any of those. It seems to just be bog stained oak.

 

[didimauw]

What a sad, but informative post. As I know nothing about morta. So you are saying, morta isn't for me....

If you get another morta, I say smoke it. If it burns out, just Keep the record going! How many pipes can you burn out in a year???

 

[georged]

Historically, "pipe grade" morta comes only from a specific area in France.

It can't be exported in raw form, only made into items by resident artisans which can THEN be exported.

Fussy and protective, they are.

For good reason.

"Bog Oak" can come from anywhere. And does. Sunken oak tree in a swamp? "Let's cut 'er up an git rich, yee hah!" seems to be the problem.

I have no idea how to obtain the true French stuff, or know how it can be detected/certified via inspection.

I'm sure there are people who do, though.

Sorry to hear about your hassles, Mr. Cosmic.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Historically, "pipe grade" morta comes only from a specific area in France.

It can't be exported in raw form, only made into items by resident artisans which can THEN be exported.

Fussy and protective, they are.

For good reason.

"Bog Oak" can come from anywhere. And does. Sunken oak tree in a swamp? "Let's cut 'er up an git rich, yee hah!" seems to be the problem.

I have no idea how to obtain the true French stuff, or know how it can be detected/certified via inspection.

I'm sure there are people who do, though.

Sorry to hear about your hassles, Mr. Cosmic.

Thank you,
Great info. I won’t reveal Mark’s sources, but he said that this stuff he got was the most problematic for him. He said he had some silvery stuff that he had better results using, but not as dark and rich.
He asked me what I preferred, and I told him to surprise me. Silvery doesn’t sound bad, if it doesn’t catch on fire.

It didn’t distress me much. As I said, I thought it was my fault for not sending it back to him before smoking. But, Mark is a classy guy. He was determined to make me take a new pipe, ha ha.

I also asked him if he remembered that bulldog that broke on me, after leaving it in my truck in the heat. He did, and was very pleased that it stayed together over these years. One if my favorites.

 

[Coreios]

Very Nice!

 

[georged]

He went on to say that he has had reports of 2 to thee of every 10 of his mortas burning out (compared to 1 in a thousand briars burning out).

Definitely an "inherent quality" issue, then.

The French stuff would never have become legendary (so to speak) as an alternative pipe material if the failure rate was 20-30%

Since imported unshaped blocks cannot---by definition---be from France, it means everyone in the supply chain knows they are messing around in an unregulated "gray zone" regarding what they are selling being suitable for tobacco pipes.

I'm sure they make lovely ashtrays, though.

 

[georged]

He said he had some silvery stuff that he had better results using, but not as dark and rich.

Sounds right.

Morta is literally ancient wood that was in the process of being fossilized, one molecule at a time, just like a dinosaur bone in a museum.

If enough minerals have replaced enough organic matter, it won't burn.

If not, it will indeed burn like the wood it still (mostly) is.

Silvery-ness would imply a higher mineral content, I imagine.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Sounds right.

Morta is literally ancient wood that was in the process of being fossilized, one molecule at a time, just like a dinosaur bone in a museum.

If enough minerals have replaced enough organic matter, it won't burn.

If not, it will indeed burn like the wood it still (mostly) is.

Silvery-ness would imply a higher mineral content, I imagine.

Now, I am realizing that maybe I should have used some dinobone I have for the cab. Ha ha.

 

[mortonbriar]

You must have been mortafied! 20-30% seems way to much hassle for the poor old pipe makers, I am surprised it is even a thing.

 

[brian64]

in the process of being fossilized, one molecule at a time, just like a dinosaur bone in a museum.

About half the membership here is pretty far along in that process.

 

[PipeIT]

Very nice, didn’t know we had a new line;

CosmicTinsky pipes.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Very nice, didn’t know we had a new line;

CosmicTinsky pipes.

No, I’m just the metals guy. Tinsky is the pipemaker. He just tells me what to do, and I make it so.

 

[PipeIT]

No, I’m just the metals guy. Tinsky is the pipemaker. He just tells me what to do, and I make it so.

Hey man I know who Tinsky is, LoL, just kidding.

But seriously, I can see a nice collaboration here, and calling these pipes, or better named maybe;

The Cosmic Tinsky Line.

But...

Cosmic Tinsky has a nice ring.

Hmm, now why did I start to think about the Jetsons... LOL

 

[PipesRock]

+100 for Mark's response and your handling. I say smoke the replacement ONLY when in the mood to deliberately slow down and relax; fear of fire should help with the focus.