Obstructed Meerschaum

[Rpink53]

I received this a couple days ago. Ebay purchase.

https://imgur.com/a/bC75r1T

There is a complete obstruction that I cannot get out. I successfully removed the stem and confirmed airflow is good.

I can pass a pipe cleaner until the bend, and it being such a small pipe, I can't get to the obstruction through bowl. Soaked in hot water and removed a significant amount of cake, but no improvement.

Any suggestions? Thank you

 

[warren]

I suggest a very slight bend in the tip of the cleaner and twist the cleaner as you push it into the pipe. The bent tip will usually "screw it's way through an obstruction and into the bowl. Works for me on my bents.

 

[weezell]

Is there a "butt plug" in the bottom of the bowl???

 

[Rpink53]

Is there a "butt plug" in the bottom of the bowl???

Is there a "butt plug" in the bottom of the bowl???

I dont see a butt plug and can see where the draft hole enters the bottom of the bowl.

 

[ashdigger]

Use a Falcon pipe cleaner. They are thin and stiff. I start with those.

As Warren says a very small bend at the end will help extremely well.

Old pipes require patience.

 

[coming to_falling too]

Is there a "butt plug" in the bottom of the bowl???

How does one misplace a butt plug in a pipe?

 

[BrokenRecord]

How does one misplace a butt plug in a pipe?

The same way humans do?

 

[Rpink53]

Use a Falcon pipe cleaner. They are thin and stiff. I start with those.

As Warren says a very small bend at the end will help extremely well.

Old pipes require patience.

Thank you I will start with this

 

[weezell]

How does one misplace a butt plug in a pipe?

Don't do it weez...

 

[weezell]

Lets start over. You have a beautiful meer there. Be gentle in what you do and if all else fails (before you break it) send it to Briarville or who ever you trust to work on meers. Just sayin...

 

[greeneyes]

Firstly if the obstruction is not in the stem, I'd remove the amber (?) stem before proceeding.

Second: are you able to draw air? The hole from the bowl is often not necessarily flush with the passage in the shank. Are you able to pass a pipe cleaner out through the bowl and into the passage (occasionally the opposite will not work as they might not be flush)?

If the passage is not straight there is no easy way to remedy this, and I have several Meerschaum pipes that require cleaning "from both ends" and often require a sharp bend at the tip as described above.

If the passage is congested with material, I have found it useful to use the smallest gauge nylon pipe brush available, as they are the most flexible, and use the tip (the exposed twin wire head, not the bristles) to gently grind down any obstructing material while flushing often with water. I like to use a syringe which provides a good forceful blast.

 

[OzPiper]

Don't do it weez...

I like your forbearance ?

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I dont see a butt plug and can see where the draft hole enters the bottom of the bowl.

If it turns out there is a butt plug, contact @BROBS . He's the resident butt plug expert. Or so I've heard.