Old Paste Type Lined Meerschaums

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Sloopjohnbee

Lifer
May 12, 2019
1,291
2,288
Atlantic Coast USA
Anyone on here smoke/own one of those OLD(like 1950's-1960's) paste lined Meerschaums like a Kilamanjaro? for example... I was wondering if anyone can chime in on the chance that the paste may contain any harmful minerals or adhesives other than actual meerschaum at worst asbestos etc... It got me thinking that it something like that could be slipped in without notice. Just a concern in regard to buying these pipes
 

jonasclark

Part of the Furniture Now
Aug 4, 2013
738
384
Seattle
Kilimanjaro and other African meerschaum are all block. So-called African meerschaum, of which there were many, many brand names, mostly made by Kiko (including Kilimanjaro) were from a mine in Tanganyika, and production ceased supposedly because the mine went dry, they literally mined all of it. It's much more dense than Turkish block and won't color on its own, so was often treated with a calcining and coloring process, turning it either an all-over yellow, red, brown or black, or a cream color fading the black at the top. It's not pressed/chip meerschaum, it's just a different kind of block.

Here's a calcined/tinted African pipe by Kilimanjaro, of the color I love, mottled tan with a black-fumed rim File:259.JPG - Pipedia - https://pipedia.org/wiki/File:259.JPG

Pressed meerschaum was used for some antique pipes. Strambach used it for calabash meerschaum inserts, and I believe Pioneer did too (the common calabashes with a conical black ferrule and Danish Freehand-ish black stem). Some Turkish-made minis and very small non-minis have used it. I think many new calabash cups use it. And last, the cups in meerschaum-lined briars are almost always pressed. Aside from that, I think everything is block.
 

briarbuck

Lifer
Nov 24, 2015
2,287
5,492
Kilimanjaro and other African meerschaum are all block. So-called African meerschaum, of which there were many, many brand names, mostly made by Kiko (including Kilimanjaro) were from a mine in Tanganyika, and production ceased supposedly because the mine went dry, they literally mined all of it. It's much more dense than Turkish block and won't color on its own, so was often treated with a calcining and coloring process, turning it either an all-over yellow, red, brown or black, or a cream color fading the black at the top. It's not pressed/chip meerschaum, it's just a different kind of block.

Here's a calcined/tinted African pipe by Kilimanjaro, of the color I love, mottled tan with a black-fumed rim File:259.JPG - Pipedia - https://pipedia.org/wiki/File:259.JPG

Pressed meerschaum was used for some antique pipes. Strambach used it for calabash meerschaum inserts, and I believe Pioneer did too (the common calabashes with a conical black ferrule and Danish Freehand-ish black stem). Some Turkish-made minis and very small non-minis have used it. I think many new calabash cups use it. And last, the cups in meerschaum-lined briars are almost always pressed. Aside from that, I think everything is block.
I have a Peterson Dublin Military mount that I am 95% sure is African. Hard and a bit heavier. Mine does have quite a bit of amber (what I thought was color from smoking) color with a black rim. Guessing it's 50+ years old and was one of the first estate pipe I ever purchased. Tends to get hot so it's not one I pull out often.
 

jonasclark

Part of the Furniture Now
Aug 4, 2013
738
384
Seattle
Ah, I missed this: the Kilimanjaro is wood, meerschaum lined. Perhaps those ARE pressed-- but I've never heard of pressed meer made by Kiko.

Ecdit: That's the Kiko Kilimanjaro. It was also its own name, of African block meers.
 
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