Thanks guys. In answer to Olderthandirt's question..., not to me. All of my African Block Meerschaums have been colored with pigment at the factory. The unstained appearance of African Block is a mottled gray, that many find distracting. The pigment colored Meerschaums do eventually color over time, with smoking and waxing but the display is limited to the darker tones. Typically, the parts of the Pipe that get hot from the smoke will lighten during service. The presence or absence of surface coloration has no effect on the smoking qualities of the Pipe, but some might suggest that it does, based on the psychological impact of their own expectations. In the end, just as it is with Turkish Block, it is the individual character and quality of the stone that most heavily influences how these Pipes color. I have seen African Block Meerschaums that have colored all the way to black, but that will take a very long time to achieve.
