Progress of My Lattice Meerschaum

[DeadJetty]

Good afternoon, all!
I wanted to dedicate a thread to my lattice meerschaum pipe.

The pipe was imported by Paykoc from an unnamed carver. It is block, not pressed, meerschaum. I'm smoking it exclusively (with a few exceptions) and it has started to gain decent color. I will gradually update the photos until I reach the present day, and will strive to keep updating after that for hundreds of bowls to come. This first set represents 0 bowls, pristine white and unsmoked.

I know that many of us like to read as much as possible about this mysterious mineral, slowly piecing together what makes it tick (and color). I will throw my own anecdotal experience into the mix.

Cheers!

 

[DeadJetty]

Here is my first update for comparison. It is after exactly 100 bowls smoked. I keep a tally every time a bowl is freshly lit.

I am happy to hear your thoughts and share any info about it! It has been a rollercoaster reading everyone's opinion in other threads on what mechanism colors this white stone the fastest. People can feel incredibly strongly about the topic while achieving results in different ways.

It has a long way to go but is off to a good start. I tried to get the color correct with a white background.

Happy smoking!

 

[didimauw]

I'd like to see the pipe in the original locations! You'd probably see the difference better!

I had an Altinay lattice, but I sold it. I must say I do miss it.

 

[DeadJetty]

I'd like to see the pipe in the original locations! You'd probably see the difference better!

Thank you, that's good advice. Alas, as the season has changed so too have the locations, but I hear ya. The remainder of the photos will keep a consistent background for fairness' sake.

I had an Altinay lattice, but I sold it. I must say I do miss it.

Man, that's too bad. Sounds like a beaut.

 

[DeadJetty]

After only 15 or so bowls it was turning pink inside the holes, and developed some yellow and pink hues all over with very little pure white remaining by bowl 25.

I started waxing it then and every 25 bowls. Yellow beeswax was used, about a tablespoon melted and poured. When solid again, I would then use a craft heating tool (not too hot) to melt the excess wax off.
This process was messy, and it's a serious pain to get the excess out of the lattice work. Stopped using beeswax at 100 bowls. Never again.

While happy with the uniformity of color, I suspect that some of it was, as ChasingEmbers would say, "discoloration of the surface wax." The yellow has since faded somewhat without waxing but has stayed uniform and is continuing to develop.

 

[warren]

30 or so years old. Only God knows how many bowls. One shank repair and I believe that's the second stem. Xp you got a ways to go. Probably figure smoked a minimum of eight bowls a week.

 

[kcghost]

I'm really having a hard time believing you smoked this pipe 100 times and got it to color so evenly. Kudos to you if this is true.

 

[DeadJetty]

30 or so years old. Only God knows how many bowls

@warren, that's a very impressive pipe, and I'm assuming it started out white. I've read your comments in many of these forums, and so would wager that all you did to get that color was smoke the daylights out of it.

 

[BrightDarkEyes]

@warren I have not seen a meerschaum so dark. Actually, this pipe fits the definition of a true tobacco pipe now. The siliceous meerschaum has been petrified as it appears that its original material has been completely replaced with tobacco oils.

I will check this thread again in 2054 to compare warren’s and the OP’s.

 

[DeadJetty]

I'm really having a hard time believing you smoked this pipe 100 times and got it to color so evenly. Kudos to you if this is true.

@kcghost, thanks for your reply.
It's true. I keep an exact tally on an index card and label the pictures' files with the bowl #.

One thing I've been consistently doing is blowing some of my smoke back onto the outside during each bowl, or occasionally clenching it in a way that puffs back onto the pipe. I also make sure to have at least 2 bowls per sitting, never one alone. I heard that helps the coloring.

If I remember correctly, those last pics were taken right after smoking while the pipe was still hot. Mine always gains color while puffing and loses some during cooldown. It wasn't quite that yellow resting on the rack.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I started waxing it

Completely unnecessary.

 

[DeadJetty]

Completely unnecessary.

Hi @Chasing Embers, I think I agree. I'm still learning. The color that the wax gave seemed to fade back to the "real" color in patches after 10-20 smokes anyway.

I stopped with the beeswax back at 100 bowls (at 166 now), having read through threads where many members, including yourself, demonstrated great results without wax. You were also the most consistent participant I can recall in the meer cake experiments. I've seen more than one of your vivisected pipes and they've certainly added to our compendium of common knowledge. Thank you for your contribution to modern meerschaum discourse.

 

[warren]

I've read your comments in many of these forums, and so would wager that all you did to get that color was smoke the daylights out of it.

That's correct, purchased it new, a CAO. Sometimes five or more bowls in a day, never waxed, and nothing but tobacco in the bowl, no inserts. Early on it was cotton gloves or very clean hands. I clench so handling the pipe was never really a concern. It's still a great smoking pipe. I have other meers but, this one seems to be the one I'm usually grabbing out of the ash tray. Needs another bit, as there is a large vee missing on the bit. But, I can make do with the softie until I cease smoking.

I will check this thread again in 2054 to compare warren’s and the OP’s.

I'll be long gone by then. But, good luck to the OP.

 

[DeadJetty]

@warren, thank you for the pertinent details. Forgive me if you've posted this elsewhere, but which tobaccos have you primarily smoked in that CAO?

 

[warren]

Back in the day, a lot of Dunhill and Iwan Ries. I firmed up my list of likes over the years and now it's a couple of Peterson blends and Iwan Ries. The only constant in all my years of smoking was IRC 3 Star Blue.

 

[AJL67]

I'm really having a hard time believing you smoked this pipe 100 times and got it to color so evenly. Kudos to you if this is true.

Pressed meer, you can tell by the even coloring instead of the color starting at the shank as well as the shape of the circles in the lattice, for some reason the Chinese manufacturing machines make the circles a little slanted and we all know it's Paycok!

 

[Sig]

After many years of smoking Meerschaum pipes, ive learned some good tips for a perfect and even coloring.
Like yours, Meerschaum pipes should color with a golden patina, not a black patina. Ive always used white beeswax after getting some good tips from a "legendary" Meerschaum man on the old "Smokers Forums".
This will keep your pipe golden and it will not turn black, or brown for the most part. Some pipes seem to have their own agenda.
I melt the wax, drip all over the pipe, then use a hair dryer on low setting to melt it off. This works extremely well with Lattice pipes and its pretty quick and easy. Then I just lightly wipe off any excess wax.
I usually have one pipe going but do not smoke it often.
Here is the current one after about 50 or so bowls. Its just starting to color.
It is also a Lattice obviously.
Like you said, its very difficult to get a good picture. This pipe is much more golden than it looks.

 

[AroEnglish]

Here is my first update for comparison. It is after exactly 100 bowls smoked. I keep a tally every time a bowl is freshly lit.

I am happy to hear your thoughts and share any info about it! It has been a rollercoaster reading everyone's opinion in other threads on what mechanism colors this white stone the fastest. People can feel incredibly strongly about the topic while achieving results in different ways.

It has a long way to go but is off to a good start. I tried to get the color correct with a white background.

Happy smoking!

View attachment 322847View attachment 322848

Love how it's looking! When's the next update? 200?

 

[DeadJetty]

"Pressed meer, you can tell by the even coloring instead of the color starting at the shank"

@AJL67, it's genuine block meerschaum from the designation inside the case. It absorbs moisture well when used. If I lick my finger and touch the inside of the bowl it sticks, as tested when I first acquired it. If oiled it turns translucent in small patches of natural grain (temporarily). It's started to show some darker color on the bottom of the bowl and underside of the shank, which I'll show in future photos.

I know that Paykoc isn't as well-regarded as buying from specific carvers like, say, Altinay or Baki, but they do deal in genuine block and import their meerschaum pipes directly from Turkey, not China. The fit and finish is certainly wanting on mine, but not all of us want to spend $300+ on a pipe.

 

[Chasing Embers]

It's started to show some darker color on the bottom of the bowl and underside of the shank

That's the real internal color starting to show through.