Question About Gourd Calabash

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mushjoon

Might Stick Around
Nov 26, 2011
83
1
Hi, I'm thinking about purchasing a gourd calabash from this website
It looks great and all, but the bowl actually looks really small...
Has anyone had problem with the small size of the bowl or does it just smoke fine like regular briar pipe?

 

tokerpipes

Lifer
Jan 16, 2012
2,042
690
45
Eatonville, WA
I own a goard calabash. They are nomaly the best pipe you can own. It tames the harshest tobacco you can find. The bowl come yn 3 sizes. They all prytty much smoke better than a briar. Cleaning can be tedius.

 

bigvan

Lifer
Mar 22, 2011
2,192
12
"They are nomaly the best pipe you can own. It tames the harshest tobacco you can find. The bowl come yn 3 sizes. They all prytty much smoke better than a briar."
I respectfully disagree, Toker.
I have two gourd calabashes which I have owned for over twenty years and I would not say they smoke categorically better than briar.

 

mushjoon

Might Stick Around
Nov 26, 2011
83
1
Ok, but what size should I get to smoke "average" amount of tobacco? I mean, what size of calabash (Medium, Large, X-large) should I get, so I wouldn't be pissed off by the tiny amount of tobacco that I am allowed to smoke with it?

 

kcvet67

Part of the Furniture Now
Jul 6, 2010
968
0
That isn't a gourd calabash. If you read the description, you'll find that the body of the pipe is made of mahogany. Calabach gourds are nearly impossible to obtain now, so some companies are making the pipes using carved wooden bases, usually mahogany.

The bowl does look small, you might ask them for dimensions beforing buying one.

 

mushjoon

Might Stick Around
Nov 26, 2011
83
1
Um... okay....? But does that mean that calabash made of mahogany are not good?

 

bigvan

Lifer
Mar 22, 2011
2,192
12
Regarding the size, I don't think it would be too small. I didn't see any dimensions listed, but from the photos it seems adequate.
I've never smoked a mahogany calabash so I can't comment on its quality. But I don't think there's anything about to the gourd as a material that makes it superior. On one hand I think the only way you're going to find out is to try one. It's not a lot of money ($69) so it may be worth the risk. On the other hand I've never heard of this company. Has anyone?

 

alonso2

Lurker
Feb 20, 2012
31
0
They are great pipes. I unfortunately broke the meerschaum bowl in mine, so turned a wooden one to take its place.


calabash by velocipede228822, on Flickr
Here it is after the restoration. I will turn another bowl for it out of harder wood later.

 

rigmedic1

Lifer
May 29, 2011
3,896
75
I bought my gourd in the 80s. Tobaccos that smoke hot or harsh seem to benefit from the extra air space in it. If I don't like a tobacco in any of my briars, I will give it a go in the gourd.

d30c2826.jpg


 

kennyjo

Might Stick Around
Feb 20, 2012
76
0
I don't know if this may help or not.

As a bass guitar player, I am very sure that mahogany is relatively heavy comparing to any kinds of wood you can find.

I believe you will find the pipe much heavier than you think....
Also, just in case you don't know, buy a meerschaum pipe and you will receive free shipping and a small discount as well!

The shipping is about $14 and the cheapest meer cost about $28.

This may be a good saving for you.
p.s. I do not work for this site. And if you do buy the cheapest meer, please let me know if it is good or not because I am interested in getting one too. LoL

 

recoilrob

Starting to Get Obsessed
Apr 16, 2011
179
132
I own about a dozen true Clabash gourd pipes with meerschaum bowls. IMHO they can certainly cool down a hot or harsh smoke but at the same time they seem to also take out some high notes that you would get in a briar. They certainly smoke drier than a briar. I like them for what they are, a different smoke and they look cool as hell.
Regarding the pipe you are looking to purchase, they look small, and if the body is mahogany, that's an oily wood and may impart some of it's own taste to the tobacco.
Real Calabash gourd pipes are all over the auction sites, you can pick your size and curve. There's one now at $6.99, just needs a new stem and these type stems are not hard to find or make.

 

kennyjo

Might Stick Around
Feb 20, 2012
76
0
Where can you find a new replacement stem for calabash?

Indeed, could you please tell me where can you find or how can you make a replacement stem for pipe?

I want to make or buy a churchwarden stem for one of my pipe if possible.

Thanks
Sorry but not intended to high jack this post....

 

recoilrob

Starting to Get Obsessed
Apr 16, 2011
179
132
Gourd calabashes usually have a "military" type stem, just a push fit into the ferrule on the pipe. I have a box of old stems and I can usually find something to fit.
To make a stem for your churchwarden is a "whole nother level", it's going to have to match the shank. I had a pro make a replacement stem for an old Dunhill CW for me once and it came out clunky as hell. Had to have it reworked to thin it down. Also, a CW stem is more work than a standard stem, more $
You may want to take a caliper and measure your shank and tenon size and post a WTB in the classifieds, maybe someone has one that will fit or be oversized so you can take it down.

 

meerqueen

Starting to Get Obsessed
Sep 9, 2012
221
0
Although this is a old topic,We will be adding new 16 gourds pipe to our collection in june-July 2013
Regards,

B.B

 
Aug 14, 2012
2,872
123
Another negative opinion here. I had one of those in the 1950s. It was the biggest waste of money in my pipe collection. The bowl was made from a meerschaum composite and tasted awful. It also kept falling out of the gourd. The Calabash was very difficult to clean, and it wasn't worth the effort. The pipe was a nuisance and I eventually tossed it.

 

meerqueen

Starting to Get Obsessed
Sep 9, 2012
221
0
Foggy hi,

just a quick information.There was no pressed meerschaum in 1950s :)
Probably that bowl was made of poor quality (below level 4) meerschaum block.
Regards,

B.B

 

cortezattic

Lifer
Nov 19, 2009
15,147
7,637
Chicago, IL
meerqueen, will MeerschaumStore.com's new calabash pipes be made of African gourd?
BTW, in the late 1960's AFAIK, Pioneer made a gourd calabash with a pressed meerschaum bowl that was renowned for its fine

smoking properties and, curiously enough, its ability to color quite nicely (albeit differently from block meer).

 
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