Question About Meerschaum Pipes
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I think is was Strambach that used metal tenons, but they had a very narrow, restrictive draft hole. Just as bad are the all too common teflon/nylon tenons that make taking a puff seem like sucking a drink through a swizzle stick.
I advise to select a meer with a standard briar-style mortise & tenon design.
I advise to select a meer with a standard briar-style mortise & tenon design.
I don't have any metal on my Meer and never had any issues. The stem is as tight as when it got here from Austria.
Let's see, the melting point of nylon is 400 to 600 degrees F, depending on the flavor of nylon. If you smoke that hot... no, it isn't going to melt. Seriously, your tongue will be cooked at much lower temperatures. An acrylic stem will melt at something over 300 F. Relax.
It's a white plastic tube for lack of a better phrase. It certainly isn't that screw type. I don't find it restrictive at all, the draw is the same as my other pipes.
I don't know. They sure are pricey though. I just used those pictures to illustrate the styles of tenon I was referring to. Draft diameter doesn't seem to be an issue for mikethompson, and his opinion is as good as any. I guess I'm a little fussy about the draft diameter. Maybe the weez will post an opinion, which would be insightful.
If you can find one, they are great. Integrated mortise, and one piece stem and tenon. SPC had a closeout sale on them two years ago when the company went under, and literally got hundreds of them in selling at half price. I got this bent apple with silver accent, and couldn't be happier.
take what you will from these pictures. I've read that if the draft hole is too small for your liking you can always drill it out
I think ambling off the briar path can lead to some pretty worthwhile discoveries. Meerschaum is like dialing down the thumping bass on today’s pop...nudge it down a scootch and everything else becomes smoother and easier to pick out. Sure, you might loose impact from the deepest notes but in some blends the trade off is totally worth it..or not...
IMP used good quality meer blocks and “better than factory” briar style stem design. They continue to do so in their current incarnation WGM pipes. Airways are somewhere between 3 to 4 mm. Fikri Baki makes really nice briar style meer pipes, often with vulcanite. The stems and plumbing is where even the best meer pipe makers take a back seat to the rest of the world but the best is often good enough.
You can get your feet wet with a cheapy. You’ll likely see what the fuss is all about, just don’t mind the gurgle or a tight draw (not a certainty with a nylon screw tenon btw). Some folks like pressed meer found often new super cheapies or in meer lined briar pipes. I don’t care for ‘em cuz you never know what other junk they mix in.
Speaking of estates, here are three myths:
Can’t smoke meer in the cold
A caked meer will crack
Meer doesn’t ghost
My snow blowin’ pipe is meerschaum and that ol’boy is caked up tighter than a bankers nostril in a circa 80’s stall at Goldman.
To the last item, I’ve been working my way through a middleton’s cherry ghost in one of my IMP’s going on 2 years now. I think 3p’s may have finally got it licked. The greater question as to why you would want a meer for an aro, I can not answer. Seems like overkill, but to each his own and that’s one of the most awesome aspects of piping in general.
IMP used good quality meer blocks and “better than factory” briar style stem design. They continue to do so in their current incarnation WGM pipes. Airways are somewhere between 3 to 4 mm. Fikri Baki makes really nice briar style meer pipes, often with vulcanite. The stems and plumbing is where even the best meer pipe makers take a back seat to the rest of the world but the best is often good enough.
You can get your feet wet with a cheapy. You’ll likely see what the fuss is all about, just don’t mind the gurgle or a tight draw (not a certainty with a nylon screw tenon btw). Some folks like pressed meer found often new super cheapies or in meer lined briar pipes. I don’t care for ‘em cuz you never know what other junk they mix in.
Speaking of estates, here are three myths:
Can’t smoke meer in the cold
A caked meer will crack
Meer doesn’t ghost
My snow blowin’ pipe is meerschaum and that ol’boy is caked up tighter than a bankers nostril in a circa 80’s stall at Goldman.
To the last item, I’ve been working my way through a middleton’s cherry ghost in one of my IMP’s going on 2 years now. I think 3p’s may have finally got it licked. The greater question as to why you would want a meer for an aro, I can not answer. Seems like overkill, but to each his own and that’s one of the most awesome aspects of piping in general.
Don't worry about the tenon material. We don't use metal in briar. It's totally unnecessary. No point in beating a dead horse, just confirming.
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