Removing Cake from Meerschaum Chamber

[gnesiohamartolos]

Decades ago I purchased a dedicated meerschaum chamber reamer. Click the address for a picture of it on Flickr. Its performance is mediocre on thick, highly encrusted chambers but works well in keeping the chamber clean if used regularly. The fact that I have not seen anything like it on the market in recent years is probably an indication that it is the meerschaum pipe equivalent of Yugo automobile.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/41273109@N02/35033634131/in/dateposted-public/

 

[skaukatt]

I find I get good results with the Savinelli Fits-All Reamer.

 

[leafsmoker]

I use an oyster knife for my meerschaum and briars. works fine for me ::

 

[keith929]

I use slightly dampened paper towel for the bowl after every smoke.

 

[skaukatt]

I went ahead and purchased the Decatur Pipe Shield and have been getting good results with it. As Russ said, it is longer, has those "flutes", like blood grooves on a knife, which allows the blades to flow more freely over the sides of the bowl as you scrape and the handle is longer which is also a good feature. As long as you are careful with what you are doing you'll get good results with this reamer.

 

[snagstangl]

I was cleaning out an estate CAO last night. I used some 600 grit sand paper along with some sanding screen from I had left from a drywall project. I used the screen, which was rougher, then smoothed it out with the 600 grit.
If the meer is not black on the outside, how much cake or coloring should you take off from the inside of the bowl? I ended up taking it to a light brown layer. At that point, I was wiping it out with a baby wipe or wet paper towel and it was sucking up the moisture pretty quick. I assumed that it was good good at that point.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Sounds right.
Got photos?

 

[warren]

snagstngl: A reasonable assumption I think. Being overly aggressive is bad. Going slow is wise and should result in a nice smoking meerschaum.

 

[snagstangl]

I will see if i can get some pics.

 

[midwestpipesmoker70]

My meers are clean so I just clean out with a dry paper towel after every bowl and it seems to be keeping the cake build up process at bay. If I do end up with some cake in the future I will keep some of the ideas in mind.

 

[snagstangl]

This is what I sanded it down to.

 

[jzbdano]

I just purchased my first meer from a B&M today and the owner told me to use sand paper to remove cake. He has a couple decades of smoking experience with meers so I will try it when the time comes. I do plan on wiping the chamber out with a paper towel after each smoke.

 

[mikestanley]

Sandpaper around my index finger is what I use.

Mike S. Mstanley62

 

[jpmcwjr]

Snag-
You can also sand down or scrape the rim clear and clean- at least that's what I've done with a couple of mine.

 

[snagstangl]

Mike, I used my finger with sandpaper or sanding screen. Jpmcwjr, I plan on sanding the rim smooth. I used only water on the meer bowl and shank. Then alcohol on the acrylic stem.

 

[metalheadycigarguy]

The bowl looks perfectly fine to me at this point. A small layer of cake will not hurt the pipe, but its best to avoid cake from building up if you can. Some people that enjoy meerschaum pipes actually prefer a small layer of cake in the pipe, but again its best to avoid it if you can.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Then alcohol on the acrylic stem.

Doesn't alcohol crack acrylic?

 

[snagstangl]

I've read that it can weaken it and make it easier to crack. I don't think I was going to clean the crap out of the stem without a solvent. What do you use on yours?

 

[Chasing Embers]

Dawn dish detergent, warm water and a bristle cleaner.