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Jun 23, 2019
1,845
12,758
Color update on this Nate King prince - about 3 years of pretty consistent smoking has gotten it to this:

Ze5arEgl.jpg


Stem is really starting to color, and also develop some details/patterning. I don't know that this is a 'translucent' meer but the coloring on the stem is starting to get really interesting.

The rest of the bowl is not picking up as much color as I had thought, a light beige all around with the lower half of the bowl starting to get a little darker...
 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,248
108,336
?WTF?? Material: Briar!
I hadn't even noticed that! rotf It's rare Turkish briar!

 

Kingsley

Starting to Get Obsessed
Sep 16, 2020
278
1,879
25
PA
Another Altinay beauty, and first claw meer! 9mm filtered, 2 oz. and nearly six inches, I don’t think I’ll be able to mentally calculate how big this monster is until it arrives, but either way, I’m quite excited as I’ve had my eye on it for a good while, and for good reason. You see I’ve had a translucent meer from Altinay before, and this newer pipe shares its uncommonly natural yellow shade, while also speckled and spotted white. I plan to dedicate it to a Country Squire blend. I’ll even document the coloring if people like watching these color as much as I do.
Also it comes with a fitted wooden case which is my absolute favorite for meerschaum pipes, as while I know they can take a beating, it brings my mind peace knowing it’s well protected. 3125E005-08CD-42EA-8142-97F3B4C53059.jpeg
 

StPaulPiper

Might Stick Around
Dec 18, 2021
67
350
St Paul, MN
1659707484611.png
Just got this Ismet Bekler for a song. Cleaned it up as best I could, but one thing I'm finding with estate meers is that wee ghosties hang around for far longer than briar, just because you can't clean them as thoroughly. Well, I suppose I have no choice but to smoke the living hell out of it, and replace those ghosts with my own. ;)
 

StPaulPiper

Might Stick Around
Dec 18, 2021
67
350
St Paul, MN
How are you cleaning it?
I clean the stems the normal way, with pipe cleaners and alcohol, but the bowls, I've been carefully reaming and sanding down to almost meer, then using a toothbrush and soapy, hot water, then, when dry, swab out the bowl with alcohol and paper towels. The shank gets hot water Q tips, then alcohol Q tips. Still ghosts. In one, I still have a musty ghost after 6 months. Granted, I don't smoke it all that often. But I do have to wonder what English blend of crickets, spider legs and dried cow patties was smoked in it for so long...
 

StPaulPiper

Might Stick Around
Dec 18, 2021
67
350
St Paul, MN
Just came today. No hint of a maker's mark anywhere, unfortunately. There is a repair of one of the stem sections, so that and no mark is also why it was relatively cheap. But the carving is very good, imho. I'll for sure bring it to the next satanic ritual I attend.Ram3.jpgRam4.jpg
 

StPaulPiper

Might Stick Around
Dec 18, 2021
67
350
St Paul, MN
Meer. There are a couple fault lines visible, so the block itself was probably a lower grade, which also explains the price I paid for it, which was about half what you'd expect to pay for something that big and detailed. It draws well, so here's hoping it smokes ok.
 
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Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
43,248
108,336
Meer. There are a couple fault lines visible, so the block itself was probably a lower grade, which also explains the price I paid for it, which was about half what you'd expect to pay for something that big and detailed. It draws well, so here's hoping it smokes ok.
Sometimes you can get good deals on the big ones. My giant skull and mountain lion pipes were both under $300.
 

Kingsley

Starting to Get Obsessed
Sep 16, 2020
278
1,879
25
PA
DE5DCE62-176F-4A52-BC55-11E48771FA35.jpeg6DD3CE1C-4BCD-42AD-92B5-B1266FC8247D.jpeg
It’s finally here!
Its a true stunner, sporting quite a massive bowl for my smoking style, but I’m sure I’ll gladly make it work. I’m rather sure it’ll be coloring rather interestingly, as I suspected prior, it does seem to be rather translucent, on all sides and in all places, but perhaps it wasn’t translucent enough to earn the title “Translucent” from Altinay? I can’t complain as if it was called so, it most likely would have disappeared well before I could spot it. I’m actually quite surprised it was up as long as it was, as every time I see a meer sporting that yellowish aura it catches my eye immediately, as I rarely spot them at all.
Either way, I eagerly await the cooler temperature of this evening so that I might smoke a bowlful of Old Toby.
 
Dec 3, 2021
4,791
40,288
Pennsylvania & New York
Just came today. No hint of a maker's mark anywhere, unfortunately. There is a repair of one of the stem sections, so that and no mark is also why it was relatively cheap. But the carving is very good, imho. I'll for sure bring it to the next satanic ritual I attend.View attachment 161778View attachment 161779
Was that from Undara? I was considering that two or three weeks back, but, didn’t think I would end up smoking it as much as more conventionally sized pipes.