Strambach's Cultured Meerschaum

[jpmcwjr]

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[hirsute]

I've been looking at these pipe closely, and would be very interested to hear if their claim holds up - anyone own a Strambach and a Turkish meer? Do you discern a difference in the quality of material?

I have both. My Strambach is a little heavier than my turkish meers but they smoke the same--very dry smoking experience. Andreas Bauer pipes used cultured meerschaum as well and those are highly regarded, so you shouldn't be put off by the product.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

That's great!! I have been wanting a meer, but I am reluctant to give my payment information to a Turkish company, and US retailers are twice as expensive. This will offer up pipe making material for all of the better carvers of the world, since the selfish Turkish government won't let any of their raw stones leave the country.

 

[simong]

I've been contemplating getting one of these for a while now. They do look a little on the heavy side though, & since the sellers don't show the weight I'll be punting for the smallest one, the bulldog I think. As far as other meers are concerned, I prefer the tanganika over the Turkish 'variety'. In my experience you never know what your getting with a Turkish meershaum. Regardless of the difference in cost. I recently had a new unsmoked expensive one split in half on me quarter way down the bowl! The african meers seem to me to be better made for the job overall. There's plenty unsmoked ones about on ebay too.

 

[hirsute]

To follow up, I also have several african meers, and the weight of the cultured block is between the heavier african block and the lighter turkish block. All smoke well.

 

[mattthepipeguy]

I have been smoking a strambach for the past month. I like it, it smokes well although a little hot. But you have to know how to pack the bowl and sometimes shift the bowl around to eliminate the heat. I personally believe it is cultured meerschaum, it has qualities like cultured stone does. All in all it is a great smoker.

 

[pappymac]

Cosmic, I've dealt with Meershaum Market and haven't had a problem. They have an office in Melville, NY. but like you I wouldn't do business with a company if I had to send the payment to Europe or if I couldn't use Paypal.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I had to re-read my post. I don't remember being as aggravated about buying things overseas as I sounded in that post, but then lots change in three weeks, ha ha. However, I would still love to see raw meerschaum get into the hands of more carvers worldwide. I keep looking over the meerschaum pipe websites and I get so tired of how these guys see someone doing something new in designs (which is rare among these guys) and then all of the other carvers start immediately copying him (I guess to steal their customers), so that they all have the same looking pipes on all of their sites.

Free the Meerschaums, free the Meers!!!

 

[redhillrover]

I bought 2 of these Strambach meerschaum? pipes a couple of months ago.

The first one which I am still smoking is a decent smoke, the second one cracked round the stem after about 6 weeks and had not been smoked that much so making it useless and it's gone in the rubbish bin.

When I bought them (from E bay) I read the guff and was misled into thinking they were genuine block meerschaum, which they are NOT.I now know they are cultured ie not genuine block.

Genuine block meerschaum only comes from Turkey and nowhere else.

I have smoked Amboseli meerschaum which came from Africa, I don't think they are available now.

So anyone wanting the real thing should buy genuine block meerschaum from Eskihir in Turkey.Real block meerschaum is only mined in that area and nowhere else.

I made a big mistake in buying cultured meerschaum so thought I would pass on my findings.Good luck.

 

[antigonian65]

Hi,
I purchased my first Strambach pipe four months back. It has a really good smoking, however its bowl is thicker and heavier than my other meerschaums, and heats slower accordingly. In comparison to Turkish natural meerschaums there is no "remarkable" difference to me, but turkish meerschaums get warmer or hot faster due to the thickness. I recently (one month ago) went to Eskisehir (turkey) and purchased my second turkish natural meerschaum from a well-known carver for a very reasonable bucks. And I had the opportunity to see the carver's studio and how they carve that stone. Meerschaum by its components is a soft stone and easy to carve but easiness does not help if you're not competent enough.

Cheers

 

[Briar Boy]

I would be interested in seeing the "cultured" vs. block under a high powered microscope.

 

[warren]

My wife would not have worn cultured pearls and I have no interest in "cultured meerschaum."

 

[simong]

Thumbs down fom me I'm afraid regarding 'cultured meer'. Mine just doesn't (to me) taste right. A slight fully worrying chemically sharp sort of taste.

Also a lot of white dust every time I take it apart to clean. After a lot of different meershaum experiences, I am sticking to what I know works best for me.

Pre 1970s or African meers. Sorry Austria & turkey but it's nil points from me!

 

[antigonian65]

Sorry but, quality wise and originality wise nothing compares to turkish meerschaums.

 

[warren]

I've seen and owned my share of poor smoking Turkish meers. And, I've seen very poorly made Turkish meerschaums. But, you are right, Turkish meer stands alone, it is the only Turkish meerschaum ergo, there is nothing it can be logically be compared with. I find the Meerschaum, Turkish, to be a very different experience from briar. Not better nor worse, just different. African meer is a different experience from a Turkish meer. Better? Worse? I think that's a personal call. Two different meerschaums.

 

[metalheadycigarguy]

I've had my Strambach meerschaum pipe for 2 months, and I've smoked at least 30 bowls in it and I haven't had a problem. There have been days where I've smoked 4 to 5 bowls in it without issue. I actually like it better than my Turkish meerschaum. They're both nice, but I prefer the Strambach. I get really good flavor from my tobacco in it as well. I love mine!

 

[antigonian65]

The Meerschaum Pipe Experience by Fred Bass

 

[warren]

Why?

 

[pappymac]

Not all Turkish Meerschaum is cultured. It is still being mined and cut into blocks for carving. From some of the comments I've read, maybe there is some confusion between Block meerschaum, "cultured" meerschaum and "pressed" meerschaum.
Block meerschaum is from naturally mined meerschaum. If you buy a pipe that is carved from block meerschaum, it is a genuine meerschaum pipe.
Pressed meerschaum is that which is made from meerschaum dust after carving and then mixed with an emulsifier and pressed into a pipe shape. It is not as good as block meerschaum.
Cultured meerschaum from my understanding is "grown" artificially. It provides the opportunity for quality as block meerschaum. Whether it does or not I can't answer because I don't have a pipe made from the cultured meerschaum. I would hazard to guess that it is similar to diamonds - there are real diamonds and then there are synthetic diamonds that are still diamonds but are valued for industrial applications as opposed to jewelry. They now market artificial or synthetic diamonds on the jewelry market now and the only way to tell the difference is by a spectoscope.

 

[redhillrover]

I have just bought a new Turkish meer and after smoking it 4 times it cracked right down the bowl.Never had that happen before so it's going back for a refund.

Now that I've been smoking my Strambach cultured meer for a few months I can say that it's not a bad smoke. I do find the bowl to be a bit on the big side and after a while the smoke becomes quite sickly sweet and not so nice to my taste.I still prefer the real thing A TURKISH BLOCK MEERSCHAUM.