Strambach's Cultured Meerschaum

[killerchameleon]

The only difference I see is that my block Meer colors better where's the cultured doesn't seem to be coloring except on top of the bowl, perhaps the cultured Meer just takes longer.

 

[killerchameleon]

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[hakchuma]

]Cosmic, did you ever end up purchasing one of these? jorgesolar, it's been a few months how has your Strambach been holding out? Smoking it often? Have a new pic?

 

[pipesmokingtom]

I'd be interested in a geologist's take on this. Meerschaum is simply a precipitate that comes out of the right cocktail of chemicals. It's not as complex a geological process as, say, diamonds - the artificial substitute of which (not QZ, lab diamonds) is non-distinguishable from a "real" diamond in terms of physical properties.
I can't say if they've mastered the process and have made a perfect analog of "real" meerschaum, but with current technologies, it wouldn't be hard to convince me a "just-as-good-in-every-way" lab-meer is available.
I'm actually surprised this hasn't been available longer.

 

[pappymac]

Just a theory on the difference because I'm not a scientist or geologist.

The natural meerschaum grew on nature's whim so it may have structural differences because of environmental conditions at the time it was forming that created variations.

Cultured meerschaum is created in a lab under ideal conditions so the variations do not exists. This could attribute to the fact that cultured meerschaum does not color the same as natural.

 

[metalheadycigarguy]

I've had my Strambach meerschaum pipe for 5 months now, and I smoke it regularly. It's a nice smoking pipe. While all meerschaum pipes will color differently based on number of times smoked daily/weekly, type of tobacco etc.; I've noticed mine is starting to color in spots. Its a faint coloring but you can see where its starting to darken in a few spots. All the more reason to smoke it more frequently I guess.

 

[mikethompson]

I've been using my Straumbach since July every few weeks or so and it's getting slightly freckled. I find it to be a great cool smoke, but then again I'm new and only have this and a Missouri meer.

 

[Sinan Altinok]

I really don't get it how dare they could call this "meerschaum". Because it is white?? Worse than this, they even call it *premium meerschaum* on their ebay page!! It's a BIG lie. I would like to ask them how they inserted the thousands of pores into the body of their "cultered meerschaum" which the genuine block meerschaum creates by nature in zillion years. It is only a *cultered* stone in white color, nothing else.
@cosmic, dear sir, not every person/company is same in our beautiful world. You wouldn't believe me if I tell you about a few experiences I had to live with some companies from different countries. Turkish, Austrian or whatever, doesn't matter, if they don't tell you lies for a few dollars. Thank you for sharing your thoughts sir.
Happy smokes!

 

[pappymac]

It is sort of like comparing natural stone to brick as far as I'm concerned. Both can be used for certain applications but the brick is cheaper because it's man-made and more likely to break or crumble.

 

[zombie]

Thanks jorgesoler for posting this, I have found most of this very useful, I support human intelligence, and our never ending thirst to learn and create new things.
I love my Missouri meerschaums and is how I ended up reading this post and I'm glad I did.
Only question I have is... where do I get a blank of this, and is it cured/treated and worked just like raw block meer?