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LeafErikson

Lifer
Dec 7, 2021
2,178
19,087
Oregon
The coloring on that pipe looks great. The coloring is very even which doesn't always happen, and really gives it a nice look. I'm more impressed that you've been keeping track of your smokes this whole time.
Thanks man. Yeah it’s a great pipe.

It was the only pipe I smoked for about 6 months and I smoked 2-4 bowls a day, averaging right around 3 bowls a day for 6 months. That made keeping track easier. It’s harder to keep track now that it’s not the only pipe I smoke so I’d say it’s an estimate for sure.
 

LeafErikson

Lifer
Dec 7, 2021
2,178
19,087
Oregon
Check out the coloring on this old meerschaum from the 19th century.

View attachment 350684
To my eye that looks like a pipe that was fumed and then pre-colored. I’d need to see better pictures but there’s a chance that this pipe was lightly or potentially never even smoked.

IMG_5682.jpeg
Compare it to Jefferson Davis’ claw meerschaum from the 19th century. The splotchiness, uneven coloring, uneven fuming. It all looks much more natural.
 

Choatecav

Part of the Furniture Now
Dec 19, 2023
502
1,346
Middle Tennessee
To my eye that looks like a pipe that was fumed and then pre-colored. I’d need to see better pictures but there’s a chance that this pipe was lightly or potentially never even smoked.

View attachment 351084
Compare it to Jefferson Davis’ claw meerschaum from the 19th century. The splotchiness, uneven coloring, uneven fuming. It all looks much more natural.
You are right that it looks almost too uniform. Thanks for the comments and the photo of Jeff Davis's pipe.
 
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PipeIT

Lifer
Nov 14, 2020
5,112
30,387
Hawaii
@LeafErikson are you still building up cake in your meerschaum? It’s always been my understanding you don’t want cake in meerschaum, that it supposedly takes away from what it does already naturally, and that you should wipe the chamber out after smoking and never build any cake in it.

And when you allow it to get thick like you did, with the heat it expands and when cooling down contracts, it could crack a meerschaum from the expanding/contracting.

Supposedly from professional meerschaum carvers, cake in a meerschaum is considered bad.

Maybe @Said.ALTINAY can express some thoughts here.
 
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LeafErikson

Lifer
Dec 7, 2021
2,178
19,087
Oregon
@LeafErikson are you still building up cake in your meerschaum? It’s always been my understanding you don’t want cake in meerschaum, it takes away from what it does already naturally, and that you should wipe the chamber out after smoking and never build any cake in it.

And when you allow it to get thick like you did, with the heat it expands and when cooling down contracts, it could crack a meerschaum from the expanding/contracting.

Maybe @Said.ALTINAY can express some thoughts here.

But the information I shared, I’ve been told is from professional meerschaum carvers.
We've already been through this less than a year ago and it ended with you apologizing to me. I don't want to get into this again with you. The best apology is changed behavior.
 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
44,898
117,076
@LeafErikson are you still building up cake in your meerschaum? It’s always been my understanding you don’t want cake in meerschaum, that it supposedly takes away from what it does already naturally, and that you should wipe the chamber out after smoking and never build any cake in it.
Those ancient heavily colored and heavily caked meerschaums would disagree. A few of us have debunked that meerschaum myth and a few others over the past couple of years.


Supposedly from professional meerschaum carvers, cake in a meerschaum is considered bad.
Many of them don't smoke.
 

LeafErikson

Lifer
Dec 7, 2021
2,178
19,087
Oregon
The growth of the lighter colored area around the rim is curious, any thoughts?
I have a theory.

There were a few days in July/August that were extremely hot and I was smoking outside. It was actually so hot that the pipe essentially would start perspiring wax. I wiped off some excess from around the rim, as that's where it was sweating the most. I think that's where those spots came from but I'm unsure.