That didn't sound good.

[blackbeard]

My first, and only meerschaum was picked up from an antique store just to have. I finally decided to start smoking it. Several smokes later, something odd happened. I was tending to hold it in my mouth instead of getting oily hands all over it....for a cheap meer.....I don't care what's said...this puts pressure on the shank. So, heat + pressure = not good. While smoking, on a windy day without thinking the pipe got a little hot, and I got to hear a nice popping noise. saw a crack from side to side. Instead of being done with it, I keep smoking it. I now hold it with my hands without worry, and am not concerned if it colors "properly" because I'm kind of liking my own personal touch. If I get around to it, will post pictures. Interestingly enough...around the bowl after it got so hot...it turned pink. Anyone else have pink in a meer? Let's hear if something broke your meerschaum how it happened.

 

[blackbeard]

Despite the crack, and the almost dirty appearance. His cheeks are almost rosy and I kind of like it. For $5 can't worry a whole lot.

 

[jeepnewbie]

That's a shame on it cracking, it's a great looking pipe. I too have a meer that I bought while in Iraq, that has some pink in it. Not much so I'm not sure if it was the tobacco or if it was a real meer. The meer I bought in hawaii didn't have any pink in it while I smoke it. Not long ago I found one at an antique store that looks a lot like yours but only smoked a few bowls in it and it hasn't started to color. I'll be watching this thread as I'd like to hear what others have come across.

 

[blackbeard]

the pink is behind the top of the bowl. The are just quick pics. When I have time i intend on details. It's had 10 bowls smoked since the cracks, Doesnt seem to effect smoking yet. Last time I hold a meer in my mouth though if i ever get another.

 

[phred]

My meer has a little bit of a pinkish tinge around the top of the bowl, but I'm pretty sure that's because the first thing I smoked in it was some Erik the Red cherry blend... :lol:

 

[tobyducote]

Awe that stinks...nice looking pipe too

 

[sugarcane1]

i never smoke any of my meerschaum pipes outdoors. It's just asking for trouble. I also never let the bowl get to hot. better to set it down, for awhile. I learned it, the hard way.

 

[blackbeard]

To phred, Erik the Red is the stoutest cherry...I'm not sure about it yet. I don't however think that's the cause of the pink. I'm beginning to think, it's a heat thing. Maybe...Charring with Briar/Pink with Meerschaum.

 

[blackbeard]

Stopped smoking from it for a while, just wanted to update. My now called "Crack Pipe" :rofl:

 

[blackbeard]

It's still holding together. It's been neglected lately though...poor guy.

 

[seacaptain]

He doesn't look too happy.

 

[deathmetal]

Very sad, but it's part of life. Death is with us at all times, even for pipes. Still, we remember them well.

 

[blackbeard]

I still like the grumpy old guy. Also, why use gloves....not touch the bowl...part of the character. I don't "remember" him deathmetal, he's still part of the family. He will continue to be smoked until he falls apart.

 

[hawke]

Ive had less than good luck with meers myself. Cracks, dropped and completely ruined, etc.. Theres the pencil technique or something to determine block or pressed meerschaum and that's hard to do to an ebay picture. I need help from others with these pipes. I just sent a PM to condorlover earlier asking him for some direction for a meer cutty. I think he is knowledgeable of them.

 

[bungee]

Tough luck with that crack.
I recently got a meeer bulldog, and after smoking it twice I noticed some pinkish colororation on the rim of the bowl. I think it has nothing to do with the meerschaum taking on color but that it is charring of the beeswax on the rim.
It would be great if the meer experts chimed in.
Cheers,
J

 

[posaydal]

Pink and reddish hues always appear first around rim on meerschaum pipes. It gets yellowish-brownish later. Usually, grain differs a lot, but no matter what you smoke, most meer pipes, turn dark brown after couple of decades of smoking. Here is one of mine after a decade:

Sorry to hear about the crack. I damaged this one in pictures with excessive heat from heat gun after rewaxing. On the outside of draft hole-mortise joint some bubbles appeared, hardly visible. When i smoke it a bit hot, a very small amount of tar seeps through those holes. IT still smokes great, happened a year ago, and its still working perfectly well.

Cheers!

 

[pipinho]

im sorry, the exact same thing happened to me with a large cleopatra meer off the bay. From the pictures it looks like most of the wax on the meer has dissolved/gone over time, a meer that is full of wax will have a yellowish tint instead of white. I think a meer that hasn't been waxed in years (decades even) would have had their wax dissolve/disintegrate over the years. I have found that if i make sure to wax my meers thoroughly (multiple coats for the pipe to absorb, to where you feel the pipe get heavier) it will add to the structural stability and the meer's ability to resist cracking from heat. Now these are just my opinions. But that's what i learned from my limited experience.

 

[mso489]

I do like the durability of most briar pipes. I try to take care of my pipes, but when using them, my attention is mostly directed elsewhere, and I don't want mishaps if at all possible. But I'll be honest, I mostly avoid Meers because I don't want a whole new genre for PAD. I have plenty and too many pipes as it is, that I dearly love.

 

[blackbeard]

SO, I smoked it a couple of times, noticed the crack had expanded a LOT. Went to get it again...there was another crack. So, something had to be done. I ended up jamming a band from another pipe on it. This both squeezed the cracks back up, and made the stem fit snugly again. I started messing around with carving on the shank...as in the beginning I was figuring out the material...it didn't go greatly. SO I decided...why not "rusticate" it. Which, has turned out well and hidden two cracks. Also, strangely the color came out during this. So, while you can still see the main crack...I like it. It was tricky, but I wanted to smoke it again. Which, I just did. So, just going to give several pictures to run through it's new transformation.

 

[blackbeard]