I like a cake in my cobs and briars. My meers, not so much.
The Great Meerschaum Cake Experiment
- Thread starter TheWhale13
- Start date
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I've quit using them altogether on my meerschaums. I just blow any moisture and residue back into the chamber. Why rob the pipe of more of what it needs for coloring?
I do the same. No reason to really clean them.
Exactly! It has worked for 100+ years. I doubt anyone was buying Dills Pipe cleaners in 1880. Probably a quick blow through or a bit of wire or the odd Sea Gull feather and on to the next bowl of rough shag!!
Trying to clean out my mini-meer with a pipe cleaner was always frustrating, maybe I'll start smoking it more if I can skip that!
Did Altinay have his website shut down or something?
Looks like it. Could be anything, I'm guessing temporary.
Can't say that I've smoked it much since I last updated, maybe a couple bowls. Been smoking a new briar instead, and I just caught a very nasty cold this week, so it has not got the action that it deserves
But the cake is getting pretty thick. And it's a nice hard cake too. It would be fun to get some more cake near the bottom. And top. And middle haha.
Cake is starting to build up quite nicely. Finally getting the start of some cake in the bottom of the chamber. No noticable color difference, though it is a slow coloring pipe. Will smoke it a lot more in the future so expect more frequent updates.
Also, I've not been cleaning it at all, to build more cake and because it seems ok without it.
Then you are in the wrong thread!!! Lol
I can't wait to see the conclusion of this. I've always been told never to build a cake in a meer that it would crack it. As I'm sure most everyone else has been told as well.
Yeah, me too. I just thought that cake cracking meerschaum sounds like bullshit. Maybe it will crack, but if cake is strong enough to crack a decently hard mineral, it should probably still have the force to crack a briar, which is very uncommon if not unheard of? But I doubt that this will benefit the meer or improve coloring, except me smoking it more.
Well i think the smoking it more will help the coloring 
but I think the important part is to enjoy doing it. I look forward to seeing your updates.
but I think the important part is to enjoy doing it. I look forward to seeing your updates.
I never enjoy smokingWell i think the smoking it more will help the coloring
Is it just the way I see it or is there more cake in the bottom of the chamber than the top? Especially on the right near the draft hole?
I had to take the photo at an angle because the camera kept focusing on the rim. Barely any cake at the bottom.
Just wait till I'm finished with building mine. I did just ream it about 5 bowls ago, but I'm hitting it hard now. I'm kinda hoping it cracks. I miss my briars lmao