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A little Meerschaum guidance

Lkyman

Lkyman

Sobrrrrrr
Joined
Sep 10, 2005
Messages
980
I've been reading this pipe forum and now find I want to try smoking a pipe. I think I like the Meerschaum pipes, but have never smoked a pipe. So, I need a little guidance. I am willing to invest a little into a pipe. I don't want to start off with a corn cob or cheapy. So, what is a good quality Meerschaum to get? Any online retailers recommended for better pricing? Any suggestions I greatly appreciate.

Lkyman
 
For a lower cost intro meer, try IK Meerschaums. Their prices are quite low and, while perhaps not the quality of some signature brands, apparently smoke quite well.

The nice thing about meers is that they don't absorb the character of the leaf smoked in them as much as briars. That means you can try both aromatics and non-aromatic without too much worry about 'ghost' flavors.

But don't allow them to develop a 'cake'. Unlike briars, meers don't benefit from this.

Have fun!! :)
 
Thank you for the guidance psyktek, I will check those out. What would signature brands be?

Scott
 
Also there is a guy on Ebay that has cheap Meersham pipes that will suit your needs very well actually. Will post a link in a min.
 
Lkyman said:
Thank you for the guidance psyktek, I will check those out. What would signature brands be?

Scott
Click to expand...

Here are a couple of URL's for vendors of higher grade meers: http://www.wgmeerschaum.com/index.html
http://altinokpipe.com/

Also, if you Google for IMP Meerschaum you will get several retailers that sell this line.

These are all considerably higher in price than the IK Meer site I referred to earlier, but the quality is there as well.

No connection, yadayadayda :)
 
How do you go about cleaning these pipes, do you have any guidelines to follow? I just picked one up....
 
Usually not much cleaning required from what I know. I just take a pipe cleaner and dab the inside a bit.

As far as cleaning the outside, just a dry towel. Don't get them wet.
 
Imagine said:
How do you go about cleaning these pipes, do you have any guidelines to follow? I just picked one up....
Click to expand...

Do NOT use a sharp instrument to clean the bowl. Meerschaum generally does not form a cake, and the only cleaning necessary would be some medium to fine grit emery cloth wrapped around your finger and rotated in the bowl. Wiping out the bowl with a tissue or paper towel after each smoke is generally enough to keep it clean. Unlike briar, do NOT allow a cake to form.

If there IS an actual cake, gently scrape out as much as you can with something blunt, like the back of a small knife blade, and then use the emery cloth. There's no need to get it back to the original white.
NEVER use alcohol to clean the shank (OK for the stem) or the inside/outside of the bowl. Alcohol and meer don't mix.

Enjoy your new pipe! :)
 
psyktek said:
Imagine said:
How do you go about cleaning these pipes, do you have any guidelines to follow? I just picked one up....
Click to expand...

Do NOT use a sharp instrument to clean the bowl. Meerschaum generally does not form a cake, and the only cleaning necessary would be some medium to fine grit emery cloth wrapped around your finger and rotated in the bowl. Wiping out the bowl with a tissue or paper towel after each smoke is generally enough to keep it clean. Unlike briar, do NOT allow a cake to form.

If there IS an actual cake, gently scrape out as much as you can with something blunt, like the back of a small knife blade, and then use the emery cloth. There's no need to get it back to the original white.
NEVER use alcohol to clean the shank (OK for the stem) or the inside/outside of the bowl. Alcohol and meer don't mix.

Enjoy your new pipe! :)
Click to expand...

Thanks a lot man. I will enjoy it. I'm heading up to levitt and pierce this weekend to buy some decent tobac. probably either judge's blend or something else.
 
Hello,

I order regularly from a dealer in turkey. He will make any custom design possible and he is using the real Meerschaum which is only found in Austria and Turkey. I can show you guys some pictures of my beauties but don't know how to get an URL for my pictures. Perhaps someone could help me.

Good night, Thomas :sign:
 
Thomas said:
mattyboy said:
email it to me, i'll host it for you.

mlorence AT gmail DOT com
Click to expand...

Hi mattboy,

Did you got my email with the pictures?

Thomas
Click to expand...

Since the last update, there is now a Gallery option at the top - you should be able to upload pictures there ;) If you can;t get that to work, I'll stick the pictures up on my server if you want :thumbs:
 
Thomas said:
Hello,

I order regularly from a dealer in turkey. He will make any custom design possible and he is using the real Meerschaum which is only found in Austria and Turkey. I can show you guys some pictures of my beauties but don't know how to get an URL for my pictures. Perhaps someone could help me.

Good night, Thomas :sign:
Click to expand...


While I was stationed in Turkey so many years ago, 1970's that is the one thing all soldiers bought home with them from the bazaar even if they did not smoke pipes. I heard that the quality of the Turkish ones are excellent and very artful. Enjoy!!
 
I still am in search of a pipe, but I think I have narrowed it down to really liking Baki. If anyone has a good sight to find pipes from him I would appreciate it. Thanks

Scott
 
Lkyman said:
I still am in search of a pipe, but I think I have narrowed it down to really liking Baki. If anyone has a good sight to find pipes from him I would appreciate it. Thanks

Scott
Click to expand...

One thing I will stress is this. You cant get a feel for the pipe and how it handles in your hand nor how you look with it off the internet. Thus I never buy pipes online even brands I know very wel. I guess I'm not just a cigar snob, but a pipe snob as well. :laugh:
 
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