Why Have A Meerschaum Pipe

A finely crafted meerschaum pipe can be the best material to use for fine tobacco pipes for many reasons. Below, you’ll find a list of them
1 * Meerschaum is lighter than briar. This particular material is that it is very light when compared to other claylike minerals after the water has been removed from it.
2* Meerschaum is porous and acts as a filter, drawing tars and moisture out before it reaches your mouth.
3* Meerschaum is neutral and imparts no flavor to the tobacco like a briar pipe might. This allows you to get the true flavor of the particular blend you are smoking.
* Meerschaum will not burn like briar. Since you cannot catch a meerschaum pipe on fire, there is no need to build a cake of carbon around the bowl to protect it.
4* You can safely smoke any number of different types of tobaccos (aromatics, English, Virginia, burley, etc) back to back without fear of muddling the cake with different flavors/aromas like you do with a briar pipe since you don’t need a cake. I can safely smoke a bowl of English and Aromatic later without having the aroma or flavor from one, affect the other.
5* Meerschaum Pipes don’t need to rest between smokes. Because the stone absorbs and gives off liquid much quicker than briar and it also cools quicker, you don’t need to let your pipe rest after smoking it. This means that you will need to keep fewer pipes in your rotationn and you can still smoke as much as you’d like.

Breaking In : No need to break in your new pipe. Unlike Briar, the natural mineral quality of Meerschaum needs no caking to enjoy the true, pure taste of your favorite blend. Fill it gradually, remember it only needs to be filled half way. Now your ready to light it so strike a match or flick a lighter and apply the flame. As the heat from the flame comes in contact with the tobacco the tobacco will expand up towards the top of the bowl so grab your tamper and apply pressure to the tobacco, but don’t stop puffing.

Care : There are many misconceptions surrounding Meerschaum pipes. Remember, just as no two pipes are exactly the same, no two pipe smokers are exactly the same. Don’t be afraid to hold and handle your Meerschaum pipe. Smoking your pipe is a traditional pleasure and watching it color adds to your enjoyment. If your pipe becomes soiled or dirty, use cotton or a soft cloth with just a drop of after shave lotion or similar product containing a slight trace of clear alcohol and gently wipe it clean when the pipe is cool. Never boil or scrape your pipe. If a cake starts forming in your pipe, which is not unusual, lightly ream it out being careful not to scrape or dig into the pipe itself. Be gentle and use a pipe cleaner when cleaning inside the stem and shank. Most Meerschaum Pipes now use a push-pull type tenon to connect the stem to the shank, remember to hold the shank and ALWAYS turn the stem CLOCKWISE while pulling out or pushing the stem back in.