Meerschaum Pipes, a good investment

Classic Lattice-Gift from Turkish Officers

As mentioned in my previous post I am relatively new to pipe smoking having just started in 2008.  After I was given my first pipe and started to do some research I discovered I was doing a number of things wrong after reading an article online, pipe smoking 101.  The two primary offenses I had committed was smoking my lone briar more than once a day (not resting it) and smoking multiple blends in my lone pipe (flavor ghosting).

First Pipe Hand made by a friend

With time on my hands and money in my pocket I went on a search to expand my pipe collection as pipe smoking 101 told me that I should:
1. Not smoke a pipe more than once a day and then rest it for a full 24-48 hours to allow it it dry out.  Over smoking a briar pipe can cause it to absorb excess moisture and crack if it gets hot while wet.

2. Ideally have a different pipe for each blend of tobacco as some tobacco (especially aromatics which I enjoy) to avoid ghosting.  Ghosting is when the tobacco flavor from one blend is absorbed in to the wood and then leaves a trace of flavor in future smokes no allowing you to truly taste the new blend.

Initial collection

As a result I was able to add a hand full of lovely briars to my collection thanks to online retailers and e-bay at the fraction of the retail cost.  I discovered estate pipe market (previously owned) was an excellent way to expand my collection with name brand pipes without paying name brand prices.  Some of these pipes were in like new or never been smoked condition.  If they had been smoked it did not matter as a little more research taught me how to properly restore an estate pipe with a alcohol treatment and other methods.



Soon I was set with pipes dedicated to 3-4 of my favorite blends and still able to enjoy more than one bowl a day using a different pipe all while following the rules.  After all I am a rules guy with over 20 years in the military.

Like all rules I soon discovered discovered there were exceptions to the rules.   One day while browsing I stumbled across this gorgeous hand carved  white pipe that looked like a claw holding a egg.  It did not look like any other pipes I had seen and had a really funny name, "Meerschaum".  As a result I launched into another fact finding mission to learn all I could about these meerschaum pipes.

I soon learned that meerschaum was indeed a different kind of pipe that was very popular with many pipe smokers.  I also learned that meerschaum is a fairly soft mineral that is mined only in Turkey and has been used to make pipes for a long time dating back centuries.  This mineral has many qualities that make it desirable for use with pipe smoking.  Some of these include:

1. Smokes cooler than wood pipes
2. Can be easily carved into decorative artwork
3. Over time with use meerschaum gradually turns color taking on it own charatcer
4. Generally Meerschaum does not ghost, so multiple blends of tobacco can be smoked in the same pipe
5. Unlike wood pipes meerschaum pipes can be smoked more than once a day and do not need to be rested

Wait a minute a pipe that I can smoke multiple blends in and does not have to be rested lengthy periods of time.  As a new pipe smoker who wants to try multiple blends I say sign me up!  I most definitely needed a meerschaum to add to my growing collection.

Servi-Meerschaum Eagle Claw New

I started scouring the web for meerschaum pipes and discovered they could range in price from as little as $20 up to hundreds as apparently there are master carvers out there that only produce a limited number and their work is highly sought after.  Just like briar pipes there were many standard shapes and sizes, but unlike briar pipes there were also some very intricate works of art.  I soon learned that the classic eagle/dragon claw that first caught my eye was the style I wanted so I went on the hunt.  Late one night on e-bay I took the plunge and $42 later with shipping I was going to be the owner of a Servi-Meerschaum XL Eagle Claw pipe.  At the time I did not realize how good of a buy I had scored as apparently Servi is one of the more well known carvers and I later learned the exact same pipe sold in retail stores for as much as $275.  Probably a good thing I did not know as I would have never enjoyed and abused it as much as I did in the harsh environment of Afghanistan.

Servi-Meerschaum Eagle Claw after a few months

When the pipe arrived I was in awe as to the detail of the carving and the shear size compared to some of my more traditional briar pipes.  Best of all it was a great smoker and soon became my go to pipe on almost a daily basis as I was new to pipe smoking and eager to try new blends I had purchased or other generous smokers had sent me as samplers.  After only a few smokes I noticed the color change phenomena taking place around the rim and upper part of the bowl that started as pinkish red and turned to golden shades of brown over time.  While I still enjoyed my briar pipes it was clear to me that at least one well crafted meerschaum should be in every pipe aficionado's collection. 

Since that time I have acquired five more meerschaum pipes through purchase or gifts and absolutely love them.  At this time I only have three in my collection.  This is due to the fact that I broke one (valuable lesson learned) and two were stolen including my prized Servi-Meerschaum Eagle claw.  As a result of personal experience and research I have learned some basic guidelines when it comes to meerschaum pipes that I always share with fellow smokers who are considering acquiring one.

1. Meerschaum is a bit more fragile than the standard briar pipe.  They should not be avoided for this reason, but just treated with a bit more care, they come with a custom fitted hard case for a reason.  They are  probably not the best pipe to take hiking or other outdoor adventure.  I am not saying you have to treat them with kid gloves, just be aware that you cannot beat them up and probably not the ideal pipe to smoke while you are working or doing something where you might drop it.  I have two meers with me on my current deployment.  One stays in my office and the other in my room.  I just do not take them out on missions with me as I might do with some of my other pipes.

2. Always handle meerschaum pipes with relatively clean hands.  They are coated with a thin layer of bees wax which seals them and helps them color over time.  As a result when the wax becomes warm it will tend to pull dirt and oils form your fingers which will result in slight discolorations.

3. Despite the fact that meerschaums generally smoke cooler than briar they can still get hot usually from chain smoking.  You want to avoid this not so much because of cracking issues, but you can burn protective wax coating off again resulting in poor coloration.  If you are smoking a meer ideally you are taking your time and enjoying the experience.

4. When purchasing a meerschaum go with a quality vendor/manufacture and look for "block" meerschaum as apparently there is a movement to manufacture cheap pipes that are not carved from a single block.  There are some deals out there, but the quality is not always the same.   Because meerschaum is a mineral no one can be sure of how it will react to heat if there is an imperfection.  I recently had a pipe given to me as a gift that was made by a reputable vendor.  After the third smoke a hair line crack started to form due to a defect in the mineral.  The vendor offered to replace it for me o charge.  Not all will due this, so be sure of who you are dealing with.  Sometimes spending a bit more is worth it.

5.  Finally, if buying in person ask to run a pipe cleaner through the pipe as the alignment of the tenon and drilled hole in the shank can be off making it difficult to clean.  It is OK if you have to remove the stem and can get a cleaner through, but you want to make sure you can get pipe cleaner down to the bowl.   I did have an issue with one pipe that resulted in clogging and I accidentally broke the pipe when I tried to clear it and make the hole bigger.

Current Eagle Claw and Servi-meerschaum Military

Pipe smoking is a very relaxing hobby for in general.  Add the nuances of a quality meer that changes color over time that takes on its own character and it is that much more enjoyable for me.  As stated above, I think every pipe smoker should have at least one meer in their collection if for nothing else it will allow you to try new blends without the concern of ghosting in a standard briar pipe.  Just educate yourself ahead of time so you can avoid some of the costly mistakes I made.

Enjoy!

Pipe Or Cigar...Maybe both?

Welcome to my Second post in this blog.  This time I am going to compare my cigar and pipe smoking and which is better....at least in my opinion. ;)


Hmmm........Tough Choice

Background

I started smoking real cigars in 1999 during a training deployment to the Dominican Republic.  Prior to that I had infrequently smoked a few drug store brands which I now affectionately refer to as the floor sweepings from good cigars.  Not long after my trip to the Dominican Republic and being exposed to the qualities of a good cigar I made a point to secure a nice cigar for special occasions and events.  At Christmas 2001 I received a nice 200 count humidor that I have maintained since at home.  Over the years I have tried many blends and types of cigars to include several fine Cubans during my travels.  I became a subscriber to cigar publications and would classify myself as an occasional aficionado making regular trips to the local B&M and a few online orders



Camp Black horse Cigar Club, Afghanistan 2008


Then in 2008 I was deployed to Afghanistan.  As part of my packing list I included my travel humidor and a small black book which I had started to tape labels from every new cigar I smoked and take a few notes to keep a record.  Due to the generosity of several individuals, a B&M and the guys at Puff.com (Then club stogie) who donated cigars for the troops I had the opportunity to smoke and amazing variety of cigars during that deployment.  Don't get me wrong being deployed away from home and family to a combat zone sucks, but the generosity of these people made it much more bearable.  During this period I had the opportunity to sample more cigars than I ever would have otherwise.

First Pipe

It was also this deployment that introduced me to the nuances of pipe smoking.  Before I left a good friend and fellow officer who I had enjoyed many a cigar with gave me my first pipe.  It is a beautiful large briar.  To make it even more special he had made it himself as he had taken up pipe making as a hobby and was selling them on consignment.  He provided me some basic instructions, a tin of MacBaren Vanilla Cream and a wood tamper.  It is this friend I now hold responsible for my new found love of pipes. 



Those that have been deployed know there are times when you are extremely busy and then periods of intense boredom.  As a result I had the opportunity to search the web and learn what I could about pipes in my free time.  I stumbled across a site that is now called Puff.com that is devoted to cigars as well as includes a nice pipe forum.  I continued with my love of cigars, but also explored more on pipes.  Thanks to online shopping and e-bay I soon had a collection of several pipes as well as a variety of fine tobaccos some of which were given to me as samplers from other online smokers who were strangers to me, but shared the love of pipe smoking.

Cigars vs. Pipes



Pipes in Afghanistan

 As I acquired my collection of pipes I was amazed by one thing, the cost comparison of smoking a pipe vs. cigars.  At the time I could get a tin of Quality pipe Tobacco for $7-10 which would provide 20+ smokes depending on the size of the pipe I was using.  If I were to buy the same quality box of cigars it could easily cost $75-100+ for a box.   Hmmm....something did not make sense, I enjoyed cigars, but economically pipe smoking seemed to make more sense.  On top of that I could acquire several types of pipe tobacco for the cost of that one box of cigars. 

Another issue I noted was that while I thoroughly enjoyed a cigar not all those around me enjoy the the cigar smell and I have experienced the occasional odd look or wrinkled nose when in public.  This phenomenon has never been the case when I have smoked a pipe and in many cases I have received complements from non-smokers when enjoying an good pipe.  It has even gone so far that some of my non-smoking friends have actually encouraged me to light up while sitting around a camp fire.

The choice seems simple pipes easily win out over cigars.  Sure you have the initial cost of a nice pipe which can range from $5(corn cob) to hundreds depending on your taste and budget with many nice ones in the $20-60 range.  Despite the initial cost if treated properly a pipe can last a lifetime and you cannot say that about cigars.  While I enjoy maintaining a collection of cigars when you use a cigar as it is intended (smoke it) in the end you end up with nothing tangible to show for it except a empty humidor and hopefully a good memory with friends.

Arguments against Pipe and Cigar Smoking

Today we are faced with many in society who make claims that all tobacco products are evil.  I will never say that smoking of any kind of tobacco is good for you, but at the same time I do not feel that all tobacco products are equally as bad.  I credit this to the fact that unlike other tobacco products where manufactures add nicotine this is not the case with the majority of pipe and cigar tobacco.  Personally I do not feel I have developed and addiction to either like many some will claim will happen with all tobacco products.  As stated I will not claim they are good for you, I am just saying that I think it is a choice we make and one that should be made in moderation like all the good things in life.  I know that currently I can walk away from either at any time as I do so quite often when the weather is not favorable for enjoying either.  You will not catch me in the rain or freezing cold smoking and there are many times throughout the year I go without smoking either for weeks at a time.


So What is it Cigars of Pipes?

Current Desk-top

In the end the answer is both cigars and pipes for me in moderation.  You will likely always find one or more well stocked humidors in my possession, but it will likely be a pipe that I smoked most recently.   If you are currently a cigar aficionado I would encourage you to give a pipe a try even if just a corn cob at first, but be careful it is a slippery slope and in no time you can find yourself owning a few pipes and several tobaccos all for less than the cost of that next box of cigars.  :)

 



Current Pipe Line-up


Despite the many advantages of pipe smoking over cigar smoking both are still a luxury item in my view.  I doubt I will ever give up cigars as long as afford the occasional indulgence and the same for pipes.  I will admit more often these days I prefer a good pipe over cigars probably four to one, but a fine cigar with friends is still a good thing.




I will always enjoy an occasional cigar, but if I had to choose between the two I would have to go with a fine briar or meerschaum pipe with one of my favorite blends every time.