Cleaning A Meerschaum Pipe

[sittingbear]

My brother recently bought a meerschaum pipe and he said the B&M who sold it to him told him to wipe it out with a "wet paper towel" after each smoke. I'm pretty sure they meant "dry" paper towel because I don't think you want to get the meerschaum damp.... am I wrong? What is the proper way to clean a meerschaum after a smoke?

 

[seanv]

I use a bristled cleaner in the chamber then a dry paper towel. I have moistened the paper towel with saliva and it has been fine.

 

[warren]

I don't think you want to get the meerschaum damp.

Why do you think such? I've smoked mine in the rain, wiped them with a soggy towel and so forth. It's natural environment is pretty damp.

 

[RustiePyles CPG]

A damp paper towel won’t hurt your meer. Some folks rinse them with water after smoking.

 

[sardonicus87]

I use a dry paper towel because that's all it needs. It doesn't NEED a wet one, but a wet one won't hurt it either.

If dampness was so bad for meer, they wouldn't make smoking pipes out of them—the moisture from the tobacco would kill them faster than a damp paper towel.

I don't wipe mine immediately after a smoke, but I wipe it immediately before the next smoke. I've never felt the need to do any deeper cleaning of the chamber than a dry paper towel. No cake build up. However, I also don't smoke tobaccos that might ghost them.

And for what it's worth, @Chasing Embers recently deep-cleaned one with an alcohol soak, proving pretty unequivocally that you're not going to melt or ruin a meer with cleaning.

 

[sittingbear]

Why do you think such? I've smoked mine in the rain, wiped them with a soggy towel and so forth. It's natural environment is pretty damp.

IDK, I guess because I believe(d) that carvers wet the meerschaum in order to soften it and carve it...? Is that not the case?

 

[sittingbear]

I use a dry paper towel because that's all it needs. It doesn't NEED a wet one, but a wet one won't hurt it either.

If dampness was so bad for meer, they wouldn't make smoking pipes out of them—the moisture from the tobacco would kill them faster than a damp paper towel.

I don't wipe mine immediately after a smoke, but I wipe it immediately before the next smoke. I've never felt the need to do any deeper cleaning of the chamber than a dry paper towel. No cake build up. However, I also don't smoke tobaccos that might ghost them.

And for what it's worth, @Chasing Embers recently deep-cleaned one with an alcohol soak, proving pretty unequivocally that you're not going to melt or ruin a meer with cleaning.

Good point about the moisture from the tobacco!

 

[didimauw]

A damp paper towel won’t hurt your meer. Some folks rinse them with water after smoking.

That's what I do!

 

[sittingbear]

Thanks, all, for your replies! I guess I've always thought of them as being far more fragile than they actually are.

 

[didimauw]

I use a dry paper towel because that's all it needs. It doesn't NEED a wet one, but a wet one won't hurt it either.

If dampness was so bad for meer, they wouldn't make smoking pipes out of them—the moisture from the tobacco would kill them faster than a damp paper towel.

I don't wipe mine immediately after a smoke, but I wipe it immediately before the next smoke. I've never felt the need to do any deeper cleaning of the chamber than a dry paper towel. No cake build up. However, I also don't smoke tobaccos that might ghost them.

And for what it's worth, @Chasing Embers recently deep-cleaned one with an alcohol soak, proving pretty unequivocally that you're not going to melt or ruin a meer with cleaning.

Funny enough, he also proved you won't hurt a meer by NOT cleaning it as well!!!

 

[didimauw]

Thanks, all, for your replies! I guess I've always thought of them as being far more fragile than they actually are.

Many people think that. They are just pipes in my book!

 

[sardonicus87]

Funny enough, he also proved you won't hurt a meer by NOT cleaning it as well!!!

I almost mentioned that, but it was too late for me to edit the post by the time I remembered it.

 

[jpmcwjr]

My brother recently bought a meerschaum pipe and he said the B&M who sold it to him told him to wipe it out with a "wet paper towel" after each smoke. I'm pretty sure they meant "dry" paper towel because I don't think you want to get the meerschaum damp.... am I wrong? What is the proper way to clean a meerschaum after a smoke?

I run hot water down the chamber and out the stem. The clerk at the store was right.

 

[sardonicus87]

IDK, I guess because I believe(d) that carvers wet the meerschaum in order to soften it and carve it...? Is that not the case?

I mean, immediately after smoking, it can be softer, I have small dimples and scrapes to prove it where I was a little clumsy a few times with the pick, but it's not going to be like a "hot knife through butter" situation.

 

[metalheadycigarguy]

When I acquire a meerschaum from a secondary site (ebay), that's been previously smoked, I use a little water on bristle and regular pipe cleaners to run down the shank until the cleaners come out clean. I then use saliva on a paper towel to clean charring off the rim, and to clean the bowl. Water would be fine, but I think saliva works better. You don't need to put water or saliva on a paper towel after each smoke, as a dry paper towel works fine. Most of the time I just use a pipe cleaner after I smoke one of my meers, and use the paper towels when I do a deep cleaning.

 

[anotherbob]

IDK, I guess because I believe(d) that carvers wet the meerschaum in order to soften it and carve it...? Is that not the case?

soak not wet.