Meerschaum Cleaning

[Bourbonandcigars]

Is it okay to use everclear in meerschaum pipes? Thats how I’ve cleaned bowls on briar pipes for over a decade now but I’m new to meers.

 

[proteus]

I do. But using only a large soft 12 gauge bore swab and very little alcohol. Too much liquid would soften the meer I believe. Let it dry. You can just wipe with a dry cloth. No cake concerns.

 

[Bourbonandcigars]

I do. But using only a large soft 12 gauge bore swab and very little alcohol. Too much liquid would soften the meer I believe. Let it dry. You can just wipe with a dry cloth. No cake concerns.

u think a small amount on a q-tip would work? Then use a dry pipe cleaner to dry it out?

 

[AJL67]

Water works just fine, are you talking about inside the bowl or outside? outside a little water and a toothbrush work just fine. Depending on the pipe you don't want to strip away too much of any wax or coating that protects the stone, if you do there are arguments that over time the porous material could start to get pitted etc., because there is no protective coating, but that's only what i've read never experienced.

 

[Bourbonandcigars]

Water works just fine, are you talking about inside the bowl or outside? outside a little water and a toothbrush work just fine. Depending on the pipe you don't want to strip away too much of any wax or coating that protects the stone, if you do there are arguments that over time the porous material could start to get pitted etc., because there is no protective coating, but that's only what i've read never experienced.

Just inside the bowl. So run hot water through the bowl and dry with pipe cleaners?

 

[AJL67]

Just inside the bowl. So run hot water through the bowl and dry with pipe cleaners?

I don't really clean the inside that often, i mean if there is a lot of cake in the bowl you can get some very fine sand paper and wrap it around something like a pen or dowel or i use my finger and just kind of run it around the inside of the bowl and then a little water on a paper town and run that around in there and it's fine to me. I don't really run water through them and things but that's just me.

 

[proteus]

u think a small amount on a q-tip would work? Then use a dry pipe cleaner to dry it out?

You could try that. If you use a high enough proof like graves it should evaporate quick enough - quicker than water at least. But still shouldn't be too bad if you don't scrape the wet meerschaum. Meers are carved wet so far as I know. Wet meer makes easy carving.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Just inside the bowl. So run hot water through the bowl and dry with pipe cleaners?

Works a treat. Paper towel in chamber, pipe cleaner in the airway, and q-tips for the mortise if needed,

 

[Pipeoff]

I don't really clean the inside that often, i mean if there is a lot of cake in the bowl you can get some very fine sand paper and wrap it around something like a pen or dowel or i use my finger and just kind of run it around the inside of the bowl and then a little water on a paper town and run that around in there and it's fine to me. I don't really run water through them and things but that's just me.

Where is Paper Town can’t find it on a map near water. Sorry for the humor.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Is it okay to use everclear in meerschaum pipes? Thats how I’ve cleaned bowls on briar pipes for over a decade now but I’m new to meers.

Won't hurt them at all.

Using Alcohol and Cotton Balls on Meerschaum :: Pipe Repair and Maintenance

To prevent polluting another thread with progress reports I'll start this one. Too much hearsay turns into the gospel and phobias among pipe smokers. In another thread a while back it was stated as fact that wiping a meerschaum down with alcohol would damage it. I did it to one and it neither...

pipesmagazine.com

 

[AJL67]

Where is Paper Town can’t find it on a map near water. Sorry for the humor.

Paper Towns (novel) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

many pages so one copy will clean several pipes or one pipe several times