Weird Meerschaum Ghost

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jhe033

Starting to Get Obsessed
Mar 15, 2020
109
838
Indiana
So, I was chatting with my father a few weeks back about getting a meer, and he pops up from his seat, disappears into his den, and returns with a lovely billiard meer. He insisted I take it and one doesn’t argue with him.

Anyway, I give it a thorough cleaning, though it seems very lightly smoked, and throw some SWR into it for an initial break in. Now I suspect this hasn’t been smoked in 30 years, as he has over 100 pipes and I’ve never seen it.

From first puff I’m overwhelmed with this heavy floral almost violet/lavender ghost...I cannot place it or do it justice. I tried a few other blends and it simply won’t go away.

As I’m new to meers, any advice? Do I persist and smoke through it. Is there a recommended deep clean for these? I want to ask what he smoked in the damn thing, but don’t want to seem critical, so I’ve held off. Thoughts?
 
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BROBS

Lifer
Nov 13, 2019
11,765
40,026
IA
So, I was chatting with my father a few weeks back about getting a meer, and he pops up from his seat, disappears into his den, and returns with a lovely billiard meer. He insisted I take it and one doesn’t argue with him.

Anyway, I give it a thorough cleaning, though it seems very lightly smoked, and throw some SWR into it for an initial break in. Now I suspect this hasn’t been smoked in 30 years, as he has over 100 pipes and I’ve never seen it.

From first puff I’m overwhelmed with this heavy floral almost violet/lavender ghost...I cannot place it or do it justice. I tried a few other blends and it simply won’t go away.

As I’m new to meers, any advice? Do I persist and smoke through it. Is there a recommended deep clean for these? I want to ask what he smoked in the damn thing, but don’t want to seem critical, so I’ve held off. Thoughts?
I had one that must have been stored with air freshener or been febrezed or something. I ran a bunch of warm water through it and wiped it all out with a paper towel. Then smoked through it. Mine was certainly in the pipe itself because it had been unsmoked.
 
May 2, 2020
4,664
23,771
Louisiana
Smoking Latakia or Burley will chase out minor ghosting, but if it’s heavily ghosted, it’ll require more extreme measures. I’ve had decent luck with packing baking soda in the chamber and airway, then dribbling just enough water onto the baking soda to dampen it, but I haven’t had the experience of dealing with a heavy Lakeland ghost yet. ?‍♂️
 

jhe033

Starting to Get Obsessed
Mar 15, 2020
109
838
Indiana
Thanks everyone, I will persist. I asked my dad today what the ghost was, and he said 'Oh, I never smoked that one, I just bought it and cleaned it'. So I may never know, but it's definitely not any Lakeland I've ever had, as I like those.

It's more like some sort of cleaner, like Lemon Pledge, but Lavender...if they make such a thing.

Anyway, all the tips are great. I'll try 5 more bowls and then resort to sterner measures if that doesn't get the job done.
 

lawdawg

Lifer
Aug 25, 2016
1,792
3,801
Strange indeed. Was it brand new and unsmoked when your dad gave it to you? Just wondering if he meant that he never smoked it, or that it had never been smoked at all. I was thinking Lakeland as well based on your description. I did successfully smoke a Lakeland ghost out of an old Comoy’s Canadian that I now use for Virginias. No ghost left at all. Took probably 10 bowls or so of burley plus several rounds of the old salt and alcohol treatment to exorcise it.

Anyhow, best of luck! I’ve been thinking of picking up a meer as well. Love the way they color over time, plus I like cobs, so a meer sounds like a good upgrade.
 

jhowell

Part of the Furniture Now
Jul 25, 2019
628
1,014
70
Phoenix, Arizona
I had an unsmoked meer with the same lavanderish ghost. I tried everything from salt / alcohol soak to coffee grounds. Nothing worked. I finally removed the nylon insert put the strummel in a 250 degree oven (with the door ajar) for 24 hours. Worked like a champ! Any ghosting is from an aromatic of some sort which means it's volatile. a temperature increase will cause it to gas off.
 

jhe033

Starting to Get Obsessed
Mar 15, 2020
109
838
Indiana
Actually, now that I know he picked it up as an estate, and then he never smoked it, I’m leaning into the idea that it may have been cleaned with something chemical.

I smoked some Amphora Full Aroma in in last night, which is pretty flavorful stuff, and could barely taste anything over the ghost. I think I may try that bake method next.
 
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