| Author | Message | ||
     Brian Wilson Member Username: Wilson Post Number: 4 Registered: 11-2005 |
At the moment I can't afford a real meerschaum. However, Denicotea sells inexpensive briars with a meerschaum lining inside of the bowl. Can anyone tell me if these are worth smoking? Do they convey any of the experience of smoking a genuine meerschaum? Should they be cleaned the same? Thanks. | ||
| David Lowe Member Username: Tulsadave Post Number: 7 Registered: 11-2005 |
I love my meerschaum lined pipes. They smoke cool and need almost no break in. You want to use soft tools to clean them (the inside is meerschaum and needs the same care as any meerschaum pipe). I actually prefer meerschaum lined as a carry pipe, since they are tougher than a block meerschaum pipe but still give a wonderful smoke. David Lowe | ||
| Jason Haeger Member Username: Jason_the_great Post Number: 543 Registered: 04-2004 |
Meerschaum lined pipes generally are not made with genuine block meerschaum, but rather, pressed meerschaum which is not half as durable as the real deal. My meer-lined pipe has quite a few cracks in the meer, but they were there when I got the pipe (I wasn't its first owner), so who knows how they were made, but I know it's not a common thing for solid block meer. It does smoke pretty dry thanks to the natural absorbing nature of the meerschaum, but I've had to allow a thin cake to form to hold it all together. It actually took quite a bit of effort to keep the lining from falling to pieces and falling out, but the cake has kept it together. Just something to think about when you eventually do get a meer-lined pipe. Luxury Twist Flake in a rusticated 1/4 bent Czech. "The pipe draws wisdom from the lips of the philosopher.." -William Makepeace Thackeray, from The Social Pipe |