30 years ago, I bought a calabash gourd/meershaum pipe, ala Sherlock Holmes, for all of $35.00. It would be sold used for more than $200.00 today. I do have tobacco juice dribbled down in to the gourd, staining it, and making it smell strongly of nicotine. I would love to get rid of that, if possible, but have found no solvent that will work on the gourd, or on the bottom of the meershaum bowl. If you have any ideas on how to clean this, I would appreciate the advice. Thanks. I had been doing a little sign cutting and tracking while investigating criminal cases for the Public Defender's office, and had helped break open several cases to give myself a reputation of being the office's " Sherlock Holmes". The other lawyers were simply fascinated with my ability to read tracks and sign. So, my wife, also one of the lawyers, urged me to buy the pipe to help them have another laugh over my " reputation ". It was a lot of money back then. Today, similar pipes are costing more than $500.00 each! I sitll have it, but have not smoked it in years. I stopped smoking when I came down with an irritating bronchial infection that lasted for months.