Pipe and tobacco

[Loyalist Dave]

As its use dated back into the 18th century, can a real Meerschaum pipe be cleaned by roasting it in a fire without damaging it?

No, Please Don't Do that!

Meerschaum means "sea foam" and is a very soft mineral, much softer than the fired ceramic clay in a clay pipe. In fact they really shouldn't be used outside when inclement weather threatens. The mineral is so porous that nodules would often float on the surface of the sea, and that fact plus the white or nearly white color found when carving it, begat the name.

LD

 

[Zonie]

Thank you all for the information.

 

[Twisted_1in66]

I have one that was made in 1910 (according to the silver marks) and it was heavily used outdoors. Of course...It's a calabash pipe, so it has a covering over the meerschaum. Reputedly belonged to a Captain in the British army back then. It's smaller than most Calabash pipes and could be easily carried.

It was heavily used as evidenced by the deep coloring of the gourd outer covering. Came in a neat leather carrying case. I just scraped the bowl and used some "pipe sweetener" on a pipe cleaner to clean up the insides. Then let it dry thoroughly and it smokes great. Pictures are below.

Twisted_1in66 :thumbsup:
Dan

 

[Kansas Jake]

That is one pretty pipe, Dan. I like the size too.

 

[Tallswife]

Eeewww Perty!!!

 

[Stumpkiller]

Nice pipe, Dan. I've wanted a calabash for years but never indulged.

Most of my smoking is anti-bug with my hands full rather than quiet contemplation in an over-stuffed chair, so I go for the small bulldog style I can hold with my teeth.

 

[tenngun]

And a mersheem pipes value goes up by the color. The pipe shops sell a bees wax mix in a tube that looks like lipstick to run on a meesham to help it color quicker. Many pipe shops have some sort of color contest where a white pipe is bought on such and such date then a year later judges on the best color obtained.

 

[BullRunBear]

Twisted,

That is one gorgeous pipe. Bet it's a sweet smoke. And the size is far more practical than the larger ones common these days. Thanks for sharing.

Jeff

 

[Twisted_1in66]

Thanks Kansas Jake, Tallswife, Stumpkiller, and BullRunBear.

My Mom and Dad brought that back from England for me back in about 1969, 1970 or so. I thought it was a particularly thoughtful gift as I had a small collection of pipes at the time. It wasn't until recently that I found out from a pipe-smoking forum that it is particularly valuable.

I've smoked it off and on over the years, but I don't really smoke much of anything anymore. I'll bring out a clay pipe during reenactments and that's about it. Of course, since I pulled it out the other day, I did have to put half a bowl of Cavendish in it and step outside to smoke it. :grin:

Twisted_1in66 :thumbsup:
Dan

 

[Gene L]

Well, dang you folks, you got me interested in pipes again. I broke out my old corncob pipe and some flake tobacco and enjoyed it.

Anyone but me smoke cob? It's a pleasant pipe material and cheap.

 

[Cruzatte]

Well, dang you folks, you got me interested in pipes again. I broke out my old corncob pipe and some flake tobacco and enjoyed it.

Anyone but me smoke cob? It's a pleasant pipe material and cheap.

I used to have one many years ago. I think it finally burned through. Used to be able to buy them at a local drug store back in the day when there were independent drug stores, that is.

 

[tenngun]

Mark train smoked corn cobs so fast he hurried s man to keep one broke in for him.

 

[Gene L]

Not supposed to require a break-in with corncob. "Missouri meerschaum."

 

[Loyalist Dave]

"I began to smoke immoderately when I was eight years old; that is, I began with one hundred cigars a month, and by the time I was twenty I had increased my allowance to two hundred a month. Before I was thirty, I had increased it to three hundred a month. I think I do not smoke more than that now; I am quite sure I never smoke less. Once, when I was fifteen, I ceased from smoking for three months, but I do not remember whether the effect resulting was good or evil. I repeated this experiment when I was twenty-two; again I do not remember what the result was. I repeated the experiment once more, when I was thirty-four, and ceased from smoking during a year and a half. My health did not improve, because it was not possible to improve health which was already perfect. As I never permitted myself to regret this abstinence, I experienced no sort of inconvenience from it. I wrote nothing but occasional magazine articles during this time, and as I never wrote one except under strong impulse, I observed no lapse of facility. But by and by I sat down with a contract behind me to write a book of five or six hundred pages””the book called “Roughing it””” and then I found myself most seriously obstructed. I was three weeks writing six chapters. Then I gave up the fight, resumed my three hundred cigars, burned the six chapters, and wrote the book in three months, without any bother or difficulty. I find cigar smoking to be the best of all inspirations for the pen, and, in my particular case, no sort of detriment to the health. During eight months of the year I am at home, and that period is my holiday. In it I do nothing but very occasional miscellaneous work; therefore, three hundred cigars a month is a sufficient amount to keep my constitution on a firm basis. During the family’s summer vacation, which we spend elsewhere, I work five hours every day, and five days in every week, and allow no interruption under any pretext. I allow myself the fullest possible marvel of inspiration; consequently, I ordinarily smoke fifteen cigars during my five hours’ labors, and if my interest reaches the enthusiastic point, I smoke more. I smoke with all my might, and allow no intervals."

MARK TWAIN.


While he might have smoked a pipe, he apparently was a die hard cigar man.

LD

 

[graybeard]

Pretty much smoke nothing but corn cobs. probably not good for me, but love a pipe by the campfire. Anyway, I'm 84 and been smoking a long time so I probably won't change. graybeard

 

[tenngun]

Read this in a book dedicated to pipes, Do not know where the source was from, but I do think I have seen photos of Twain smoking a pipe :idunno:

 

[Cruzatte]

I think Mr. Clemens has duly lengthened our ambulatory limbs. :wink: :grin:

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I've seen photos of him with a calabash, and three others with him using a full bent billiard, and folks often use this quote:

Originally published in Sketches, Old and New, 1893

I don’t want any of your statistics; I took your whole batch and lit my pipe with it.

I hate your kind of people. You are always ciphering out how much a man’s health is injured, and how much his intellect is impaired, and how many pitiful dollars and cents he wastes in the course of ninety-two years’ indulgence in the fatal practice of smoking; and in the equally fatal practice of drinking coffee;
and in playing billiards occasionally; and in taking a glass of wine at dinner, etc. etc. And you are always figuring out how many women have been burned to death because of the dangerous fashion of wearing expansive hoops, etc. etc. You never see more than one side of the question.
You are blind to the fact that most old men in America smoke and drink coffee, although, according to your theory, they ought to have died young; and that hearty old Englishmen drink wine and survive it, and portly old Dutchmen both drink and smoke freely, and yet grow older and fatter all the time. And you never try to find out how much solid comfort, relaxation, and enjoyment a man derives from smoking in the course of a lifetime (which is worth ten times the money he would save by letting it alone)...,


And they use the first sentence a lot if you visit pipe-smoking websites. I wonder if the first sentence is a variation on the phrase, "Put that in your pipe and smoke it!" ???

I wonder this because the above quote is from a longer piece, and that piece ends:

I think you are the very same man who read me a long lecture last week about the degrading vice of smoking cigars, and then came back, in my absence, with your reprehensible fire-proof gloves on, and carried off my beautiful parlor stove.

So yes he was a pipe smoke from time to time, but his normal habit was apparently 10 cigars a day. :shocked2:

:idunno:

I like cigars too, and they did have them during the AWI. I've seen bills from taverns where they are listed as having been consumed. From illustrations of the period though, they seem to have been thinner than we see in most cigars today, sort of "Panatella" diameter. MARSH WHEELING made some good versions, but they died out in 2015. Not sure if Backwoods brand, which are sort of cheroots, are acceptable, but the cheroot style is very old.

LD

 

[BullRunBear]

Gene, I have several corn cob pipes. Inexpensive, as you mentioned, and not too large. I use them as a car pipe when driving because they are light weight and expendable. And if you let them dry out between smokes they can last for several years. I prefer my large briars when settled in for a long reading or hobby session but corn cobs have their place.

Note: I don't smoke when reloading or handling powder. :grin:

Jeff

 

[Staggerwing]

Gene,
I have yet to try a cob pipe however I just ordered a MacArthur 5 Star from Missouri Meerschaum two days ago. This was designed by General Douglas MacArtur. Looking forward to trying it out.