JimK
Junior Member
"Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light".
Posts: 163 
First Name: Jim
Favorite Pipe: Canadian
Favorite Tobacco: almost any Virginia/Perique blend
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Post by JimK on Aug 17, 2022 20:48:07 GMT -5
...that make them so hard to clean? I have two; the stem on one is completely blocked up. The stem on the second won't admit a pipe cleaner without difficulty. And it draws very badly. Clearly the airways have been obstructed by something. Is there some kind of filter in these things that can go south? And why is it that I have to start a pipe cleaner from the shank end and push or twist it to the bit and can't insert pipe cleaner the other way 'round?
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Post by trailboss on Aug 17, 2022 20:53:19 GMT -5
If they are older Meerschaum pipes, they may have a restrictive draw. Many of them were drilled smaller than what is the norm today. Mike Myers specialized in opening them pipes up, sadly he just retired.
I have an 1885 Charles Maas pipe that is that way, but I don’t want to screw with the engineering. Occasionally the draft hole gets clogged and I just put fire to an empty bowl and draw on it cooking out the gunk. Not a great smoke by any measure, but it is effective.
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Post by Ronv69 on Aug 17, 2022 20:54:52 GMT -5
A lot of, (most) Meershaums have very tight bores. I'm not afraid to run a 4mm bit in a hand drill through them. But I haven't had to yet. The tip opening is also usually very tight. Sometimes less than 1mm. 99% aren't properly engeneered.
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Rattlesnake Daddy
Full Member
Posts: 630
Favorite Pipe: Always changing
Favorite Tobacco: G&H Dark Birds Eye, Bayou Night.
Location:
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Post by Rattlesnake Daddy on Aug 17, 2022 21:35:01 GMT -5
I had that issue with one of mine that had a teflon push fitting. I had to use a knife to trim a bit of excess material from the end of push tenon as it had some residual flashing from the manufacturing process. It made a bit of an improvement in the draw, and now passes a pipe cleaner easier.
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Zach
Pro Member
If you can't send money, send tobacco.
Posts: 4,070
First Name: Zach
Favorite Pipe: Too many currently, bound to change
Favorite Tobacco: Haunted Bookshop, Big 'N' Burley, Pegasus, Habana Daydream, OJK, Rum Twist, FVF, Escudo, Orlik Golden Sliced, Kendal Flake, Ennerdale
Location:
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Post by Zach on Aug 18, 2022 12:19:46 GMT -5
An old 1970 Pioneer meer of mine, I took a drillbit on a rotary tool years ago and widened the draft in the end of the shank and stem connection. It's better than it was.
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chasingembers
Senior Member
Posts: 1,884
First Name: Duane
Favorite Pipe: My Growing J. Everett Collection, Fifteen Day Bruce Weaver Set, Meerschaums, Oguz Simsek Skulls
Favorite Tobacco: Black Frigate,Solani Silver Flake, Yenidje Highlander, Angler's Dream, Watch City Slices, Salty Dogs, Mephisto, Ennerdale Flake, Rich Dark Honeydew, 1792 Flake
Location:
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Post by chasingembers on Aug 18, 2022 16:54:26 GMT -5
Got photos or carver names? I'm up to 15 of them now with no such issue. If this is a new occurrence, it may be pipe cleaner fluff or built up smoke residue.
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Post by turbocat on Aug 18, 2022 19:44:33 GMT -5
I have over 50 meerschaum pipes, although I only seem to smoke 7 or 8 of them. I have opened up the air flow a bit on some older ones for better performance, but I have never experienced blockage/buildup of anything like you’ve described. Sure, the draft holes on my calabashes will build up some carbon cake and require reaming out with a drill bit every now and then, which I do by hand, no drill, but never for a regular pipe.
What tobaccos do you regularly smoke? Maybe goopy Lane aromatics leave a residue that builds up? I don’t know.
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chasingembers
Senior Member
Posts: 1,884
First Name: Duane
Favorite Pipe: My Growing J. Everett Collection, Fifteen Day Bruce Weaver Set, Meerschaums, Oguz Simsek Skulls
Favorite Tobacco: Black Frigate,Solani Silver Flake, Yenidje Highlander, Angler's Dream, Watch City Slices, Salty Dogs, Mephisto, Ennerdale Flake, Rich Dark Honeydew, 1792 Flake
Location:
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Post by chasingembers on Aug 19, 2022 1:12:02 GMT -5
Maybe goopy Lane aromatics leave a residue that builds up? I don’t know. Wet aromatics will dissolve build up. I smoke them to soften caked prior to reaming. |
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JimK
Junior Member
"Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light".
Posts: 163
First Name: Jim
Favorite Pipe: Canadian
Favorite Tobacco: almost any Virginia/Perique blend
Location:
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Post by JimK on Aug 19, 2022 1:28:10 GMT -5
First meerschaum I had I bought about 1977, I think. Second one I bought maybe 1985 or '86 perhaps when a local store went out of business. So as these things go, they aren't that old.
I thought of using a small drill bit, but decided that would be a bit impractical as both pipes are bents, not straight. Paper clips are too flimsy.
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Post by Ronv69 on Aug 19, 2022 10:28:23 GMT -5
First meerschaum I had I bought about 1977, I think. Second one I bought maybe 1985 or '86 perhaps when a local store went out of business. So as these things go, they aren't that old.
I thought of using a small drill bit, but decided that would be a bit impractical as both pipes are bents, not straight. Paper clips are too flimsy. The pipes might be bent, but there's a 99.9% chance that the draft hole is straight. It's extremely difficult to drill a curved draft hole. |
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JimK
Junior Member
"Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light".
Posts: 163
First Name: Jim
Favorite Pipe: Canadian
Favorite Tobacco: almost any Virginia/Perique blend
Location:
|
Post by JimK on Aug 20, 2022 21:20:33 GMT -5
Interesting. Didn't know that. I thought the stems were drilled, then bent.
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Post by trailboss on Aug 20, 2022 22:18:58 GMT -5
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Post by Ronv69 on Aug 20, 2022 22:36:21 GMT -5
Interesting. Didn't know that. I thought the stems were drilled, then bent. Sorry, I thought you were talking about the stummel. You can always heat the stem and straighten it out, drill it and rebend it. |
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JimK
Junior Member
"Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light".
Posts: 163
First Name: Jim
Favorite Pipe: Canadian
Favorite Tobacco: almost any Virginia/Perique blend
Location:
|
Post by JimK on Aug 21, 2022 23:49:54 GMT -5
Interesting. Didn't know that. I thought the stems were drilled, then bent. Sorry, I thought you were talking about the stummel. You can always heat the stem and straighten it out, drill it and rebend it. Ah, of course! I've done that many times to size thumb picks for guitar playing. |
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