Is this Pipe Meant to be Smoked?

[Brad Bowers]

I forgot I had this clay pipe. A long time ago, I used to make beaded tobacco pouches to sell at mountain man rendezvous. I found it the other day, and wonder if it's really meant to be smoked. If so, can anyone tell me if I need to do anything to season it, or will it give a me a horrible smoking experience?

Thanks,

Brad

 

[babs]

If that's a meerschaum, I think they smoke well right off the bat. I have no experience with them, but they're supposed to be famously cool smoking but also a little fragile, handle with care. Cool looking pipe. They will get a dark hue to them as the smoke penetrates the clay deeply and very quickly with a few smokes, if memory of reading about them serves correctly. I wouldn't mind having a calabash with meerschaum liner myself. Or a churchwaarden with a meerschaum bowl maybe, just to be completely different.

A quick google led me here:
http://www.meerschaum.com/
http://www.meerschaumpipes.com/ <-- looks like an info site from a glance rather than dealer.
My Google Fu is weak today.

Probably the important thing is to verify if that pipe is indeed a meerschaum clay.

 

[Nick D]

Not meerschaum, just clay (two different animals). What's the stem say? I can only make out the England.

I like clays and have several. You can start smoking it immediately, since they require no break-in. They are certainly more fragile than other pipes, but my first clay pipe, which is a 16" churchwarden, is still in one piece, so proper handling will increase the life.

Clays get hot no matter what, so always hold by the stem, but I find even my short clay gives a nice cool smoke. It may take a few bowls to get used to it, but clay pipes give excellent smokes.

 

[Brad Bowers]

It reads "Made in England."

Thanks guys, good to know it'll work. I'll head up to the Cigar and Pipe shop this week and pick out some tobacco to try in it.

Brad

 

["Skeet" McD]

And if you get hooked...well...

It reads "Made in England."

Thanks guys, good to know it'll work. I'll head up to the Cigar and Pipe shop this week and pick out some tobacco to try in it.

Brad

Like it says!
http://www.ramshornstudio.com/pipe_.htm

"Skeet"

 

[LocktownDog]

Nick's right on the money. I have had several. They smoke great. But don't expect to fit a pipe cleaner down that stem. When it gets really dirty place it on hot bbq coals. The tar and residues will burn away.

During the cooler months, I like to dip the bowl into a nice stout and then load it with the tobacco. Mmmmm ...

 

[dhermann1]

A little clay pipe trivia

You may have seen old fashioned clay pipes with very long stems from the 18th century. They were commonly used at inns. The customer would smoke a bowl of tobacco, then break the tip off so the next guest could smoke a clean pipe. Eventually they tossed them out.

 

[Feraud]

Is there a steakhouse in NYC with clay pipes decorating the walls?

 

[Kid Mac]

You must be thinking of Keen's Steakhouse on West 36th Street in NYC. The owners claim to have the largest collection of churchwarden pipes in the world. About 50,000 line the ceiling.

Dry ashes,

Mac

 

[Feraud]

I believe Keen's is the one I am thinking of.

 

[BellyTank]

You may have seen old fashioned clay pipes with very long stems from the 18th century...

When I used to live in London, I used to dig them out of the mud on the banks of the Thames. Sometimes you just find them lying there.

I didn't smoke any of them.


B
T

 

[Brad Bowers]

Went by the tobacconist's yesterday and purchased 2 oz. of "Something Mild," and French Vanilla to try. Only tried the French Vanilla last night, but it was enjoyable. First time I ever smoked a pipe, so it took me forever to get the thing lit. Once I finally got it going, I figured out how to keep it lit for longer periods, and only had to relight twice.

Brad