by cobain_tw

Article by Ray Cervantes

Meerschaum pipes are the most well loved pipes in existence. Some pipe smokers only smoke Meerschaum and only recommend Meerschaum . Meerschaum is an opaque, off-white or cream-painted magnesium silicate, a soapstone. It has also been known over the years under names such as: Venus of the Sea, Sepiolite, sea foam, White Goddess, Aktas, Lületa??, Patal, Eskisehir’s Stone, Pierre de savon Maroc (French for “rock of Morrocan soap”), and Vienna Stone. Most of these names refer to the origin of the use of the material for the manufacture of pipes. It is very light and polished, giving it a unique feel as opposed to a briar pipe or a pipe made from a different stone.

Construction of pipes using Meerschaum dates back to the 1700s in Europe. During the 1800s, the finer pipes were made of Meerschaum and bent in countries such as Vienna, Germany and Switzerland, deep in the heart and description of Europe. All Meerschaum pipes currently sold are bent in Turkey, west of Ankara, the capital city, and generally near Eskisehir, leading to the use of one of the more modern nicknames for Meerschaum . Today, aside from Meerschaum pipes, enthusiasts of the use of Meerschaum also like to own other garnishing made of the stone, such as cigar holders, pipe rests, ashtrays, table lighters, cigarette holders, decorative eggs for accents around the home or lounge, decorative boxes, and other typically rustic garnishing.

Meerschaum pipes also come in different designs and styles, though the color does not vary greatly. As the stone can be manipulated and shaped at will in the manufacturing process, they come in many different designs and deliberate shapes. Many pipes look like a rustic head, a dragon, a hand holding an egg, or any other variety of egg or head shaped designs. Meerschaum darkens in color after long tobacco use as the tars and other substances from it are absorbed by the stone. The beeswax coating draws them to the surface, which colors the stone over time after multiple uses. Some Meerschaum pipe smokers really compare the coloring of their pipes and are proud of an even, dark color to their pipes.

Meerschaum pipes do not affect the flavor of a tobacco like some other pipes do. Some materials tend to burn off over time into the smoke or leave their own residue to be burned. Meerschaum does not burn, reducing the need for a cake of carbon, as it is called. This is wonderful, as there is no concern of “polluting the cake”, so to speak, by smoking different types of tobacco and altering the taste of the tobacco in use. Meerschaum is a porous material. For this reason, Meerschaum is reputed to have a much cleaner smoke since tars and the stone, leading to the desired coloring of the pipe, absorbs other byproducts of the tobacco.

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