Cleaning an estate Meer?

[bilder]

Anyone have some tips for cleaning up an estate meer? Got a lot of 5 meers off Ebay, 2 look good, 2 are ugly but should be smokeable, and one has a cracked bowl from excessive cake build up.

I can clean up the stems without too much trouble, but I am unsure how to work the bowls. I have read that light sandpaper is an option, but other than that there is not much to be found. Not much if any cake in the good ones. Should I just leave them as is and smoke away after cleaning the stems?

The 2 ugly pipes look to be pressed meerschaum, possibly a couple of the carve your own types. Looks like someone just hacked them a bit, put a stem into the block and called it good. Very rustic in an ugly duckling kind of way. Will try and take a photo when I get home.

 

[Dios de Fuego]

because meerschaums, unlike briar pipes, are so good at not retaining a ghost, a good reaming should do. You could use sand paper, but first I would try a good polishing. If that doesnt do it then you can resort to sanding and polishing. As far as the crack goes, I would recommend sending it to someone for repair. You could get an pipe safe epoxy, but it would be best to send it for repair.

good luck, and remember always try to keep your hands off the meerschaum itself, as the oils from your hands can discolor it.