Dismantling a Missouri Meerschaum pipe...?

[AimlessWanderer]

I've just completed the ordeal of smoking the first bowl in a hardwood MM pipe. A "maple" Country Gentleman. Thankfully, the second half tasted better than the sawdust and varnish of the first half. It didn't burn too well as the tobacco got lower though.

As you can see, I managed to get the chamber carbonised almost right down to the airway. Sadly there are two issues with the way the shank enters the pipe, which adversely affects the burn.

Firstly, it doesn't protrude even nearly enough into the chamber of the bowl. Secondly, it's slightly rotated. In this picture, the right hand side is lower, which was airing the burn on that side of the bowl, but not the other.

To fix these, I need to get the shank out, sand it down to a slightly smaller diameter, so that it reaches in further, then glue it with the shank correctly rotated.

But how do I get the damn thing out?

On my Ozark Cherrywood, it came loose in its own, in time, and I had to gle that back in anyway. I don't want to wait with this one though. I want to fix it from the start. Should I steam this? Warm it in an oven? Freeze it? I really have no idea how to safely separate part A from part B, so that I can do the necessary corrections.

Any of you more experienced pipers got a safe way of doing this in your knowledge banks?

 

[seabee1999]

I have a few MM cobs and done a few cob mods. The thing I did to remove the shank from the bowl was to warm the pipe in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds. While the pipe and shank are still warm, you should be able to twist the shank out and sand away.

edit to add: remember to remove both the bit and metal ferrel before cooking in the microwave

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I have a few MM cobs and done a few cob mods. The thing I did to remove the shank from the bowl was to warm the pipe in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds. While the pipe and shank are still warm, you should be able to twist the shank out and sand away.

edit to add: remember to remove both the bit and metal ferrel before cooking in the microwave

Nice one! Thanks.

As this is a new pipe, and hasn't picked up much in the way of moisture from being smoked, would I be as well moistening the interior first, do you reckon?

 

[seabee1999]

Nice one! Thanks.

As this is a new pipe, and hasn't picked up much in the way of moisture from being smoked, would I be as well moistening the interior first, do you reckon?

You are welcome. To answer you question, I don’t believe you’d have to. Warming up the pipe in the microwave allows for the glue to soften up enough to do a twist and pull. You’d might be able to get away with a 10 second cook if you have a strong enough microwave. Personally, I’d caution going over 20-25 seconds.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

You are welcome. To answer you question, I don’t believe you’d have to. Warming up the pipe in the microwave allows for the glue to soften up enough to do a twist and pull. You’d might be able to get away with a 10 second cook if you have a strong enough microwave. Personally, I’d caution going over 20-25 seconds.

Splendid! I'll give that a whirl

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Worked like a charm!

Thanks again @seabee1999

 

[seabee1999]

Worked like a charm!

View attachment 1148859

Thanks again @seabee1999

You are welcome. The key now is to find a non-toxic glue to put the shank back into the bowl. I’ve used Elmer’s wood glue without issue. A light bead around the small hole of the bowl will go a long way.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Ha! Now I see the rest of the problem - the shank bottoming out on the wood plug in the bottom of the bowl.

I can see a little whittling being done over the next day or two. Thankfully, I have a few Flexcut palm tools which will reach through the hole, and I'll whittle away at the top of the hole, and the underside of the shank groove for the rest of the clearance. I might not be able to coax it all the way in, but at least I should be able to improve it.

You are welcome. The key now is to find a non-toxic glue to put the shank back into the bowl. I’ve used Elmer’s wood glue without issue. A light bead around the small hole of the bowl will go a long way.

Absolutely! I used a little spot of wood glue on the Ozark when that came apart, and it's held just fine ever since, with no negative effect on the smoke.

 

[Mike H]

That’s the way I do it also.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[AimlessWanderer]

No time like the present!

Much better!

Thank you seabee, Flexcut, and Victorinox!

I just need some more woodglue. I think my old stuff set solid, so I chucked it. I have another on the way now

 

[RookieGuy]

Glad that worked out for you Al! I know it was not pleasant smoking so far. Hopefully that's a thing of the past now.

 

[Bakker1964]

Looks more like my hardwood now. Should be fine.

 

[Dave-the-rave]

I threw my Maple Hardwood in the bin. After about twenty or so smokes I still couldn't get past the taste of wood. Ruined any tobacco I tried to smoke in it.

 

[eaglesgift]

I threw my Maple Hardwood in the bin. After about twenty or so smokes I still couldn't get past the taste of wood. Ruined any tobacco I tried to smoke in it.

They do take quite a lot of breaking in.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I threw my Maple Hardwood in the bin. After about twenty or so smokes I still couldn't get past the taste of wood. Ruined any tobacco I tried to smoke in it.

They do take quite a lot of breaking in.

Worth it though, if my Ozark Cherrywood is anything to go by. If I can get this smoking like that, it will be awesome. My pre-carbonised briar seconds, are proving to be much more pleasant to break in though. I may need to switch to an aromatic with the Country Gent to start out with, and drive the ghost out later. Maybe put a pouch of Condor through it.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Glad that worked out for you Al! I know it was not pleasant smoking so far. Hopefully that's a thing of the past now.

Still a fe more tainted bowl to endure, but no pain, no gain, and all that.

 

[eaglesgift]

Worth it though, if my Ozark Cherrywood is anything to go by. If I can get this smoking like that, it will be awesome. My pre-carbonised briar seconds, are proving to be much more pleasant to break in though. I may need to switch to an aromatic with the Country Gent to start out with, and drive the ghost out later. Maybe put a pouch of Condor through it.

I mainly smoked War Horse Bar with my maple Diplomat when I first got it, which helped I think. It would have had to catch fire before I noticed any flavour competing with that tobacco.

 

[brandaves]

Nothing breaks in pipe quicker then OTC Burley...IMHO

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Nothing breaks in pipe quicker then OTC Burley...IMHO

There's definitely in that! The tobaccos that really gum up a balsa filter after one smoke, are certainly good for laying down some residue on the chamber walls too.