help cleaning the "burned" rim of a meer

Subject: help cleaning the "burned" rim of a meer Thu Jun 26, 2008 1:56 pm

Brothers,

I've got a carved meer that I was a bit sloppy with in lighting, (30+ years ago when I thought using farmer/kitchen matches was the cool way to light a pipe) so the end result is a rather burned looking, black crusted rim of the bowl. As meerschaum is a mineral and I assume won't burn at the temperatures we smoke at, is it just coated with this black "crud" and can it be cleaned/removed without hacking the poor pipe to pieces?

The rest of the outside of the pipe is fine and the inside of the bowl is OK, but the top rim looks pretty singed.

Thanks in advance for your help

Natch

Subject: Re: help cleaning the "burned" rim of a meer Thu Jun 26, 2008 6:52 pm

Sandpaper,fine grit-that black stuff wet/dry paper will take it off.A sharp pen knife may come in handy also.Then after you get it the way you want it,some beeswax applied and rubbed up.

Winslow
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Joined : 28 Feb 2008 Posts : 160 Location : Wake Forest, NC

A little saliva, a finger tip, and elbow grease did a pretty good job on my moderately charred meer rim.

-Andrew

Joined : 07 Apr 2008 Posts : 87 Location : Fort Gratiot, MI

Apply saliva, wait about 10 mintues and gently scrape the rim with a fingernail or dull knife - repeat if necessary. That should clean off the schmutz so you can see if there is actual damage.
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Subject: Re: help cleaning the "burned" rim of a meer Sat Jun 28, 2008 9:05 pm

Many thanks, Scotty, for the tip.

I'd known that spidotzium was a good tar-loostener, but not about the time factor.

This works on briar also ?

(I guess I could just try it and see, but the humidity from all this rain has me too lazy to do much beside perspire).

Regards,

What a Face

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Joined : 07 Apr 2008 Posts : 87 Location : Fort Gratiot, MI

Yes, it works on briar.
_________________
"My Hovercraft is full of eels" - John Cleese
www.piperestore.com
www.mr-nice-guy.com