Problem Meerschaum Pipes: Myth or Legend?

[IKMeerschaum]

Originally Posted by indigosmoke

Dan...great idea for a thread.

I didn't want to double post so I thought I'd put a link here to my post in another thread about my experiences with an SMS meerschaum.

The problems I was experiencing:
How Many Pipes Do You Need?

Response from SMS customer service here:
How Many Pipes Do You Need?

Sorry to hear about the problem that you were experiencing with your meer. If you send me a PM with your email address, I'll send you a replacement teflon tenon to replace the failing one that is in the shank of your pipe. These are fairly universal (unless it is a really old pipe) and very simple for you to replace.

If the replacement tenon is still too loose, then you'll know that the problem is in the shank itself. Either the threads have failed or there is a crack in the shank that will need to be repaired. This can be accomplished by many pipe repair shops with either the addition of a silver band, or worse case, shortening the shank and redrilling it to accept a new tenon (this often requires a new, longer stem to be done properly).

Please don't hold your poor experience with the manufacturer against meerschaum pipes. While I'm a bit partial (ya think?), I truly prefer my trusty Cottom's Choice meer pipe over any of the briar's that I have.

MJG

[indigosmoke]

MJG,

What can I say but wow! What an amazing response.

I actually placed my first tobacco order with your firm (I had only smoked drug store brands and a few bulk blends up until that point) a few weeks ago and when I received my order I picked up the meer at a local shop as an impulse buy because I wanted a meer to smoke the new tobacco in. Thank you so much for the kind response and for the offer of help. I'll send you a PM with my details which I believe you'll find are already in your system. Thanks again.

John

[HU1844SMOKER]

If anyone is interested check out my Meerschaum photos.

[indigosmoke]

Originally Posted by HU1844SMOKER

If anyone is interested check out my Meerschaum photos.

Very nice meers. Which brand?

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by indigosmoke

Very nice meers. Which brand?

Yeah. And what are the problems with them?

[indigosmoke]

Originally Posted by IKMeerschaum

If you send me a PM with your email address, I'll send you a replacement teflon tenon to replace the failing one that is in the shank of your pipe. These are fairly universal (unless it is a really old pipe) and very simple for you to replace.

Well, at this point I figured I didn't have much to lose so I went ahead and removed the plastic mortise from the stem. When I got it out I couldn't see any signs of damage so I started playing around fitting it to the stem. A little wiggling and jiggling and it was pretty obvious that the plastic tenon inside the stem was loose and moving around. I removed the plastic tenon per the instructions for cleaning the pipe on the SMS website, cleaned out the inside of the stem and reinserted the tenon. The tenon and mortise then seemed to mate fairly well so I reinserted the mortise in the stem and then gently reattached the stem to the shank. Everything seems to be lining up pretty well now, but I don't know how long it will last.

Do you sell any sort of replacement stem that might fit this meer?

Originally Posted by IKMeerschaum

Please don't hold your poor experience with the manufacturer against meerschaum pipes.

I won't. You've restored my faith in meer vendors!

[HU1844SMOKER]

Originally Posted by indigosmoke

Very nice meers. Which brand?

I have one CAO, the rest are no name brands from various retailers. The darkest colored one my girlfriend bought me so that is my favorite of course.

[Crazycoonass]

My very 1st pipe was a small eagle claw meer I bought from my local tinderbox, although only a couple of months old its coloring nicely and smokes wonderfly although Ive colected about 6 or 7 briars, I still keep coming back to that little pipe, Im not shure the brand but it was 75$ and came with a short lucite stem and a longer volcanite churchwarden stem so I can change them whenever the mood suits, I think its still my favorite, though my Royal Danish runs a close 2nd.

[Crazycoonass]

Btw, I bought a set of 3 vintage meers off Ebay and managed to fix one of them, It had the double threaded bit and the stem would tighten but i couldnt get it to tighten strait, so I superglued the part that goes into the stem and it works fine, the only problem is that the pipe tastes absolutly horrid and for no reason I can figure out, aw well, it can join my other meer with the cracked bowl out on my knick knac shelf where I also put my Silver Overlay Medicos, there pretty to look at but I have better pipes tp smoke out of.

[jcats]

Based on my past experience, I will never buy from Altinok pipes again, ever. Some people may have better luck with him, but not me.

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by jcats

Based on my past experience, I will never buy from Altinok pipes again, ever. Some people may have better luck with him, but not me.

Are you referring to a pipe problem or a vendor problem?

Sounds like you bought a meer that leaves a bad taste in your mouth...

[jcats]

When the pipes arrived, it looked like they were carved by an apprentice and wasn't even finished properly... , they looked like different pipes when compared with pics from the web site.


Never again.

[indigosmoke]

Originally Posted by jcats

When the pipes arrived, it looked like they were carved by an apprentice and wasn't even finished properly... , they looked like different pipes when compared with pics from the web site.

Never again.

This is good to know. Thanks for the heads up. It's surprising what these companies think they can get away with in this Internet age.

This thread has been most useful. It was a great idea Moo Man!

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by jcats

When the pipes arrived, it looked like they were carved by an apprentice and wasn't even finished properly... , they looked like different pipes when compared with pics from the web site...

That is very unfortunate. While I'd like to believe they would replace or refund on request it's a shame that a delivery could be that much of a let down in the first place.

[Alyks]

The only problem I have with Meers is that I don't have enough of them.