The turn of the new year marks a traditional time of reflection and renewal. People resolve to make positive changes in their behavior or to finish projects that have been lingering on the back burner for too long. Others set professional goals for the coming year or vow to lose weight or otherwise get in shape. This spirit of renewal can also extend toward the care of personal items including beautiful, one of a kind meerschaum pipes.

Resolve to Treat Your Pipe Well This Coming Year

Meerschaum pipes have been around for centuries and have retained their appeal even in our fast paced, digital world for one simple reason: their timeless craftsmanship. But although they embody the noble virtues of hand-crafted excellence, they’re not indestructible and it makes sense to inspect your pipe for damage from time to time (like at the beginning of the new year). Here we’ll take a look at how to repair minor damage you may discover during your New Year’s inspection.

Identifying a Crack

The primary reasons cracks develop in meerschaum pipes are: A) the tendency of some to clear the bowl by tapping it on a hard surface, and, B) exposing the pipe to extreme winter temperatures during or directly after using it. Both of these practices can and do result in hairline fractures of the bowl.

Fixing a Crack

• Cracked Shank - If during your inspection you discover a crack in the shank you should take it to a repair shop immediately. They will likely install a silver ring around the shank that will help it retain its integrity and prevent the crack from spreading any further.
• Cracked Bowl - If you discovered a hairline crack in the bowl during your inspection you may be able to repair it yourself by the (very) careful application of super glue. Many meerschaum owners swear this is an effective fix (though others claim it’s not a viable solution). If you have a steady hand however there is no reason not to try it. But be careful. Applying too much glue may cause the excess to become a permanent, discolored addition to your bowl.

Something else to keep in mind is that some cracks are not really problems but rather just characteristics of the meerschaum itself. If you see what you believe to be a crack and are unable to determine its nature, take it to a repair shop and get a professional opinion.

Fixing a Break

Dropping your meerschaum pipe may cause far more severe cracks or perhaps even complete breaks. Fortunately, depending on the type of break and the skill of the repair person, fixing a broken meerschaum pipe is not out of the question.

• Broken Flourishes - Many meerschaum pipes have elaborate flourishes protruding from the bowl which are, unfortunately, prone to breaking off. If it’s a small piece that’s broken off, super glue will likely do the trick but again, be extremely judicious in your application. You may also repair the break using self-drying clay. Make sure to clean the affected area and allow it to dry. Then place a small amount of clay on each end of the break and press them together. You can also use clay to fill gaps caused by pieces lost during the break incident.
• Broken Shank - Occasionally someone will accidentally sit on their pipe causing it to break at the shank. If the break is a clean one you may be able to repair it with a combination of super glue and the silver banding method mentioned above. Some recommend coating both ends of the break with egg white and letting it dry before applying the super glue as a way to ensure the glue will not be undermined by heat.
• Broken Bowl - If for whatever reason the bowl of your meerschaum has been broken in half, a bit of super glue probably won’t help. If you wish to try and salvage the pipe, you’ll need to locate the nearest professional pipe repair shop and bring it to them. It may wind up costing you more to fix than it does to buy another pipe though, so unless the pipe is a family heirloom or has some other form of extraordinary value you may want to just move on.

Meerschaum pipes are practical pieces of art that provide a cool, delicious tobacco experience. However, like many works of art they also tend to be a bit fragile. By keeping this in mind and practicing good pipe maintenance, your meerschaum will be with you a year from now for its next annual checkup.

Paykoc Imports carries a full line of beautiful hand-carved meerschaum pipes and accessories. Browse our online gallery or stop by our brick and mortar location in Denver to find the perfect meerschaum pipe for you or your favorite tobacco enthusiast.