Two of the most important and talked about processes when it comes to your Meerschaum pipe is how to properly break it in and how to clean it to make sure it lasts for years to come. In the next article we are going to cover both of these important topics, so your Meerschaum pipe will give you the best experience for years.

BREAKING IN A NEW PIPE: AN ESSENTIAL STEP TO GET RIGHT

The topic of breaking in a new pipe comes up again and again among avid tobacco pipe smokers, which is no surprise given its significance and the effect it can have on a pipe if not done correctly. It's also a topic that's causes a considerable amount of controversy as there are many theories as to which method of breaking in a new pipe is best. If you already own a number of pipes and have been through the process several times before, you've no doubt already got your own thoughts on how this should be done , but if you're a newcomer, learning a bit of background on why the way that you use a pipe over the first few days and weeks of its lifetime is important, as well as about some of the most widely regarded "best practices," can be extremely helpful.

What is the Goal When Breaking in a New Pipe?

You've perhaps spent a good amount of time selecting your new pipe. It took you a long while to find one of a shape, size and aesthetic that you genuinely love (just a heads up, but if you're still in the process of searching for a new pipe, you should definitely check out this article); the last thing you want to do is ruin that hard work by picking it up and smoking it any old way right from the off. Instead, you need to properly break the pipe in. But what do we mean when we say 'break it in?'

• Build-Up a Carbonized Layer for Protection - The primary goal when breaking in a new pipe is to build up a carbonized layer on the inside of the pipe's bowl. You will hear other pipe smokers refer to this as 'cake' and there are a number of reasons why you absolutely need to build up this layer before you start smoking the pipe as you normally would. Most importantly, when properly developed, the carbon layer will protect the material your pipe is made from while you're smoking, during which time it will be subject to intense heat and could easily get damaged otherwise. The 'cake' is essentially the equivalent of the refractory brick found on the inside of a furnace, allowing the whole structure to endure much higher temperatures than it would be able to without it.
• Avoid Becoming the Owner of a 'Sour Pipe' - You may or may not be aware that when you smoke tobacco in a pipe, various sugars and juices are created as by products. Without the carbon layer inside the bowl, these may make their way into your mouth, and take my word for it when I say that they can be extremely foul tasting (I didn't always know how to properly break in a pipe you see!). The 'cake' does a good job at absorbing the majority of these juices to ensure you enjoy the true taste of whichever tobacco blend you opt to smoke. The carbon layer also helps to ensure a nice smooth, even burn, which is another factor essential to a good pipe smoking experience!
• Remove Any Residual Stains from Manufacturing Process - Many times, the bowl of your new pipe will be clean as a whistle (especially if you buy it from Paykoc!), but on the odd occasion there may be some residual staining caused by the manufacturing process which could potentially affect the taste of your smoke if not dealt with properly. If the pipe is properly broken in, however, this will be burnt off, ensuring there are no funny tastes. Amen to that!

At the end of the day, pipes are investments and you owe it to any pipe that you buy to properly protect it from damage. If you don't, your pipe probably won't give you half as much enjoyment as it could or last nearly as long as you expect it to.

Now We Know Why It's Important...How Do You Actually Break A Pipe In?

So the day has finally arrived. You've got your hands on that new pipe you've been longing for. Now here's what you should do next. As we've already discussed, there are many theories on how a pipe should be broken in, but we're going to talk you through the method that most recommend.

• The first few bowls that you smoke shouldn't be full bowl; they should only be half full. This is because you want to develop the 'cake' on the bottom half of the bowl first. So the first five or six times, load the bowl up to halfway - even pressure, don't push down hard on the tobacco - and smoke it right down to the bottom. It you don't smoke it right down to the bottom, you will likely left with an uncharred section towards the base of the bowl that is unprotected and this could lead to you experiencing an uneven smoke.
• You should wait 48 hours between smoking the pipe initially and you should never clean the pipe until it has properly cooled down. This is because the carbon layer that begins to form after you smoke the pipe is very fragile at first and will likely be easily pulled off if you attempt to clean the pipe while it is still warm. Leaving it to cool allows the carbonized layer to adhere better to the interior of the pipe's bowl.
• After the first five or six bowls you can fill the bowl full when smoking the pipe. It's essential that you smoke these bowls at least past halfway so the 'cake' on the upper part of the bowl overlaps with that already formed on the bottom half of the pipe.
• At this point you need to be conscious of keeping the layer of carbon at an appropriate thickness, as it will continue to build until the point that it will start to block the air hole and as a result you won't get a good burn. This process is known as reaming and the ideal thickness for the cake layer is around 1/16th of an inch.

And there you have it. We should also point out that there are generally two types of finishes found inside the bowls of new pipes; naked and pre-carbonized. The former is completely clean, while the latter already has a thin carbon layer on the inside of the bowl, making it easier to form a good 'cake.' So long as you care for your pipe(s) properly, there's no reason they can't last you a lifetime and breaking them in is the first step to achieving that goal.

A GUIDE TO THE CLEANING PROCESS

Meerschaum pipes really are something to marvel at. Aesthetically they can be absolutely stunning and in terms of the smoking experience itself, you would be hard pushed to find better. Providing you are smart when buying your meerschaum pipe and opt for quality (here are a few do's and don'ts when buying a meerschaum pipe), once you've tried one of these pipes you'll most likely never look back. I'm sure there's many, many pipe smoking aficionados out there that will agree with that statement. The smoking experience is exceptional right from the get-go (there's absolutely no breaking in period with a meerschaum) and they offer a clarity of smoking that you just don't get with other pipes due to the natural properties of the meerschaum itself. Now, don't you agree that it would be a shame to let the condition of a pipe so beautiful deteriorate through a lack of effort to maintain it? Of course it would, which is why we're going to talk you through the cleaning process today, so you can enjoy your meerschaum pipe for many years to come.

How to Look After Your Meerschaum Pipe

There are several steps involved in the maintenance of a meerschaum pipe and this process should start from the very first time that you pick it up and smoke it.

• Conditioning the Beeswax Finish - As you are probably aware, meerschaum pipes gradually change color, starting out a very chalky white before progressing to a golden-brown color after being smoked for a sustained period. This color transition is in part aided by the presence of beeswax, but you must take great care when handling your pipe initially, otherwise the beeswax can be unintentionally removed or alternatively it may absorb any dirt on your hands and cause some rather nasty stains. For this reason we would advise you to only ever handle your pipe when your hands are both clean and dry and it's generally best to handle the pipe solely by its stem for the first dozen or so uses until the beeswax is absorbed by the meerschaum.
• Managing the Coloring Process - It goes without saying that your pipe needs to be smoked for the coloring process to progress. Luckily that doesn't take as long with a meerschaum pipe, since it's quite possible to smoke it on numerous occasions on the same day without the risk of burn-out. We would advise you to use it heavily in the first 10 - 14 days after buying the pipe if you want to accelerate the coloring process, as this will result in tars and oils being absorbed by the meerschaum. If you notice that the appearance of the pipe becomes rather dull in this period you may want to consider applying another layer of beeswax. After the initial period of heavy usage, we would advise you to give the pipe a rest and let it sit for around 30 days, and in this time you will typically notice how the tars and oils are brought to the surface layer, giving the pipe its color.
• Regularly Clean the Stem & Bowl - It goes without saying that both the bowl and the stem of your pipe need to be cleaned regularly. If you have experience of smoking briar pipes you'll know that a certain thickness of carbon cake must be left in order to prevent that actual wood from burning. However, meerschaum is a stone and doesn't need this carbon cake; in fact cake can be detrimental to a meerschaum pipe. To prevent cake build up, use a bent over non-bristle pipe cleaner to wipe the interior of the bowl clean. If the layer of carbon cake is allowed to build up too much you may have to ream the pipe and we would advise you to seek the assistance of an experienced tobacconist to help you with this process. You should also run the pipe cleaner through the stem in order to dislodge any leftover ash that's hanging around, before lightly tapping the pipe in the palm of your hand to remove this ash. Ideally you should repeat this process with fresh pipe cleaners until they start coming out clean. Wiping the entire exterior of the pipe with a soft cloth is also a very good idea. You should try to go through this process each time you finish smoking the pipe.
• A More Thorough Clean - Some people actually give their pipe a thorough clean after every single smoke, but the process we outlined in the paragraph above will usually suffice if you haven't got time for this. However, we would recommend you find the time to do a periodic "deep clean" as this can really help to prolong the lifespan of a meerschaum pipe. This more thorough cleaning process will require you to separate the bowl from the stem. Rather than just using the pipe cleaners on their own, dip them in alcohol to tackle any residues that are a little tougher to remove. Run the pipe cleaner right through the stem, starting at the tenon end. Continue to run pipe cleaners through until they come out clean and dry, although the subsequent pipe cleaners don't need to be dipped in alcohol first. It's essential that all moisture is removed from the interior of the stem before you stop. Go through the same process with a tissue and alcohol to tackle gunk that has built up on the interior of the bowl.

Maintaining a meerschaum pipe isn't particularly difficult, nor does it require any fancy cleaning accessories, but it is important and will allow you to continue to enjoy the purer smoking experience that meerschaum pipes are so revered for.