Hello, and first let me introduce myself. Name is Chris, US Navy, and going to be in Turkey for a couple days. I have a briar pipe now and have always wanted a meerschaum pipe or two. I am an avid tobacco user (cigs, cigars, dip, chew, and pipes). I am going to be looking for the meerschaum pipes while I am inport there. Is there anything that I need to be concerned about, or looking for while shopping for the right pipes? What are the break-ins for the meerschaum pipes? How to clean them, and how often to clean them? I am looking for any and all info that I can get from this forum about these pipes. How can I tell the ones made from the stone or the pressed ones that I have heard about? What kind of tobacco is available there?
On a side note, I will also be getting a few over/under shotguns while I am there, so I can enjoy my Turkish pipe after a day of shooting clays with my Turkish over/under.

Thanks in advance,
Chris
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Welcome and thank you for your service!

I would suggest starting here
http://www.meerschaum.com/faq.htm
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My opinions:

1. Get block, not pressed, meerschaum - it colors better. You will probably need to rely on the seller for this info.

2. The common meer is a half-bent carved with buccaneer face, lattice, dragon or something with claws and skulls and scales; the uncommon one is a classic pipe design, smooth and pristine. Find something uncommon.

3. They all have a delrin "push-pull" mortise and tenon - they come in two sizes (x millimeter) and the larger push-pull usually wears better than the small one.

4. Meers are usually wet smokers and they're usually drilled too small. Make things go your way by selecting a pipe that isn't too bent and will absolutely pass a standard pipe cleaner without a struggle.

5. The bigger they are the heavier they are.

6. Make sure the bit/button fits your bite.

7. Make sure it has a hardshell fitted case.

8. Inspect carefully for a low-center airhole in the bowl - good; hairline cracks in the clay - bad.

9. If you get a crappy one, yell "PULL!", toss the thing high over the stern rail and blast the crap out of it with some 6 1/2 shot.
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If you have the time to go inland, you will definitely want to take a train or bus to Eskisehir where the carvers are and meerschaum is mined. Plan on a MINIMUM of 6 hours each way unless you can travel by air. Failing that, if you go into the grand bazaar to go shopping, you'll find some good meerschaum pipe shops back in the oldest section of the bazaar. If you can get to Eskisehir, you'll want to go the Meerschaum mall where many of the master carvers have stores set up. Any taxi driver will know how to get there. It is on the hill near the sections of "old town" that they are restoring.

Per Moo's suggestion, INSIST when you are buying that you get whole block not pressed/reformed meerschaum. MOST of the carvers and workshops send their best work and highest quality stone overseas and reserve their "seconds" for sale domestically on the assumption that only tourists will be buying them. Look VERY closely for cracks

I would also strongly suggest bringing along a few pipe cleaners so you can run the cleaner through the stem/shank to see if you are able to run a cleaner through smoothly. This will help in cleaning as well as determining if it was drilled properly.

Choose a pipe that you like and that you can see yourself smoking years from now, not just something that looks cool to you know. I think that might be part of what Moo is talking about. Classic shapes are timeless while figural pipes can be a little embarassing to smoke in public as you get older (unless you are a real extrovert).

No break in other blowing throw the stem well to clear out any meerschaum/lucite dust. If you REALLY want to, you can run a dry pipe cleaner through them and then pull off the stem and run a pipe cleaner wetted with pipe sweetener (or high alcohol content liquor) through the stem to clean out any dust and "stuff".

http://www.meerschaumpipes.com/Learn...eerschaum.aspx
https://www.tobacco-barn.com/t-art-M...ovie.aspx#Care

For the most part, you'll have to rely on the merchant if you are Istanbul. If you are buying in Eskisehir, most likely it is whole block. If you are buying in Margi, fifty/fifty shot so you'll need to rely on merchant.
ON THE WHOLE, reformed/pressed is going to be heavier and a little grainier than whole block meerschaum.

To be honest, I didn't find ANY good pipe tobacco when I was there. Hopefully you'll have better luck than I. I had to rely on tobacco I brought with me. Interestingly enough, even visiting the master carvers, most Turks smoke cigarettes, not pipes. That being said, American Cigarettes will open a lot of doors for you over there and make some friends...

Sounds like a great time ahead of you; Enjoy and thanks for helping keep us all safe! I'll light a bowl in your honor tonight...

MJG :-)
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