No 377  March 31 – April 13, 2016

Meerschaum re-visited

Meerschaum pipes have always been one of our stock-in-trade items, but between 2008 and 2015, we lost our reliable chain of supply.
So what’s so special about meerschaums?

Well, up to 2008, we covered all the aspects and advantages of meerschaums in 5 articles:
No.  41  2002  Manufacture, Smoking, Colouring, Cleaning, Pricing
No.105  2005  Meerschaum-lined pipes
No.132  2006  No carbon build-up – a meerschaum bowl can be smaller than your usual pipe
No.150  2006  Entry level, small meerschaums
No.181  2008  Update manufacture; Value compared with briar

In a nutshell, the merits of meerschaums are:
Lightness – no strain on your teeth;
Power of absorption – no soggy dottle;
Length of life – indefinite, provided you don’t drop it on concrete;
The purity of tobacco flavours achieved by this rare mineral – meerschaum has a neutral taste; you
experience the taste the blender intended.
Cleaning is simple - just scrape out the bowl with a blunt tool or the back of your pipe knife blade.
In addition, since there is no build-up of carbon in the bowl, you can smoke a size smaller than usual.

To comply with all these characteristics, meerschaum blocks are graded by size and colour, and uniformity of the block.
Each of these parameters must have a scale of perfection, and full marks all around will produce a pipe which will sell for approximately R4000.00 to R6000.00 – just like a perfect briar pipe.

The lesser blocks will be finished according to their limitations.
Blocks with small surface flaws may be used for hand-carving into heads, or lattice work.
Blocks with a higher density rating may limit the shapes to nothing bigger than medium to large bowls, and mainly bents and half bents.
The advantage of these blocks is that they may be less brittle than their lighter counterparts, and the smoking qualities will be equal.
However, they may not colour as quickly.

From our German supplier of smokers’ accessories we are able to buy top quality Altinay meerschaums, which he allows us to select individually from his stock.
But we are always aware of price limitations.

In January this year we visited Strambach Pipes in Vienna – the only meerschaum pipe manufacturer in the EU, still manufacturing their pipes to the formula developed by the founder in 1904.
Our first order has arrived, and we are delighted with the pipes.

Yes they are slightly heavier than last year’s order, but the pricing is more affordable, especially for a first-time meerschaum buyer.
(No fancy hand-fitted case to pay for.)
The peg fitment is reliable Teflon, with a push-pull action.
Two of the models have a 9mm filter option.

As usual, when we have a new type of pipe to offer, we like to introduce it on a “pipe special”:

There are only 19 pipes in all, so if a meerschaum pipe is on your “bucket list”, you could take this opportunity to possess a meerschaum pipe from as little as R1200.00.

Think about it! But don’t delay.
Available through any Wesley’s, or online.

Colin Wesley
No.377  March 31 – April 13, 2016

You can read previous articles from "Across the Counter" in The Library.

No 378  April 14-28, 2016

Humidification

The cigar world is not static.
Following the hectic years of the cigar boom (mid-1990’s) we have seen many developments in all aspects of cigars and cigar smoking:

• In cigars, many new blend, shapes and sizes expand the range from which we can select the right cigar for the time and occasion – better to relax and enjoy;
• New lighters for all weather conditions;
• New cutters to cover even the largest 60+ ring sizes;
• New, purpose-made cigar ashtrays and humidors.

All these innovations have added to our enjoyment of cigars.

But the one area of innovation, that helps us to relax even when we are away from our cigars, is that of humidification.

I am constantly surprised that, when I mention the humidity bead phenomenon people don’t know what I am talking about.
These “nano” beads will protect your investment, by looking after your cigars.
They will control the humidity, coping with the opening and closing of your humidor, and will compensate for seasonal changes, or for a less than perfect seal on your humidor.

How they work:
The Humidifier is filled with non-toxic humidity control beads. The beads have the property of maintaining at around 70% the ambient relative humidity (RH) in your humidor (or any re-sealable container eg plastic bag, Tupperware).  

Relative Humidity is a function of temperature – it is the amount of water vapour in the air compared with the amount required to saturate the air at that temperature.
At 70°F (21°C), 70% is considered to be the ideal relative humidity in which to store your cigars.

The important attribute of the beads is that they are “bi-directional” - they will release moisture when the RH falls below 70%, and absorb moisture if the RH goes above 70%, thus maintaining a more-or-less constant relative humidity no matter how often the humidor is opened, or what the external conditions.
This attribute also prevents cigars from becoming too damp; damp cigars are difficult to draw, and don’t burn properly.
Simple to use:
1. Immerse the humidifier in water (preferably distilled, but not essential); do not use or add any other liquid;
2. Soak for 20 minutes;
3. Remove and wipe dry;
4. Now it’s ready to fit into your humidor (but see Watchpoints below);

The humidifier is re-usable, will last for many years under correct conditions and will not form mould.
The beads are white when dry and clear when activated – you can easily see when the humidifier needs to be refilled. Refill when necessary, anything from several weeks to several months depending on how often the humidor is opened, the condition of cigars going into the humidor and of the air outside the humidor:
● Very dry conditions require more frequent filling (Cape in summer, Highveld in winter, Air-conditioned rooms)
● Very humid conditions? You may need to experiment. Check the relative humidity inside and outside the humidor. Maybe you won’t want to damp the humidifier at all – put it into the humidor and then after a while check the relative humidity inside the humidor.

Watchpoints:
● The amount of water absorbed by the humidifier (any humidifier) CANNOT completely moisturise a dry humidor. Prepare the humidor before installing the humidifier by spraying repeatedly with a fine spray of water, or wiping with a damp cloth, until the measured relative humidity inside the humidor is stable at 70%.
● Remember to keep the humidor in a cool place (but normally not in the refrigerator)

We stock the brand.

Bead Humidifier 10-25 cigars                73-J5501 R159.50
Bead Humidifier 20 cigars                     73-J5511 R170.00
Bead Humidifier 25-50 cigars                73-J5521 R220.00
Bead Humidifier up to 100 cigars          73-J5531 R340.00

Our offer to you:

Other alternatives are the Dunhill Humidity Control System, or the Savinelli Surface Active Liquid which can be applied to any pad-type humidifier.

Before the Highveld winter sets in and the air dries up, take this opportunity to ensure your cigars are resting comfortably.
If you are not in the Highveld re-assure yourself that you are not running the risk of over-humidification. 

Colin Wesley
No.378 April 14-28, 2016

You can read previous articles from "Across the Counter" in The Library.

No 379  April 28 – May 11, 2016

Pipe Filters
Why?

In the evolution of Pipe Smoking, pipe filters are a relatively recent innovation.
To my mind they developed alongside the changes in the blending components of Pipe Tobacco.

All the original English blends up to 1986 were completely additive-free except for a small dose of a hygroscopic moisturising ingredient to help preserve the tobaccos in their vacuum-packed tins.
The tobaccos used were mainly Virginias in which the flavour was developed through the use of pressing and steaming to mature the natural tobacco, or by combining with exotic tobaccos such as Latakia, Perique and Turkish.
Of course, since the pipe is a natural filter, moisture will condense from the smoke and deposit the shank and bowl. The tobacco in the bowl is unlikely to burn completely dry.

The Americans pioneered the addition of flavourings to the tobacco which enhanced the flavour to a certain extent, and improved the aroma, making pipe smoking more socially acceptable. But they tended to smoke wet, leaving even more of a soggy dottle in the bottom of the damp bowl.

Drikule mesh plugs, paper Smokers Circles, Philtpads were used to mop up some of the moisture, and prevent wastage of tobacco.

Then at some stage this led to the introduction of pipe mouthpieces being fitted with metal pegs holding cylindrical paper tubes, “filters”, which absorbed some of the moisture in the smoke. One of the early “filter” pipes in the USA was the Frank Medico in the 1930s. The brands Dr Macnab and Frank Medico, Dr Perl filters, are names that I remember well, from way back.

In time, the metal pegs were followed by the development of the Teflon pegs with diameters of both 6mm and 9mm, and “filter pipes” were produced by almost all manufacturers.
These pipes can hold any of the variety of the stem filters now available – paper cartridges holding charcoal or meerschaum granules, balsa wood absorbent filters, paper tubes. These are quite successful in capturing moisture from the smoke as it passes through the shank of the pipe, allowing drier smoke to travel through into the mouth by the puff-full.

But these “filters” do not solve the other half of the wet smoking problem, the damp dottle in the bottom of the bowl – so back to the basic bowl filters.
We are now seeing the development of ways and mean of tackling the wet smoking problem at the source, the condensation of moisture from the flavoured tobacco collecting in the bottom of the bowl.
We still have the clay Philtpads, the wire Drikule plugs, plus Denicotea “Denicool” granules, and now the Nording Lava Keystones. (Sorry – no RJ Smokers Circles.)

The Nording Keystones are 100% natural Volcanic Clay – very light, highly absorbent and neutral in taste; and very economical compared with other filters.
Drop a few Keystones into the bottom of a pipe bowl before loading the tobacco into the bowl.
By removing the moisture from the smoke, they will provide a drier, cooler experience. They may be discarded at the finish, leaving a clean, dry, empty bowl with no wasteful tobacco dottle – saving you money.
They can be used in any pipe, whether with a filter or with an adapter, or with a metal arrestor.

Nording Lava Keystone Bowl Filters in a regular pipe bowl (left) and (right) in the specially designed bowl chamber of the Nording Eriksen Keystone Pipe.

Available in a handy tin (approximately 10g) or economical 100g pack.
Try them!

In fact, try them now:

Don’t hesitate.
With the rising costs of the cartridge type “stem filter” the Lava Keystones should be well worth trying.

Colin Wesley
No.379 April 28 – May 11, 2016

You can read previous articles from "Across the Counter" in The Library.