兴奋啊：国外海泡石专家的华山论剑

摇头

这是一篇高水平的有关海泡石烟斗的文章，可以说是海泡石烟斗的华山论剑。参与论剑的三位高手分别来自SMS Meerschaums的 Beth Sermet, C.A.O.的Cano Ozgener和Butera Pipe Co.的Mike Butera。内容涉及海泡石烟斗的选择、清洁、发色、保养等，三位高手的讨论验证了我们以前对海泡石烟斗某些性状的推论和猜测，可以帮助斗友更好地使用和养护海泡石烟斗，纠正一些不良的习惯。

鉴于文章太长，我只是把一些关键性的探讨翻译出来并在括号内附上我的评述，原文也会奉上供有兴趣的斗友仔细阅读和研究。

摘要及评述

1）我们邀请三位专家分享有关海泡石烟斗的使用知识，内容包括：哪种烟草适合海泡石；怎样清洁海泡石；海泡石转色过程；帮助转色的小技巧；判断海泡石转色质量的标准；三位专家的争论和不同意见。


2）石斗选择标准：Butera认为购买海泡石烟斗的选择标准与石南木斗基本相同，如吸水能力，烟道的顺畅，气孔的位置。


3）Butera说原石斗采用天然海泡石块雕琢而成，粉斗由海泡石碎块经过粉碎后添加植物胶压制成型，石斗和粉斗的吸烟质量在刚开始有区别，随着吸烟次数增加和时间推移，石斗和粉斗的吸烟质量相仿。
（评述：一般消费者很难判断粉斗是用植物胶还是其它有害化合物胶合而成，最保险的就是只买石斗）。

4）其他两位专家不同意Butera上述观点，Ozgener认为粉斗中的化合物会影响烟草的自然风味，天然石斗较轻、烟气凉爽、透气性好，能更好地吸收烟气中的焦油和烟碱，而且天然石斗转色更好。Sermet说：虽然粉斗价格十分低廉且雕刻工艺与石斗极其相似，但不能做到如石斗般细致入微的刻画，即使目前粉斗的质量已接近原石斗，我们还是提倡使用石斗。人工压制的海泡石往往被用于香烟过滤和葫芦烟斗。


5）用于海泡石的烟草不用太刻意，喜欢抽啥就抽啥，品尝烟草是吸斗首要也是最重要的目的，当然如果考虑石斗转色，Ozgener建议用混合型烟草有利于烟斗转色；Serme说海泡石适用于所有烟草；Butera说：如果吸食Latakia，海泡石完成开斗的过程会略微延长，另外Latakia和调味烟草会让烟斗转色呈紫褐色，Burley和Virginia会让烟斗呈金黄色，当然最终都会变深呈暗红色。
（评述：看来颜色与烟草非常相关，上面说的紫褐色可能就是石斗初期呈“粉红”的原因）。

6）Sermet说，清洁石斗与清洁木斗的方法类似，但要注意尽量避免石斗积碳，另外我除了可能用白兰地外不用任何其它清洁液。Ozgener说，经过清洁的石斗吸烟质量比未清洁的要好得多，石斗内的积碳可能导致烟斗开裂。


7）Butera基本同意上述有关烟斗清洁的观点，但是他认为有关积碳和使用清洁液是非常个人的习惯问题，他本人就非常喜欢积碳，他自己用的海泡石烟斗都有碳饼，他认为碳饼更清洁、干爽、提高吸烟质量，而其他不同意有些人说的“碳饼妨碍转色”的观点，另外他用过很多海泡石烟斗，从来没有发生过烟斗因碳饼而裂开。
（评述：个人认为碳饼的均匀和平滑程度很重要）。

8）海泡石转色的性能可以通过上蜡得到提高，每个雕刻师都有自己的配方和比例用于调和蜂蜡和石蜡。Sermet认为蜂蜡比例越高转色越好，他曾经切开一只海泡石烟斗观察蜂蜡帮助转色的过程：烟草水汽和残留颗粒的混合物进入烟斗没有蜡层的内壁，海泡石像海绵般把这些混合物吸入烟斗内部并传递至表层，蜡层又把这些残留颗粒保留在烟斗表层，不让这些残留被蒸发；Butera认为海泡石转色很容易，如果每天吸2斗，3至4周后石斗会吸饱水汽和烟油，此时烟斗会比以前重而且需要仔细清洁，一旦烟斗吸饱水汽和烟油需要被搁置1个月进行休息，此时被吸附的残留颗粒将缓慢由内移动至烟斗表面，表层的蜂蜡截留残留颗粒避免被蒸发形成转色。
（评述：看来以前“由内向外”的猜测是对的，有关“水是转色的关键”的判断也正确，由于海泡石的多孔性，烟草的残留颗粒会在内部移动至表面并被蒸发，蜂蜡的作用就是固定残留颗粒形成转色，猜想：如果要使转色均匀可以尝试在斗柄去除蜂蜡，只在斗钵用蜂蜡保养）。

9）蜂蜡是转色的关键，Ozgener建议不要在温热状态用不清洁的手持斗，也不要让斗过热，蜂蜡在温热状态软化，容易吸附污物或指纹。Sermet建议新斗或上蜡后的前10斗，只用手持斗柄吸斗，10斗以后可以随意持斗。Butera认为要始终保持手的清洁，否则一旦蜡层吸附污物就很难清除。


10）Butera提到帮助转色均匀的coloring bowl，它的作用就是避免斗钵部分过热造成转色不均匀。
（评述：看来温度太高对转色不利，因为此处的残留颗粒和蜡层因高温被蒸发，这也解释了为什么斗钵转色慢，而斗柄处因较多水和温度较低，残留颗粒容易在烟斗内部通过水被传递到表面并被蜡层截留）。

11）海泡石转色的评判标准：均匀度，深度，美观度

摇头

原文一：

Pipe smoking—
meerschaum-style

By Stephen A. Ross

Have you ever considered smoking a meerschaum pipe? The odds are that most of us have, and proudly display a couple of meerschaums in our collection. As early as the 17th century, people enjoyed smoking tobacco from meerschaum pipes and marveled at meerschaum’s ability to slowly change its color from its natural white to a reddish-brown. Most of today’s tobacconists continue to carry a number of meerschaum pipes, and there remains a strong cadre of meerschaum enthusiasts who welcome its ability to provide a clean-tasting smoke while almost magically changing color. Most of these meerschaum devotees have spent years smoking and experimenting with meerschaum pipes and have developed strong opinions about meerschaum pipes. We asked a panel of experts—SMS Meerschaums’ Beth Sermet, C.A.O.’s Cano Ozgener and Butera Pipe Co.’s Mike Butera—to share their wisdom. Each expert has kindly shared knowledge about which tobaccos smoke best in a meerschaum, cleaning meerschaum pipes, meerschaum’s coloration process, tips to enhance your meerschaum’s coloration, and the standards they use to judge a meerschaum’s color. Although they may disagree on certain points, our experts agree on one thing: They hope you will join them in their immense enjoyment of smoking meerschaum pipes.

According to our experts, the same criteria should be used when you are considering purchasing a pipe made of briar or meerschaum. Butera says, “You want to look at the same things. Although meerschaum is more porous than briar, it will still collect moisture. You want to make sure you can run a pipe cleaner through the entire pipe and you will want to check to see that the draft hole is at the bottom of the bowl.”

Another important item to consider is whether to purchase a pipe made from block or pressed meerschaum. “Block meerschaum is carved from stone that has been dug out of the earth, and pressed meerschaum is composed of meerschaum pieces that have been crushed, mixed with vegetable glue and formed into blocks. There’s a difference in the smoking quality in the beginning, but once they are broken in, they provide a similar smoking experience,” according to Butera. Our other two experts disagree with Butera and think there is a difference between the smoking qualities of block and pressed meerschaum. “It’s day and night,” Ozgener says. “The bonding material used in pressed meerschaum interferes with the natural way the tobacco smokes. The block meerschaum is lighter; it smokes much cooler; it breathes better; and it better absorbs tobacco’s tar and nicotine. Block meerschaum will also color better than pressed meerschaum, which doesn’t color without the use of artificial products. Well-made tobacco is intricate and you want it to be as unaffected as possible.” Sermet agrees, adding, “Pressed meerschaum is much less expensive than block meerschaum. Pressed meerschaum carves very much like block meerschaum, but you can’t achieve the extremely fine detail you see with block meerschaum.” Although pressed meerschaum has qualities similar to those of block meerschaum, Sermet states that a meerschaum pipe’s material should be clearly identified. “Other than our cala bash pipes, we don’t carry any pressed meerschaum pipes and we don’t think pressed meerschaum pipes should be considered equivalent to block meerschaum. Pressed meerschaum is mostly used in cigarette lighters and calabash pipes, and you must make sure that when you’re buying a meerschaum pipe, you’re buying one that’s made from block meerschaum.” Whether you decide to buy a meerschaum pipe carved from natural stone or one made from pressed meerschaum, there’s a vast variety of sizes, shapes and carvings from which to choose. A meerschaum pipe allows a smoker to display his own individuality, and someone thinking about buying a meerschaum should use great care when considering which pipe to buy.

Once you’ve decided what meerschaum to purchase, it’s time to choose your tobacco. Our panel agrees that the best tobacco to smoke is the tobacco you like. “Enjoyment of the tobacco is the first and most important thing. The fact that meerschaum also colors is an added benefit,” Ozgener says. “I wouldn’t recommend people switch blends just for coloration,” Sermet adds. “All tobaccos smoke great in meerschaums,” Butera says. “It takes a little longer for a meerschaum to break in using Latakia, but it’s great, too. Tobacco in a meerschaum smokes very dry and very neutral. There’s nothing added to the flavor of the tobacco, so what you get is the true flavor that the blender intended for it to have. It’s similar to smoking a clay pipe.” Butera has experimented with the effects of different tobaccos on meerschaum’s coloration process and found that “Latakia and aromatics will generally give the meerschaum a purplish-brown color, and Burleys and Virginias will cause the meerschaum to develop a golden hue, but eventually, all tobaccos will darken the meerschaum into a burgundy color. The most important thing is to smoke what you like, because the more you smoke, the quicker the pipe will change color.”

Cleaning a meerschaum pipe is very similar to cleaning a briar, but there are some special considerations to keep in mind. Sermet advises that when cleaning a pipe, it’s important to make sure the bowl and the shank are equally supported. “Don’t hold only the bowl, or the shank will twist off. It’s also important to periodically check the mortise and tenon to make sure the fitting is tight because moisture can deteriorate the fitting. I would also swab out the meerschaum’s bowl with a soft pipe cleaner to prevent cake accumulation. I wouldn’t use any cleaning fluids except perhaps brandy.” Ozgener agrees with much of Sermet’s advice, “The quality of the smoke from a clean meerschaum pipe is much better than from an unclean meerschaum pipe. Clean the stem with a pipe cleaner and disengage the mouthpiece only when the pipe is cool. You have to support the shank of the meerschaum when you disengage the stem. Then you clean the pipe’s shank and clean the inside of the bowl with a blunt object. In my opinion, you don’t want any cake residue in meerschaum. The cake can expand and contract at a different rate than the meerschaum, which could cause the pipe to crack.”

摇头

原文二
Butera generally agrees with Ozgener and Sermet, but thinks that decisions about cake or cleaning fluids should be left to the individual. “I personally like to have cake on all of my pipes because I think it provides a cleaner, drier and more delicious smoke. Some people think that cake will prevent a pipe from coloring as quickly, but I don’t think that’s true. If you decide to build a cake, don’t let it get any bigger than a nickel’s thickness. I’ve smoked a lot of meerschaum pipes in my life and I’ve never had one break because of the cake in it. As far as cleaning a meerschaum is concerned, you can use pipe sweeteners, but avoid getting them on the outside surface of the meerschaum.”

The meerschaum’s ability to change color is enhanced by a coating of molten wax. Each carver has his own formula for mixing in the proportions of beeswax and paraffin to create this wax. According to Sermet, “The more beeswax mixed in with paraffin, the better the pipe will color.” Sermet once cut open a meerschaum to see how wax helps a meerschaum color. “The moisture of the tobacco and the residue bleed into the pipe from the un-waxed smoking chamber. The meerschaum acts as a sponge and pulls these liquids into the pipe. The wax holds the residue on the surface instead of letting it evaporate.” Butera says, “Meerschaums are easy to color. Smoke your meerschaum pipe a couple of times each day for three or four weeks until it’s become saturated. You’ll know it’s saturated because it will be heavier and it will take a lot more pipe cleaners to keep it clean. Once it’s saturated, let it dry out for approximately one month. The residue that was absorbed by the pipe will slowly move toward the pipe’s surface and the beeswax will keep it from evaporating.”

The beeswax is the most crucial factor in developing a nicely colored meerschaum pipe. There are two important things to avoid if you want to preserve your beeswax—don’t handle the pipe with dirty hands when it’s warm, and avoid getting the pipe too hot. Ozgener says, “The softened beeswax can pick up dirt or leave the impression of fingerprints on the pipe’s surface.” Sermet recommends smoking the pipe 10 times holding only the stem. “After your 10th time smoking the pipe, the wax should be adjusted to your smoking style. After that, handle it however you like.” Butera admits that he handles his meerschaums when he smokes them, but emphatically warns, “You have to have clean hands because the beeswax will pick up dirt. When it softens, the beeswax will take any dirt on your hands, which will then penetrate into the wax and be extremely difficult to get out. Another thing to watch out for is to keep the pipe from getting too hot—otherwise, you will melt the wax.”

Butera has revived the use of the coloring bowl, a tool that smokers used a century ago to aid the coloring process. Butera’s coloring bowls fit into a meerschaum’s bowl and allow you to smoke your tobacco without getting the pipe too hot. “It turns your entire meerschaum pipe into a shank and allows the pipe to color more evenly, because it won’t get too hot and you won’t melt the wax.” If you decide to use a coloring bowl to help you color your meerschaum, Butera suggests you attach it to your pipe before you smoke it for the first time.

A meerschaum’s color is judged by three factors—its uniformity, depth and beauty. “Uniformity of color is most important for me,” Ozgener says. “I look to see if the pipe is colored throughout its surface, or if there are splotches where it doesn’t color as well. Sometimes a pipe colors darker in some areas than in others, but I would prefer to see a pipe that’s colored all around even though its coloration isn’t dark. The second thing I look for is depth of coloring, or how dark the pipe has become. It tells you how much a person has smoked his pipe.” Butera agrees that uniformity is more important than depth, but adds, “You’ve got to realize that block meerschaum is a natural substance. Like other natural substances, block meerschaum will have varying degrees of porosity throughout its structure that will make it absorb moisture at different rates. This will cause the meerschaum to color unevenly. You have to look at the pipe’s color with the knowledge that some areas aren’t going to color as well. If its color is nearly even, you know that the smoker didn’t overheat the pipe. I think the pipe’s darkness is not as important.” Sermet agrees that uniformity and depth of color are important, but argues that judging how a meerschaum’s color enhances the overall composition of the pipe is paramount. “There are some examples of pipes I’ve seen that didn’t have an even coloration but were simply stunning to see. It really depends on the pipe’s design. I look to see the overall effect of the coloring on the pipe and ask myself if it’s more beautiful after it’s been colored.”

Meerschaum pipes have been around for a long time, and they have developed a devoted group of admirers through the years. These advocates of meerschaum smoking have created techniques and methods that each believes will best transform a white meerschaum pipe into a stunning work of art through the coloration process. Now that you’ve read our experts’ advice, you are armed with the information you need to develop your own works of art while enjoying one of your favorite pastimes. Go ahead—now’s the time to smoke your pipe, meerschaum-style. P&T

xiao3907

楼主功德一件谢谢

wsy690905

严重拜读中.....
严重感谢中.....

piggy

在国外一个论坛见过一帖：30斗左右停个把月，如此反复。与摇头兄找到的资料里的歇斗说法一致。

蓝刃

恭喜摇头兄完善了您的理论！加上这段蜂蜡的作用就让人更加明白了，我也借机学了不少东西，多谢！

nj888999

学习了谢谢

zyr2206935

LZ辛苦了，翻译了这么好的文章，觉得海泡石的保养还是太麻烦，特别怕脏东西，石楠木要简单些。我等新手抽斗难免吹得烟灰四溅，很难保持手很干净。

蓝刃

呵呵，想来想去对于这个染色的过程还是纠结的很。如摇头兄分析的也如sermet所说，我也仔细的考虑感觉很有道理，但是又想起所见所闻，还是觉得不太好理解
在网上临时找到几张图片，几个老的海泡石斗破损的地方





其中第一第二张是同一把斗，烟斗染色比较重，看破损处里面的海泡石还是纯白色，如果是水汽携带烟气中的颗粒（主要是由烟油来染色？），很难想象（当然并不是不可能）所有的水汽和烟油要穿过整个的石斗到达表面，除了被石斗表面的蜡质留下的以外，在经由整个石斗的过程中没有留下一点痕迹以致石斗内部还是纯白的颜色，我好像还是倾向于双向染色。。。