meerschaum care

[dogwood]

i got a meerschaum for a friend who is new to pipe smoking. i told him to clean the stem/shank with pipe cleaners and to sweeten the bowl with salt and rubbing alcohol like with a briar pipe. is that correct? you have to clean out the cake in the bowl correct? what's the best way to do that? thanks. i've never owned a meerschaum myself.

[kbadkar]

No, don't "sweeten" the meer. Just dump out your ash and run your finger or a twisted napkin along the inside of the bowl after smoking, so no residue hangs out there. Or, I just run the blunt round tamper edge thing on a Czech tool up and down along the bowl walls to dislodge any build up when I notice it.