Quote:
Originally Posted by DaBear
Meerschaum is a type of clay, so the pipe itself is a fired version of that, a ceramic.
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This is incorrect. Meerschaum is a mineral also know as sepiolite that is mined in Turkey. After being minded the material is cut into blocks and then carved into a pipe. You're pipe is the work of a artist, with every cut and line made by hand.
If I were you I wouldn't try to do anything with the exterior of that pipe. The coloration shows it's age, and and the wax on the outside has absorbed oils from your grandfathers hands, to me that would be more special than a perfet looking pipe.
If there is cake build up on the inside, you do want to keep that to a minimum. The nice thing about meerschaum is it is a neutral material, and any cake build up can affect that, as well as leading to cracking as it expands and contacts if it gets too thick.