Editing Tobacco pipe (section)

====Meerschaum====
[[File:Meerschaumpfeife.jpg|thumb|A [[meerschaum pipe]]]]

[[Meerschaum]] (hydrated magnesium silicate), a [[mineral]] found in small shallow deposits mainly around the city of [[Eskişehir]] in central Turkey, is prized for the properties which allow it to be carved into finely detailed decorative and figural shapes. It has been used since the 17th century and, with clay pipes, represented the most common medium for pipes before the introduction of briar as the material of choice in the 19th century. The word "meerschaum" means "sea foam" in [[German language|German]], alluding to its natural white color and its surprisingly low weight. Meerschaum is a very porous mineral that absorbs the tars and oils during the smoking process, and gradually changes color to a golden brown. Old, well-smoked meerschaum pipes are valued by collectors for their distinctive coloring.

Meerschaum pipes can either be carved from a block of meerschaum, or pressed from meerschaum dust collected after carving and mixed with an adhesive. The pressed meerschaum pipes are far less absorbent, color in blotches, and lack the smoking quality of the block carved pipe.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Large sizes in meerschaum |author= |website=Amsterdam Pipe Museum |date=n.d. |access-date=20 March 2022 |url= https://pipemuseum.nl/en/knotsen-van-meerschuim}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Beginners Guide to Using and Buying a Meerschaum Pipes and What Tobacco is Best |author= |work=Paykoc Imports |date=29 November 2019 |url= https://www.paykocimports.com/blog/the-beginners-guide-to-using-and-buying-a-meerschaum-pipes-and-what-tobacco-is-best/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Girly Pipes |author= |work=Paykoc Imports |date=29 November 2019 |url=https://cosmosartceramics.com/collections/girly-smoking-pipes}}</ref>