I have never had much luck with pipes made of African meerschaum. They have always smoked hot for me. I have a Charatan second that has never performed as well as two others from the same batch; it has tended to smoke hot and never builds up a cake, even though I've had it for over 30 years. I keep it for sentimental reasons and smoke it occasionally, hoping that it will build up a cake and somehow smoke better.