jonmc75
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First Name: Jon.
Favorite Pipe: Savinelli /Peterson /Cobs
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Post by jonmc75 on May 9, 2024 7:44:25 GMT -5
OK, I threatened a thread, so here it is. Those of you familiar with my preferences know I love Savinelli pipes. The 626 'Sophia Loren', being my absolute favourite.😍😍 While I love Peterson's, I find their QC can be iffy at times, while this hurts my patriotic pride somewhat, I am a pragmatist, and have quite a few more Savs, than Petes. So, which brand of sub $200, 'factory pipes' have you had the best/worst experiences with. I'd like to stick to briar for this one, because in my opinion, Cobs are in a league of their own, when it comes to 'factory pipes'; besides, I haven't personally smoked a 'bad' cob yet. Again, probably tramping over old ground here, but would love to hear your thoughts. P.S. This is NOT a homework assignment Ron. 😁
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Post by coalsmoke on May 9, 2024 7:58:44 GMT -5
I have two Savinelli Venere 128s, one smooth and one rusticated, that I bought years ago. I tossed the filter adapters so that I could have a wide open draw. They're both fine smoking production pipes and have served me well all this time.
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Post by Darin on May 9, 2024 9:30:08 GMT -5
I agree that Savinelli is among the best for factory pipes. Even their 2nds are good. 👍
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Post by Silver on May 9, 2024 9:44:47 GMT -5
I gotta agree with all of you. Savinelli makes great pipes at all price points. I have about a dozen of them, and one Rossi. All excellent smokers. How many other pipe factories are left? Nording and...?
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Post by Silver on May 9, 2024 10:23:27 GMT -5
I should have referenced the $150 price point in the question regarding other pipe factories.
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Post by just ol ed on May 9, 2024 10:47:56 GMT -5
In the Savinelli camp, Nording for freehands. Afraid of Peterson iffy quality control as has been noted
Ed
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jonmc75
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Post by jonmc75 on May 9, 2024 10:48:26 GMT -5
I should have referenced the $150 price point in the question regarding other pipe factories. I might revise that to <$200 Pete, leaves more scope in fairness.
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Post by turbocat on May 9, 2024 12:37:50 GMT -5
I would also say Savinelli. Stanwell, when they were still in business would be up there as well.
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jonmc75
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First Name: Jon.
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Post by jonmc75 on May 9, 2024 12:51:20 GMT -5
I would also say Savinelli. Stanwell, when they were still in business would be up there as well. Stanwell pipes are very highly regarded, Ted. A regular fixture on UK eBay pipe sites. Haven't got one yet, but they are plentiful enough here.
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Post by turbocat on May 9, 2024 13:02:25 GMT -5
I would also say Savinelli. Stanwell, when they were still in business would be up there as well. Stanwell pipes are very highly regarded, Ted. A regular fixture on UK eBay pipe sites. Haven't got one yet, but they are plentiful enough here. Stanwell closed some years back. The brand name was sold and I believe they are made in Italy now, maybe someone knows more than me about the current production. The current pipes don’t measure up to the real ones in my experience.
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Post by coalsmoke on May 9, 2024 13:27:25 GMT -5
Stanwell pipes are very highly regarded, Ted. A regular fixture on UK eBay pipe sites. Haven't got one yet, but they are plentiful enough here. Stanwell closed some years back. The brand name was sold and I believe they are made in Italy now, maybe someone knows more than me about the current production. The current pipes don’t measure up to the real ones in my experience. Yes, production is now in Italy.
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Post by urbino on May 9, 2024 16:18:16 GMT -5
I'll agree with everyone else: under $200, I really don't think you can beat Savinelli. Nording makes a lot of pipes in that price range, but they don't measure up to Savinelli's quality, in my experience.
You've still got Chacom making pipes in that range, but, to be honest, their pipes generally don't appeal to me so I don't know much about their quality. Butz-Choquin is in the same category for me. Other than the one Supermate I own (which is very well made), their pipes usually don't appeal to me.
I think you can sometimes get a Radice for under $200, and I would definitely recommend them. I guess technically they're not a factory pipe, though. Just the 2 brothers.
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Post by urbino on May 9, 2024 16:22:11 GMT -5
I should also say that while Peterson did have QC issues for several years, the more recent reports I've seen seem to indicate they've made a good start on addressing that. (They're still not as reliably good as Savinelli, though.)
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Post by urbino on May 9, 2024 17:22:36 GMT -5
Oh, I'll throw in one more. I don't own one, but I've never heard anyone complain about Ropp pipes.
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jonmc75
Junior Member
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Posts: 417
First Name: Jon.
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Post by jonmc75 on May 9, 2024 17:34:38 GMT -5
I'll agree with everyone else: under $200, I really don't think you can beat Savinelli. Nording makes a lot of pipes in that price range, but they don't measure up to Savinelli's quality, in my experience. You've still got Chacom making pipes in that range, but, to be honest, their pipes generally don't appeal to me so I don't know much about their quality. Butz-Choquin is in the same category for me. Other than the one Supermate I own (which is very well made), their pipes usually don't appeal to me. I think you can sometimes get a Radice for under $200, and I would definitely recommend them. I guess technically they're not a factory pipe, though. Just the 2 brothers. I've seen a few BC pipes that I really liked the look of, Urb. I've been tempted a few times, but not knowing the brand I've hesitated. You can get pretty clean estates here for very reasonable prices. Most BCs on eBay here go from $20-50. At that money I should get one, check em' out..
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Post by urbino on May 9, 2024 17:59:10 GMT -5
I'll agree with everyone else: under $200, I really don't think you can beat Savinelli. Nording makes a lot of pipes in that price range, but they don't measure up to Savinelli's quality, in my experience. You've still got Chacom making pipes in that range, but, to be honest, their pipes generally don't appeal to me so I don't know much about their quality. Butz-Choquin is in the same category for me. Other than the one Supermate I own (which is very well made), their pipes usually don't appeal to me. I think you can sometimes get a Radice for under $200, and I would definitely recommend them. I guess technically they're not a factory pipe, though. Just the 2 brothers. I've seen a few BC pipes that I really liked the look of, Urb. I've been tempted a few times, but not knowing the brand I've hesitated. You can get pretty clean estates here for very reasonable prices. Most BCs on eBay here go from $20-50. At that money I should get one, check em' out.. You should. BC is one of the the classic factory makers. I'd consider my collection incomplete without one. (Charatan is the only classic maker I don't have an example of, now. Just haven't found the right one at the right price.)
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Post by johnlawitzke on May 9, 2024 18:21:46 GMT -5
Stanwell pipes are very highly regarded, Ted. A regular fixture on UK eBay pipe sites. Haven't got one yet, but they are plentiful enough here. Stanwell closed some years back. The brand name was sold and I believe they are made in Italy now, maybe someone knows more than me about the current production. The current pipes don’t measure up to the real ones in my experience. Not quite correct. In 2009, STG bought Stanwell. They shutdown the factory in Denmark and sold off the briar stockpile. Production was moved to Italian contract manufacturing using whatever wood the manufacturer uses. This change in wood is why Danish made Stanwells and Italian made Stanwells are not equivalent. If the Italian made Stanwells had some other brand name, they’d be a decent average Italian made pipe. I have 3 Italian Stanwells which I enjoy smoking. However none of them compare to my 21 Danish made Stanwells. I will agree with anyone who says Danish Stanwells and Italian Stanwells are two different pipe companies as while the heritage is continuous, the pipes smoke totally differently.
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Post by johnlawitzke on May 9, 2024 18:25:12 GMT -5
With the under $200 for a new pipe constraint, I can’t say Dunhill. 🤔
For in production, under $200 factory pipes, I will go with modern Kaywoodie pipes for the under $100 sub-category and Savinelli pipes for the under $200 sub-category.
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Post by urbino on May 9, 2024 18:30:20 GMT -5
With the under $200 for a new pipe constraint, I can’t say Dunhill. 🤔 For in production, under $200 factory pipes, I will go with modern Kaywoodie pipes for the under $100 sub-category and Savinelli pipes for the under $200 sub-category. Dunhill has really priced themselves out of my market, recently. Seems like I rarely see one for under $600, anymore, and most of them are a good deal more than that. Does Kaywoodie qualify as a factory pipe?
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Post by turbocat on May 9, 2024 18:31:30 GMT -5
Stanwell closed some years back. The brand name was sold and I believe they are made in Italy now, maybe someone knows more than me about the current production. The current pipes don’t measure up to the real ones in my experience. Not quite correct. In 2009, STG bought Stanwell. They shutdown the factory in Denmark and sold off the briar stockpile. Production was moved to Italian contract manufacturing using whatever wood the manufacturer uses. This change in wood is why Danish made Stanwells and Italian made Stanwells are not equivalent. If the Italian made Stanwells had some other brand name, they’d be a decent average Italian made pipe. I have 3 Italian Stanwells which I enjoy smoking. However none of them compare to my 21 Danish made Stanwells. I will agree with anyone who says Danish Stanwells and Italian Stanwells are two different pipe companies as while the heritage is continuous, the pipes smoke totally differently. I’m not quite sure what you believe is not quite correct, you just said everything I did with a lot more detail.
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Post by johnlawitzke on May 9, 2024 18:38:27 GMT -5
Not quite correct. In 2009, STG bought Stanwell. They shutdown the factory in Denmark and sold off the briar stockpile. Production was moved to Italian contract manufacturing using whatever wood the manufacturer uses. This change in wood is why Danish made Stanwells and Italian made Stanwells are not equivalent. If the Italian made Stanwells had some other brand name, they’d be a decent average Italian made pipe. I have 3 Italian Stanwells which I enjoy smoking. However none of them compare to my 21 Danish made Stanwells. I will agree with anyone who says Danish Stanwells and Italian Stanwells are two different pipe companies as while the heritage is continuous, the pipes smoke totally differently. I’m not quite sure what you believe is not quite correct, you just said everything I did with a lot more detail. Saying "Stanwell closed". Effectively true, but not…
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Post by johnlawitzke on May 9, 2024 18:41:14 GMT -5
With the under $200 for a new pipe constraint, I can’t say Dunhill. 🤔 For in production, under $200 factory pipes, I will go with modern Kaywoodie pipes for the under $100 sub-category and Savinelli pipes for the under $200 sub-category. Dunhill has really priced themselves out of my market, recently. Seems like I rarely see one for under $600, anymore, and most of them are a good deal more than that. Does Kaywoodie qualify as a factory pipe? While Kaywoodie has been a one or two person operation (Bill outsourced blasting and Nathan had helped some), they are made in batches using the volume production techniques and equipment developed by Kaywoodie when they were a much larger operation. So, I would say yes.
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Post by urbino on May 9, 2024 18:41:50 GMT -5
Dunhill has really priced themselves out of my market, recently. Seems like I rarely see one for under $600, anymore, and most of them are a good deal more than that. Does Kaywoodie qualify as a factory pipe? While Kaywoodie has been a one or two person operation (Bill outsourced blasting and Nathan had helped some), they are made in batches using the volume production techniques and equipment developed by Kaywoodie when they were a much larger operation. So, I would say yes. Interesting. I didn't know that.
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Post by johnlawitzke on May 9, 2024 18:46:13 GMT -5
While Kaywoodie has been a one or two person operation (Bill outsourced blasting and Nathan had helped some), they are made in batches using the volume production techniques and equipment developed by Kaywoodie when they were a much larger operation. So, I would say yes. Interesting. I didn't know that. Come to the Columbus Show in August and meet Nathan. He’s a great guy to hang with. The only downside of going to Columbus is you’d meet me. 🤪
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Post by urbino on May 9, 2024 18:48:14 GMT -5
Interesting. I didn't know that. Come to the Columbus Show in August and meet Nathan. He’s a great guy to hang with. The only downside of going to Columbus is you’d meet me. 🤪 Ha. The downside of going to Columbus is I'd have to go to Columbus.
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Post by Ronv69 on May 9, 2024 18:54:05 GMT -5
Dunhill has really priced themselves out of my market, recently. Seems like I rarely see one for under $600, anymore, and most of them are a good deal more than that. Does Kaywoodie qualify as a factory pipe? While Kaywoodie has been a one or two person operation (Bill outsourced blasting and Nathan had helped some), they are made in batches using the volume production techniques and equipment developed by Kaywoodie when they were a much larger operation. So, I would say yes. Well, if that makes Kaywoodie a factory pipe, then Radice is a factory pipe. And that just doesn't fit. I don't think either had enough production quantity to call a true factory.
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Post by Ronv69 on May 9, 2024 18:59:16 GMT -5
My stand is that Savinelli is the best overall factory brand at every price point they cover, and every pipe they make smokes great. (within your standards for filters, etc.) My preference for top honors are the Petersen lines from the Deluxe System pipes and up. They don't tend to be as perfect in manufacturing as the Savinelli, but they smoke out this world.
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jonmc75
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Post by jonmc75 on May 9, 2024 19:17:27 GMT -5
Dunno if any of you have seen this, I thought it was pretty good. 😊
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jonmc75
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Posts: 417
First Name: Jon.
Favorite Pipe: Savinelli /Peterson /Cobs
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Post by jonmc75 on May 9, 2024 19:19:53 GMT -5
With the under $200 for a new pipe constraint, I can’t say Dunhill. 🤔 For in production, under $200 factory pipes, I will go with modern Kaywoodie pipes for the under $100 sub-category and Savinelli pipes for the under $200 sub-category. Dunhill has really priced themselves out of my market, recently. Seems like I rarely see one for under $600, anymore, and most of them are a good deal more than that. Does Kaywoodie qualify as a factory pipe? Same here Urb, at this stage and with my modest income, I just can't justify the money. My only hope is the wife takes the hint for the next big birthday, 😂😂
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Post by urbino on May 9, 2024 19:21:34 GMT -5
Dunhill has really priced themselves out of my market, recently. Seems like I rarely see one for under $600, anymore, and most of them are a good deal more than that. Does Kaywoodie qualify as a factory pipe? Same here Urb, at this stage and with my modest income, I just can't justify the money. My only hope is the wife takes the hint for the next big birthday, 😂😂 Heh. Some of the estate pipes are still reasonably reasonable. Some of them.
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