Six new wood Chinese pipes ordered.

G'Day, I have a variety of traditional briars pipes & some Missouri Meerschaum pipes, I have had a number of finely engineered Chinese pipes already, wood  & plastic & metal, The quality of service , of packaging of accessories and general business etiquette is generally polite, and puts some Western companies to shame, , as an engineer of old , the engineering of the wood pipes and parts are excellent, , like a lot of modern Chinese engineering, and China is a large smoking market. The wood is claimed to be rosewood, or sandalwood of ebony, and like Mr Brog  Polish Pipe & Ukrainian pipe are made from Pear & other materials. But like all pipes from corncob to briars & pear & other hardwoods, once they are burnt in , any varnish is consumed and burnt off, & the burning of the tobacco leaves a burnt oxidised coating on the bowl which is a barrier to anything potentially toxic. The vast majority of Chinese pipes take standard modern filters which is a great improvement on some traditional EU & USA pipes. But to say they are not worth the money, is an exaggeration , I could not buy the wood or parts to make my own even if I had that skill in the UK or USA.
As a hobbyist , I like to collect pipes & I find Chinese pipes , like others, suit my philosophy of thrift, self reliance and frugality, I admire the quality of traditional big brands like Dunhills and top Italian elite brands, but that is not my part of the hobby. Some people have a large collection of Missouri  Meerschaum corncob & hardwoods, some people make their own from scratch , some people collect estate pipes and renovate or customise them. At present  I have briars & clay pipes & corncob & hardwoods  I smoke regularly. But I have only a modest collection compared to some gentlemen on here, pipe collecting has not been part of my pipe smoking life, until recently,but now I have more time I am collecting a little ,   if you look at some threads on the site you will be aware of the interesting pipes some folks have.
But I take your point regarding MDF, but  I am not a heavy smoker of my Chinese collection anyway, there is only so much time in the day, but those I have smoked are as good as any Briar, and take good standard filters. So I am not to worried at present there is no concrete evidence either way.
At around 10 dollars all in they are as cheap as corn cobs including postage, but they are as skillfully made as East European pipes , at a fraction of the price. Some Chinese pipe seem to use some highly engineered parts, compared to pipes many times the price, I think you underestimate Chinese technology and skill.
As regards Pipes available in the UK , their are many brands going back to the early days, other than Dunhills,  and with the Internet I can buy any pipe around the world, & I have bought an excellent pipe from Blue Briar rooms in the USA., But there is room in the hobby for all sorts.
But what are your favourite pipes sir? like to learn from all our friends on the Forum their version of Pipe lore .
Enjoy your pipe smoking and peace.
PS. I had not heard of Rossi over here in the UK I will google about them, I have just seen some nice Rossi pipes at 38 dollars or so, & other , thanks for the tip , the thing about Chinese pipe is that they have an aesthetic uniquely Chinese, based on Western pipes, but with that Chinese art, that appeals to me , and complements the traditional western pipes, most brands of western pipes have traditional shape and feel, but the subtlety of the Kong pipes have something different , even the budget pipes, but China is a low wage economy etc.

Hi, some thoughts, how can western manufacturing compete with Chinese manufacturers price, in my opinion it is by Western manufacturers not retreating into traditional practices, there is a place for traditional craft, like stonemasonry in churches still sells, but by engaging with the latest manufacturing techniques , like 3D printing, which some innovative companies , for example Vauen in Germany are doing. Also with growing artisan pipe makers in the States particularly , creative use of 3D printers & other technology can create new designs & materials. In any product market, there are always the traditionalists and modernist & those that sit on the fence ( or bridge)..just pipe dreaming folks, bats in the belfry giving me insomnia again in my time zone. I have noticed every time I get on the phone to India , I get insomnia , is it my imagination?
So long for now.

Hey Stan,
I think Rossi may be a bargain line from Savinelli.  I could be wrong.  I have handled a couple before.  Nice pipes.