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1596062646575

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    @vtgrad2003
    I really like the elegant lines on that pipe, and the color stain used. The shank extension is a classy touch too. Is it a different material/wood, or simply stained lighter? 
    Sorry, but these old eyes can't tell from the pic...
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    @Zouave

    You are very correct! It has class, style, finesse, expert craftsmanship. 🤣
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    @KA9FFJ
    I don't think it's a different wood, I think its still a briar accent, so it's either a different stain or it simply didn't take as well on that piece. Below I've pasted the description of it from SP's website

    While many designs on Savinelli's shape chart cater more toward traditional English and French shaping cues when compared to the bold, bowl-centric proportions of other Italian makers, the "606 KS" bent Billiard leans more heavily into that Italian neoclassic style. The bowl is full and robust, dominating the visual weight to leave the shank and stem in more slender, supporting roles. Hearty of chamber, it poses a proud comforting disposition as one of Savinelli's largest bent Billiard renditions, with only the "616 KS" presenting a more muscular profile through the shank. The "606 KS" offers a substantial feel in hand, and the lithe bend and angled shank make for an effortless clench when smoking hands-free. This particular example is found in the smooth, natural finish of the Sun Set series, elevated by a matching briar accent along the stem base.
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    PappyJoePappyJoe Master
    edited March 2022
    @vtgrad2003
    Personally, I've always felt Savinelli's were not held in as high of esteem as they should be. Some pipe smokers seem to believe Peterson's are way better but I've had Pete's that were just bad smokers and questionable drilling.

    I currently have four Savinelli's and they are all better quality than any of the Pete's I've owned. The least smoked one is my Savinelli 9604 Nonpareil. It was an estate sale jackpot (I paid $10). The Nonpareil line was one of the higher grades in the Savinelli line and was the next step down from the Giubileo d'Oro line. The 9604 is an Oom Paul shape. I found that I just don't enjoy smoking that shape. 

    Just because I was curious, I checked out the Savinelli section of the Laudisi website (Laudisi is the US distributor for Savinelli). The Giubileo d'Oro line has a couple of pipes for $520 - $520 but the most of the line is in the $800 range. They also have one for $1,800. 
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    vtgrad2003vtgrad2003 Master
    edited March 2022
    @PappyJoe

    I agree. To be honest with you, I've never owned a Peterson, BUT, years ago I was on that "other" website forum and over about 2 years time I saw people post pictures of their Petersons that were mis-drilled, bowls off center, stems not aligning, etc., time and time and time again. Over the same period I probably saw 1 Savinelli picture posted with a factory flaw someone would consider significant, and that person, even though SP wouldn't refund their money or send another, stated that they contacted Savinelli directly and Savinelli sent them a new pipe--and they didn't even have to return the old one. 

    Also, out of the probably 20 Sav's I've owned, I've never had one that smoked poorly...each smokes differently of course, and therefore by definition, some will smoke "better" or "more to my liking" than others, but like you, I think much of that simply has to do with my smoking style, comfort when clenching, etc.; in other words, mostly the shape. I don't like prince shapes and I don't like bull dogs, but a straight or bent billiard or Canadian/Lumberman shapes I think smoke great, so that's what I normally gravitate to (although I do have a cob bulldog that smokes really nice...but cobs are another story altogether).   

    And lastly, there's the Savinelli design...they really are carved for sleekness, elegance, style, efficiency, and performance--in other words, they simply look less "clumsy" to me. That's personal taste for sure, and I'm sure @Zouave would argue differently, but Petersons  just seem to not have the craftmanship combined with the artistic design of a Sav. Again, personal opinion for sure.
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    @vtgrad2003
    I'm down to two Petersons. One was a Peterson manufactured for sale through Iwan Ries that is unique because it is stamped as being a Kapp-Royal but with the beaded carving for a Dunmore on the stummel.

    The other is a Peterson Fermoy I was given as a birthday present. 

    Neither will easily pass a pipe cleaner and the Kapp-Royal tends to gurgle if I'm not careful.
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    @vtgrad2003
    I have watched for those Savinelli Sunsets since they first hit SPC years ago.  They were always way too expensive.  They also, originally, came with a matching tamper.  I think they were over $200 until they hit the closeout price of ~$150 or so.  Very nice looking pipes.👍🏻
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    I like most of my Peterson’s, but they were usually less expensive.  The new Peterson prices are outrageous and Savinelli smoking quality and fit and finish has always had them “beat all to hell”.  I do like Sterling, and Savinelli’s are less inclined to have any silverwork.
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    @RockyMountainBriar

    You're right, they did come with a matching tamper; the only new ones I currently found for sale are three, all straights (no bents), all on the Savinelli website itself, and they are selling for $128 without the tamper. That's the price I was using before when I said that I got a 30% saving on this estate pipe at $90. I noticed some old retailer pages that were selling this pipe for what you were saying which is about $180 to $200 with the tamper. To me, this is a $150 pipe all day long (without the tamper), especially now that I've smoked it for a couple of days--it smokes great and looks great; but I think for it to push higher than $150, more attention would need to be made to the graining--better (straight) graining would push it up to the $200 range, especially with the quality of carving. 

    All that said, I've only ever spent over $100 for a pipe twice in my life, and they were only for an extra $10 at $110 or so. For the most part, I always try to stay under $100, and that's why I look over the SP estate page twice a week every week--you never know when you are going to see what I would consider a great deal to snatch up.
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    @Zouave

    I like Rattray's (I don't own any though); they're nice pipes. I especially like their Emblem series, and the black ones in particular--very sharp looking pipes. To be honest, Peterson would be better off taking a page from Rattrays. They both use a lot of silver banding (something @RockyMountainBriar likes), but the Rattrays look less clumsy--i.e., simply designed and carved better.
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    @Zouave

    Nice tobacco jar. 
    I don't have a Savinelli jar in my collection but I do have a Denby and a Comoy.
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    @PappyJoe thanks, it belonged to my grandfather. So far as I know he picked it up in Italy back in the 60s? 
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    @mapletop
    I'd probably mount that one in a box frame and display it...😏
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    One of the new members of the New Orleans Pipe Club brought a bunch of pipes that were his father-in-laws (or is it fathers-in-law). Anyway, he took some photos of them because he is going to sell most of them. I thought I would share some of them with you animals. The first one is a Mastercraft Meerschaum. I didn't even know Mastercraft Meerschaums were a thing.

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    He also has a small gourd Calabash.

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    A little TLC and a new push/pull and that would be a nice Calabash.  Having a hard case would be nice  too.
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    I didn't know if any of you knew this, but if a dump truck runs over your pipe, it will break. Just wanted to let you all know that if you didn't already.
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    @vtgrad2003;
    Sage advise. I hope it wasn't a cherished member of your rack.
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    It was my Lorenzetti. Nice pipe, but not too expensive. I probably break 2 or 3 pipes a year (or drop them overboard from my boat), but this is the first time a dump truck has run over one. 

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    @vtgrad2003
    Hopefully it wasn’t between your lips smoking it at the time😳
    I wonder if one of “The Pipe” pyrolytic graphite pipes would survive🤔
    If I still had one, I would try it.
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    Nah. It was on the bumper of my truck, I backed out of my driveway, it fell in the street, and before I noticed I didn't have it and I looked for it, it was already in a thousand pieces. They're building a house on my street so there were a few dump trucks running fill to grade the site with.

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    For everyone's information, this stoker is back at MM; I have one from the last time they were out--it's a great pipe. $50 is a little steep (it was then too) but I feel its worth it. It also looks like they made one adjustment--it looks like they sanded some of the cob's roughness off the outside of the bowl making it a little smoother than it was last time.


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    was not sure I should post this here, or pipe repair thread... sadly this is beyond pipe repair. Somewhere Motie is screaming. This morning I didn't see I dropped my E.A. Cary pipe in the driveway until I heard a crunch under the tire. 
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