Blatter & Blatter - A Visit

[newfie]

I was in Montreal this weekend visiting family, and of course my paths lead me down Rue President Kennedy to Blatter & Blatter. My intention was to get a Blatter pipe to add to the small collection of 3 I currently own. I didn't get one, because looking over their freehands, I've decided to commission one by Patrick, the son. I had promised that to myself previously but never followed up. A few weeks before my next trip, I'm going to do it. In it's stead, I browsed through the basket on the counter and chose a couple of Capri pipes, pictures below.
One of the owners, Peter was there in the otherwise empty shop and we had a good chat. He said the pipe business is doing good as the number of young pipers is increasing, tobacco sales aren't real great (loose and cigars) due to taxes. I guess all of Canada has that problem.
So, the pipes. Here's a picture of both; a small bowl with a slight bend for strong flakes, ropes and DBE, etc, and a larger Pot, which is a shape I do not own. Also picked up a pipe tool.
The Pot is simply stamped "Capri" on one side and "Made in Italy" on the other. It has a couple of fairly large fills, but that won't affect smoke characteristics. The small one's stamp is shown below, quite different from the Pot, and the stamp that's not legible says "Made in France".
A question on the bent pipe. The draw is restricted in the stem. How can that be cleared without straightening the stem? While I am not a germaphobe, I do not put a pipe's bit in my mouth unless I clean it with alcohol first so I didn't know about the restriction.

 

[jkrug]

Sounds like a nice visit. A couple nice looking pipes, the pot is very nice looking. Enjoy. ::

 

[fearsclave]

I make it by Blatter's every chance I get, which isn't very often now that I live five hours away. It's always worth a visit. They actually have decent prices on Cubans too.

 

[newfie]

I've smoked both pipes, Kendal Kentucky in the small one and PS Luxury Bullseye Flake in the Pot. The KK was good, smoother than I've had before but it's only one bowl. The LBF in the Pot was fantastic, but again, only one bowl.
As a side note, when I was cleaning the restricted stem, it passed a standard small cleaner OK, tight, but it went through. I tried to push a small bristle cleaner through it and wouldn't go. I poked and prodded with a few cleaners and some picks and I cleared it. Some cuttings from the drilling must have been stuck right in the bend I guess. Better now, not perfect, but better.

They actually have decent prices on Cubans too.

Decent as compared to what Fearsclave? From where you are, you could pay for an all-in trip to Cuba with the purchase of two boxes of something like RASS or PSD4 over what they would cost in Montreal, or anywhere in Canada for that matter (legally, of course).

 

[fearsclave]

Decent prices by Montreal standards; better than Vascos or Stogies. Quebec tobacco taxes are a very bad, utterly tasteless joke...

 

[newfie]

Vascos I've been in, but not Stogies. Is that downtown?

 

[fearsclave]

Stogies is a cigar bar on Crescent; walk-in humidor, but they don't mind you bringing your own, or pipes. Decent selection of boozeage, comfy seatage. I like it.

 

[newfie]

You are referring to Pierre Blatter when you say "Peter"?

Possibly. I walked in speaking English and he introduced himself as Peter in perfect English.

What shape did you ask Patrick to do?

Didn't speak to him this time, but I will ask for a sitting Freehand, polished with light finish, slight to 1/4 bend. Nothing radical. Like I said above, next planned visit to Montreal I'll contact him beforehand.

Stogies is a cigar bar on Crescent

OH, OK, that place. Knew it was there but didn't know what the name of it was. I think you can actually see it from Wienstein & Gavino's.

 

[roderick]

My first "new" pipe was a Blatter pipe that I picked up in their store. At the time I knew next to nothing about pipes and the gentleman in the store kindly helped me out and took the time to tell me a little about the pipe making process. I don't get to Montreal very often but I love your idea of getting a commission. I may just consider it myself.