Ok, so I am rather new to smoking pipes (around 3 months) and for my birthday on the 11th, my father, girlfriend and brother chipped in for enough to buy a nice pipe, Before this, I was using a fairly nice (25$) bent stem briar that was working out fine. But needless to say, I was extremely excited for this pipe! I went to Milan Tobacconists near my house in downtown Roanoke, VA. and bought a new Savinelli.
After I let the attendant, (who was incredibly rude for the second time I patronized their establishment) know what pipe I wanted, I heard him mumbling something to the other employee there. I was already looking at tobaccos and assumed it had something to do with the pipe so I paid it no mind. When I walked out of the store I was in a bit of a hurry and quickly got into my car and left. It wasn't until later that night that I opened the box and found that the stem was actually different from the one it had on in the store. This confused me, but I knew it to be true because the price tag read a different price, as well as the markings on the stem being different (tiger striping). I shrugged and prepared to enjoy my pipe. And I did, for 3 bowls.
I removed the stem once from the shank to give it a good cleaning, and it seemed slightly too large to me. It was very difficult to remove and get back in. Much more so than the other 2 that I had done this on previously. Well, there was a small piece of tobacco lodged in the draft hole that I couldn't get loose so I took it apart and when I went to put it back together, the stem was once again incredibly difficult to get back in. So much so that an enormous piece (1/4 - 1/2 inch) cracked off the pipe. After many words that shall not be named, I saw that it was still attached to the pipe, but hanging on for dear life.
So after much blustering, this is my plea: HELP!
Should I take it back to Milan and ask what the deal is? Should I try to repair it myself? Halp meh.
Thanks in advance.
After I let the attendant, (who was incredibly rude for the second time I patronized their establishment) know what pipe I wanted, I heard him mumbling something to the other employee there. I was already looking at tobaccos and assumed it had something to do with the pipe so I paid it no mind. When I walked out of the store I was in a bit of a hurry and quickly got into my car and left. It wasn't until later that night that I opened the box and found that the stem was actually different from the one it had on in the store. This confused me, but I knew it to be true because the price tag read a different price, as well as the markings on the stem being different (tiger striping). I shrugged and prepared to enjoy my pipe. And I did, for 3 bowls.
I removed the stem once from the shank to give it a good cleaning, and it seemed slightly too large to me. It was very difficult to remove and get back in. Much more so than the other 2 that I had done this on previously. Well, there was a small piece of tobacco lodged in the draft hole that I couldn't get loose so I took it apart and when I went to put it back together, the stem was once again incredibly difficult to get back in. So much so that an enormous piece (1/4 - 1/2 inch) cracked off the pipe. After many words that shall not be named, I saw that it was still attached to the pipe, but hanging on for dear life.
So after much blustering, this is my plea: HELP!
Should I take it back to Milan and ask what the deal is? Should I try to repair it myself? Halp meh.
Thanks in advance.