I'm posting solely as a fan of F. K. Kirsten. I'm a pipe collector first, smoker second, but Kirstens are my favorite pipes to smoke. I live in the Seattle area, and I occasionally visit the shop and talk to Stacy Thrasher. I know that she has spent a lot of time, money and effort getting the Kirsten pipes back into production (termed by Kirsten fans "Generation 4" pipes). I have the impression that quite a few smokers and collectors are glad for that.
Stacy has told me quite a lot about the various hurdles pipe & tobacco shops must hop over in order to stay in business. In her case, another person who 'restores' old metal pipes (Kirstens and others) has invented and patented an add-on device. He also takes bowls from other vintage system pipes and modify them to fit a Kirsten, as well as making his own version of Kirsten's pedestal valve and their own stems. He also provides bowls made new for Kirstens by another pipemaker. She said she was getting a barrage of phone calls from buyers, who were incensed that "her" products were faulty-- bowls don't fit, the add-on damaged threads on the radiator, etc. Most, she said, ended with the complainer simply hanging up, leaving her unable to explain. I told her I would speak to said person. I contacted him through Facebook; his response was glowing praise for Kirsten as a pipe and as a company, and for Stacy, said he was getting no complaints, and that if she was, she could 'just' explain things to the complainers. I suggested that he contact her to discuss the issues (he did not).
On a following visit, she explained related troubles in more detail: The 'radiator' stems, which are machined in a rather complicated process, cost so much to make that she's slightly losing money on them. She makes her living on sales of the relatively easy-to-produce valves, stems and bowls. In the past year, sales of all but the straight Kirstens has slumped, so much so that her latest run of full-bent "Designer" models is barely going at all. This other maker takes a straight Kirsten, plus his add-on and his pedestal valve, and makes a pipe one can smoke "two ways!" as a straight or as a full-bent (sometimes also with their own churchwarden stem). People are telling her they won't buy a Designer because his are cheaper, and they just buy a straight radiator from her and get everything else from him.
I contacted this maker again, and explained firmly, without nastiness, that because of him, and almost solely so, she may have to go out-of-business within the year. He never responded. I know that this is "just business," but it's also a side business to his main one, a hobby if you will, and it's about to kill the company on which his patented device is based-- and he seems to think none of this is his bother whatsoever?
I'm trying to step in on this because I care and because she can't. She definitely doesn't have the time, money or stress level to go a legal/court route, nor does she know if she has a leg to stand on, so to speak, and thinks he may be forced against her will to simply shrug, sigh and give up. Does anyone here have advice, opinions, etc. on this matter?
Stacy has told me quite a lot about the various hurdles pipe & tobacco shops must hop over in order to stay in business. In her case, another person who 'restores' old metal pipes (Kirstens and others) has invented and patented an add-on device. He also takes bowls from other vintage system pipes and modify them to fit a Kirsten, as well as making his own version of Kirsten's pedestal valve and their own stems. He also provides bowls made new for Kirstens by another pipemaker. She said she was getting a barrage of phone calls from buyers, who were incensed that "her" products were faulty-- bowls don't fit, the add-on damaged threads on the radiator, etc. Most, she said, ended with the complainer simply hanging up, leaving her unable to explain. I told her I would speak to said person. I contacted him through Facebook; his response was glowing praise for Kirsten as a pipe and as a company, and for Stacy, said he was getting no complaints, and that if she was, she could 'just' explain things to the complainers. I suggested that he contact her to discuss the issues (he did not).
On a following visit, she explained related troubles in more detail: The 'radiator' stems, which are machined in a rather complicated process, cost so much to make that she's slightly losing money on them. She makes her living on sales of the relatively easy-to-produce valves, stems and bowls. In the past year, sales of all but the straight Kirstens has slumped, so much so that her latest run of full-bent "Designer" models is barely going at all. This other maker takes a straight Kirsten, plus his add-on and his pedestal valve, and makes a pipe one can smoke "two ways!" as a straight or as a full-bent (sometimes also with their own churchwarden stem). People are telling her they won't buy a Designer because his are cheaper, and they just buy a straight radiator from her and get everything else from him.
I contacted this maker again, and explained firmly, without nastiness, that because of him, and almost solely so, she may have to go out-of-business within the year. He never responded. I know that this is "just business," but it's also a side business to his main one, a hobby if you will, and it's about to kill the company on which his patented device is based-- and he seems to think none of this is his bother whatsoever?
I'm trying to step in on this because I care and because she can't. She definitely doesn't have the time, money or stress level to go a legal/court route, nor does she know if she has a leg to stand on, so to speak, and thinks he may be forced against her will to simply shrug, sigh and give up. Does anyone here have advice, opinions, etc. on this matter?