Pipe Brand Advice

[sagepipe]

I have been looking at some pipes I would like my wife to buy me for our fifth year anniversary (the "wooden" year). I have narrowed my search to three pipes from three different companies. My question is, of the three pipe manufacturers listed below, which is the higher quality brand (generally speaking)?
Savinelli, Bjarne Viking, Rattray

 

[cortezattic]

I think Savinelli. I have a couple of them and both are great smokers.
I have a Rattray bulldog, about a $95.00 pipe. It had a lacquered finish -- which I didn't like -- so I removed the lacquer. The pipe turned out really nice, but I discovered that the lacquer finish concealed several fills. That isn't a deal breaker for me because the pipe smokes well enough now; but I thought the lacquer finish thing was a bit deceptive. These pix are after the lacquer was removed.

You may be able to see small black spots -- fills that were not visible when a glossy lacquer and dark stain covered the pipe.

I never owned a Bjarne Viking.

 

[desertpipe]

Savinelli would also get my vote.....they range from inexpensive to higher end, so pick out the range you want before sending the wife off to get one.

 

[jarit]

From those four, Savinelli would get my vote, as well.

 

[crusher47]

Another vote for Savinelli, but the Nordings are very cool

 

[natenice1]

Another vote for Savinelli!

 

[jmatt]

With Savinelli you've got such a huge range in quality. A Savinelli Autograph is a spectacular pipe. And can be in the thousands. You can also get one for $100. Set her lose on Savinelli would be my vote.

 

[carytobacco]

Ditto on the Savinelli votes

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

Between the three, Savinelli will be considered a higher grade of pipe I believe. However, I have a Bjarne Viking Houston (very affordable pipe) that I'm very happy with. I've yet to own a Rattray's although I've been checking them out for a while. Some are quite nice it seems, but I can't comment personally on them. Gigger mentioned the Royal Flush line of Nordings above. They vary in price according to their grade. Jacks are around 100 dollars, Queens are about 120 or so, Kings are around 140, Ace are about 200 dollars, and Jokers are about 240 dollars. I have an Ace (See avatar photo) that I'm very very proud of lol. But if you're interested in only the three you mentioned above, I'd say Savinelli. I've never heard anything negative about them. I have one (not my best smoker) but it's a low end unfinished Sav so I can't really say much.

 

[boilermakerandy]

Savinelli.

 

[toby67]

Savinelli's get my vote every time although I like a range of different brands, however you only mentioned three and the best of them is the Savinelli in my "beginners" opinion

 

[zekest]

Savinelli, Bjarne Viking, Rattray

With these three choices, I would go with Savinelli.

 

[dottiewarden]

Another vote for Savinelli!