I was looking through the Pipes and Cigars end of summer catalogue, and saw this Big Ben pipe that I thought looked nice. It's a Maxim white colored pipe. I've never owned one before, so I thought why not. I'll give it a try.
Received it yesterday and smoked several bowls in it. I guess it rested maybe 2 or 3 hrs. in between smokes. On my last bowl full I noticed that the white finish was starting to bubble and crack on the right side. What a disappointment, as it smoked great.
This afternoon I called customer service and spoke with a woman, and told her the problem. She said to me "well sir, you're supposed to smoke a bowl and let it rest for 24 hrs. before smoking it again."
I told her that was only a recommendation some pipe smokers followed. I didn't know it was company policy. She then went to talk with her supervisor. She came back and said " what I told you is correct, but on that pipe we will allow one exchange. If it happens again, it's on you.
I told her that the finish should last for years, not just a few smokes. I asked if that was their policy on pipes sold by them. She said "yes sir. It's not what it was 10-20 years ago. We will exchange it this time.
I asked her if I could get a refund instead, since I didn't want another pipe that would probably blister up like this one did, and she said "No. It's already been smoked. You can only exchange it."
I then told her that it was the last time I will be buying a pipe, or anything else from them, and ended the conversation.
Were any of you aware of this policy of Pipes and Cigars? If you smoke a pipe you bought from them, and it's defective, you can only exchange it. And only one time? Oh yeah, and that you MUST let it rest 24 hrs. in between smokes?
Received it yesterday and smoked several bowls in it. I guess it rested maybe 2 or 3 hrs. in between smokes. On my last bowl full I noticed that the white finish was starting to bubble and crack on the right side. What a disappointment, as it smoked great.
This afternoon I called customer service and spoke with a woman, and told her the problem. She said to me "well sir, you're supposed to smoke a bowl and let it rest for 24 hrs. before smoking it again."
I told her that was only a recommendation some pipe smokers followed. I didn't know it was company policy. She then went to talk with her supervisor. She came back and said " what I told you is correct, but on that pipe we will allow one exchange. If it happens again, it's on you.
I told her that the finish should last for years, not just a few smokes. I asked if that was their policy on pipes sold by them. She said "yes sir. It's not what it was 10-20 years ago. We will exchange it this time.
I asked her if I could get a refund instead, since I didn't want another pipe that would probably blister up like this one did, and she said "No. It's already been smoked. You can only exchange it."
I then told her that it was the last time I will be buying a pipe, or anything else from them, and ended the conversation.
Were any of you aware of this policy of Pipes and Cigars? If you smoke a pipe you bought from them, and it's defective, you can only exchange it. And only one time? Oh yeah, and that you MUST let it rest 24 hrs. in between smokes?