The Pipe Trade Conundrum

[dixie]

I recently visited with a friend who shares my passion for pipe smoking and collecting. We have been trading and selling estate pipes to each other for about 3 years now. Most recently I traded an unsmoked estate pipe and 2 others for one fine Italian pipe. The next day I received an email regarding the pleasant smoke he had that morning from the unsmoked pipe, and how pleased he was with the trade. However, later that day I received a call from him that the unsmoked pipe was starting to darken prematurely in 2 areas and he was worried that this pipe was a bust. He requested that we negate the trade and we return the pipes to each other.
It was an unsmoked pipe and he looked at it closely (with a magnifying glass) prior to trading. I was not there when he smoked it, however, he is a seasoned smoker and I do not doubt he was breaking it in as it should be. Is it fair to ask me to trade back after he has smoked an unsmoked pipe? What would you do? I already made my decision but was curious how you all would respond in this situation.

 

[instymp]

Depends on how good of a friend he is & if you want to keep him as one.

 

[swhipple]

Since you state he is a friend I would negate the trade and take the loss in value that this now smoked pipe represents. This preserves the friendship and allows for other trades in the future. In any future trades I would clarify the return/undo policy in advance, perhaps even in writing, so you don't run into this situation again.
I would have the opposite opinion if the trade had happened with a random stranger. To me there is an understood rule in pipe buying that says "if you smoke it, you've bought it".

 

[pipesmokingtom]

If the relationship is important, the pipe isn't. Seems like two adults could come to an amicable solution in this sort of situation: maybe he sweetens the trade-back with a tin of tobacco, whatever.
If you were a shop (you're not, but let's play pretend), you would be expected to take the pipe back if it seemed to be defective...

 

[orobusto]

I'd be the bigger man and agree to undo the trade. That being said, I probably would not trade with him anymore. It was unsmoked, you didn't make it and you are not a retailer. Before I returned his pipe though, I'd find his least favorite tobacco and ghost it :D

 

[pipesmokingtom]

Before I returned his pipe though, I'd find his least favorite tobacco and ghost it

Mmmm.. passive aggressive friendships are the best kind

 

[jpmcwjr]

RE: Taking it back to the retailer hypothetical...



Not likely if it were an estate pipe of some worth! There might be exceptions, but I doubt many shops would take back the pipe at the price sold.

 

[sablebrush52]

+1 with all the above. A friendship is worth more than a pipe.
At least, most of the time.

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

Good friends are far more important than a chunk of wood with a piece of hard rubber stuck in it.

 

[troutface]

I posit that if he were a good friend he wouldn't be asking to negate the trade. He should well know that you are not a retailer with a company or artisan backing the pipe.

 

[drunkblowhard]

Yep. Relationships are worth more than any pipe.
That being said, I call bad form on your friend. A trade is a trade and a deal is a deal, especially among friends, in order to avoid this exact kind of thing. Be the bigger person for sure, but also rest assured that you are undoubtedly the bigger person, because asking to undo the trade is a lousy request that your friend should never have made.

 

[dixie]

All great advice. I did happen to agree to negate the trade and return the traded pipe.

 

[pipesmokingtom]

Solid move. As stated before, I'd think twice about trading again.
Unless he had something I really really wanted... :nana:

 

[pipesmokingtom]

Just out of interest, does it seem as if the pipe is in fact defective?

 

[mso489]

I'd undo the trade, but I'd have to step back certainly from any further trades (without a great deal of re-negotiation and caution, and possibly not at all). Also, I'd be skeptical of the friendship, simply on the basis of his not looking at undoing this trade from your point of view. You don't have to be touchy-feely to have enough empathy to know that maybe you should offer an out, or something in return, for undoing a deal. This may or may not be a good friend. Or this may just be a minor flaw, and you may want to forget about it. But it bears re-thinking. It sounds rather cheesy to me.

 

[dixie]

Pipesmokingtom, still yet to be seen. The unsmoked pipe was natural and unstained so coloration was to be expected. It does appear that 2 spots in particular started to color quickly but by no means was this a burn out. I plan to clean it and start to smoke it myself to see if coloring evens out over time.

 

[ssjones]

Sounds like you stood by your friend, good move.

 

[tbradsim1]

You done good Buddy, Friend not so much.

 

[pappymac]

You did what I did. Including smoking the pipe after he sent it back to you. There is probably nothing wrong with it, other than the way it has decided to color.

 

[bigpond]

You did the right thing. Your friend is an ass.