Hey All...Any one here ever hear of Altinok pipes? They make meerchaums. I am still looking for a "Van Cleef" style and haven't been pleased with past attempts with other companies to get one. Anyone ever deal with these folks? Were you pleased with service and pipes? I'd like to hear everyone's thoughts. Thanks fellas
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Pipes Magazine » General Pipe Smoking Discussion
Altinok Meerchaums...??
(18 posts)-
Posted 3 months ago #
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I've never delt with them , but have heard only good things about Altinok. Storient meerschaum makes a Van Cleef style pipe. Storient Van Cleef
As long as I got a pipe full of baccy and a nose full of snuff, I'm a happy camper
Cigarettes are an addiction, cigars are a hobby, pipes are a religionPosted 3 months ago # -
I have heard of them but have never bought from them.I can say that the storient LVC pipe is pretty sweet as I own one and it smokes and looks great.I have searched for a long time to find one and they are very rare.The pipe Storient offers is new and a great pipe.I have thought of getting the one from Altinok just to do a comparison but the Storient is great.
Posted 3 months ago # -
I just received a meerschaum cup or bowl from Altinok for my gourd calabash. They did a fine job! The cup was not in stock and it took a couple of weeks to carve it (they explain that on their website) but their in-stock pipes arrive quickly and are carved from high quality block meerschaum. It is amazing that stuff arrives more quickly from Turkey than it does from Canada!
“Apples for walking, and a pipe for sitting.”
― Samwise GamgeePosted 3 months ago # -
I have one. No comment.
Posted 3 months ago # -
I ordered a calabash from them for my son this past December. It took three weeks to get a pipe that was in stock and was supposedly shipped via air mail. I am willing to make allowance for the fact that the Ford Tri-Motor that probably carried my pipe and the half dozen others it could accommodate would have had to refuel in Istanbul, Sofia, Tirana, Sarajevo, Vienna, Berlin, Brussels and London before finally making it to Liverpool to get loaded on the cargo ship for the Atlantic crossing. Add a couple of pee breaks for the crew and an oil change, and three weeks via air mail doesn't seem quite so unreasonable.
It's not that I was in a great hurry to get the pipe, it's about wondering whether or not the pipe got lost along the way and how long I would have to wait for the vendor to send a replacement. Altinok did send tracking information, but it was useless. The day after I placed the order, the USPS tracking site indicated that the package had been received at the Turkish post. Then absolutely nothing in the way of updates until the day I received the pipe. Seriously. I did e-mail Altinok and received a very polite reply within hours, asking me to be patient.
Overall, the pipe is of good quality. However, I don't think I'll order from another offshore meer vendor because of some of the not-so-rare horror stories I've heard about delivery times from Turkey.
Since you have to die anyway, you might as well die from something you like.Posted 3 months ago # -
Before buying directly from turkey just see this :
http://www.puff.com/forums/vb/general-pipe-forum/305936-terrible-experience-altinok-pipes-2.html
and this is not the only example
and there are many more complaints by people who purchased pipes directly from turkey..
Don't want to say anything bad about turkish sellers but I see the complaints everywhereThere are really good online stores located who carry good meerschaum brands like pipesandcigars.com smokingpipes.com and pipes2smoke.com.You really dont have to deal with the turkish sellers directly.
If you really want to buy from turkey meerschaummarket seems to deliver very fast.
I am sure there are others here who bought a meer from them and they would agree with me.Also Baki pipes from Ural. I never heard anything bad about their customer service.They have good meerschaum pipes too.
Posted 3 months ago # -
My own experiences with Altinok have been positive, but I haven't ordered from them recently. I was always pleased with the quality of the meerschaum, and the customer service.
5 or 10 years ago, shipping speed was never a problem. Today, it might be a different story.
Baki pipes? I have five of them and they get smoked the most. In my opinion, Baki is pretty much the best.
Posted 3 months ago # -
It took three weeks to get a pipe that was in stock and was supposedly shipped via air mail.
Altinok did send tracking information, but it was useless. The day after I placed the order, the USPS tracking site indicated that the package had been received at the Turkish post. Then absolutely nothing in the way of updates until the day I received the pipe.
Three weeks is quite normal to get an overseas package and you are aware that it's USPS who has to update the tracking information right? Originating post can not update your tracking info once it's in US.If your package was sent with PTT (Turkish Postal Service [seems like it since you checked the tracking on USPS]) then you can check the dates and whatnot here if it's still in the system http://www.ptt.gov.tr/index.snet?wapp=internationalDeliveryTracking_tr
Posted 3 months ago # -
5 or 10 years ago, shipping speed was never a problem. Today, it might be a different story.
Jerry the problem is not about the speed of shipment only.
I never heard a single negative comment about pipesandsigars and smokingpipes.com or 4noggins.
It is best to Buy from larger scale American companies ..If you are not satisfied with their service you always have the customer rights.Futhermore, they are aware of this and they provide you the best service.Posted 3 months ago # -
Three weeks is quite normal to get an overseas package and you are aware that it's USPS who has to update the tracking information right? Originating post can not update your tracking info once it's in US.
Two things. Thing One: I indicated that the three week time frame wasn't as much of an issue as the lack of tracking information. How long should one have to wait before a claim is filed, and then how long afterward for the claim to be processed? Given what seems to be a "normal" delivery time, it could take months for a package to have been officially recognized as having gone missing, then who knows how long afterward to either get a replacement or a refund. I'm patient, but not that patient.Thing Two: Considering that the only tracking information that Altinok made available to me was through the USPS system, I somehow managed to figure out (with help, of course) that the USPS is the one to update the tracking. It matters little to me why tracking information was lacking, my experience was what it was: three weeks of silence, which wasn't acceptable to me and I'm just sharing my experience with others. Considering that I'm not going to pay what it would cost to ship with a carrier like FedEx or UPS who provide much better information, my choices are to either suck up the wait time or buy from a domestic supplier. I'll choose the latter in the future.
Posted 3 months ago # -
There is another thread going about bad service from Turkey.
I wouldn't discourage all overseas transactions. I received a Fedex from Al Pascia in Italy 33 hrs. after I clicked the order button!
I find myself sitting idly on the line dividing past and future,
as if I could kill time without injuring eternity. -- Thoreau
.Posted 3 months ago # -
Two things. Thing One: I indicated that the three week time frame wasn't as much of an issue as the lack of tracking information. How long should one have to wait before a claim is filed, and then how long afterward for the claim to be processed? Given what seems to be a "normal" delivery time, it could take months for a package to have been officially recognized as having gone missing, then who knows how long afterward to either get a replacement or a refund. I'm patient, but not that patient.
Yes it takes months to get a result when your package is lost.Thing Two: Considering that the only tracking information that Altinok made available to me was through the USPS system, I somehow managed to figure out (with help, of course) that the USPS is the one to update the tracking. It matters little to me why tracking information was lacking, my experience was what it was: three weeks of silence, which wasn't acceptable to me and I'm just sharing my experience with others. Considering that I'm not going to pay what it would cost to ship with a carrier like FedEx or UPS who provide much better information, my choices are to either suck up the wait time or buy from a domestic supplier. I'll choose the latter in the future.
And you are ready to post it under Altınok pipes when it's US Postal Service who didn't update tracking info or deliver your package on time.my experience was what it was
And your experience is pretty much irrelevant when it comes to pipes from Altınok but it's all about postal service in USA; lack of tracking information and the speed of the delivery.One other thing to consider is that you ordered the pipe in December which if I am not wrong is just not the right time to be using USPS.
Posted 3 months ago # -
I have the pleasure of owning five pipes from Mr Altinok's workshop. They were pruchased about five years ago. Wonderful smoking and looking pipes. Excellent craftsmanship. And the service was always excellent. If you send him an e-mail, I'm almost sure that you will get a very prompt and friendly answer. Greetings, MHB
Posted 3 months ago # -
I have an Altinook, took about two months before it was carved and shipped. Not a lot of communication along the way, but enough to not make me worry either. Basically, I got an email saying the order was in. I think it noted the pipe could take a few months. I got an email a month or two later saying it had shipped. I believe I did receive some only semi-useful tracking information and, a few weeks later, it arrived at my door. Great pipe, no complaints, just be aware of the situation you are getting into before ordering and, if something goes wrong with an order like that, it will definitely be more of an issue to resolve. If you aren’t ready or capable of dealing with that type of situation, I can’t recommend the Baki pipes, mentioned above, enough.
I don’t think any of the above are specific to Altinook. I also ordered the Storient PM pipe. Yavuz was far more communicative, but I still had issues. He kept saying the thing was about to ship, for about two months, and promised some freebies to those of us whose pipes had taken so long. Many people got them, I did not, but, in the end, I got the pipe I paid for and can’t complain. I think he’s an honest guy who probably tends to take on more than he can handle sometimes. I don’t think Altinook is out to defraud anyone either.
Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.
-C. S. Lewis, English essayist & juvenile novelist (1898 - 1963)Posted 3 months ago # -
just be aware of the situation you are getting into before ordering and, if something goes wrong with an order like that, it will definitely be more of an issue to resolve.
Well said, Brewshooter.
It's important to go in prepared. If waiting as long as 2-3 months or more and dealing with very possible communications issues are problematic and not something you want to have to deal with if it happens, it's a good idea to buy your meerschaum at a B&M, or from a reputable on line line vendor, such as one of our sponsors here.
Another great option is to plan to purchase the meerschaum at a pipe show.
Posted 3 months ago # -
I agree with rothn. Expect problems. If you do the transaction, use Paypal. Their guarantee works.
Posted 3 months ago # -
I agree with rothn. Expect problems. If you do the transaction, use Paypal. Their guarantee works.
+1
Posted 3 months ago #
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