New Pipe From Storient

I've just returned from some travels and found a nice little envelope from fedex waiting for me. Upon tearing open the package, I found a black velvet case. I was expecting the more traditional pipe shaped hard case, but this was more interesting looking.

Inside was the pipe, which I guess is a bent apple shape. It's my favourite pipe shape, but not so much for the look, it's that I've never had a pipe shaped like this that didn't smoke exceptionally well.

This was no exception to my rule and I have lucked out again. I have a rather large figure meerschaum that is a very ornate eagle claw from I. Baglan, and it smokes very well, but it's not the kind of piece that I'd be inclined to travel with. This one from Storient, on the other hand, is smaller in size, but still big enough to resemble a medium sized pipe with a medium bowl. It's perfect, from what I can see, and the meerschaum has been polished to a glass like finish. If you look carefully, you can see the grain of the meerschaum that looks as though it is just beneath the surface of the polished finish. It should turn out to be an interesting mottled colour, by the look of things so far.

The engineering of the pipe, as others have experienced, is perfect and it produces an amazingly cool, dry smoke with the added benefit of incredible flavour from the tobacco. I still can't believe how much flavour comes out of a meerschaum, and now with this handy size, I've completely neglected my briars. Sometime soon, I might just put my collection of dunhill's on the market and go with these two from now on. People go on and on about the quality of a Dunhill, and I agree that they are well made, but I find myself admiring a well made meerschaum far more. I know a lot of people might want to freak out when reading about someone shrugging their shoulders at a Dunhill, but I have to say that these two outperform the several Dunhill's I have enjoyed, without question.

That's saying quite a lot about the quality of this pipe, but it's the truth from my experience so far.

I'd say again, for anyone new, that if you're having troubles with keeping a sweet pipe and are perhaps missing out on some of the flavours that other people rave about in their tobacco, I would recommend giving a quality meerschaum pipe a go and see if it can't fix things. I am very meticulous in the cleaning of my briars, so there has only been the rare fouled up, rancid smoke, but nothing seems to compare to what is happening with the meerschaum. I pulled out a nice pipe I have after a month's rest, and while the smoke was good, sweet, and dry, I dumped out half a bowl and packed this new pipe from Storient again.

Everyone will have something different to say, and those committed exclusively to the briar have found something that works for them. My only recommendation is that you try a well made meerschaum and see if there's any difference. If the budget isn't ready for one of the master carvers or one from Storient, perhaps some options are available to get a lower priced pipe. I've not heard much from anyone smoking the $40 meerschaum specials that you see, but my hunch is that they're probably just the same, or pretty damn close anyway.

Storient offered to have a custom pipe carved, with my own design, and by a master carver for a reasonable price. Cheaper than most Dunhill's you'll ever come across. It could be a little bit like getting a tattoo, only a little less permanent I guess. I think I'll sell off a couple of my boutique briars and trade em' in for some custom made pieces from these guys.

That's it. Two for two and my mind has been made up! Well done pipe, very good smoke, and good service.

Yeah, it's a nice pipe. I feel the urge to say thanks, but as I did nothing but place an order and wait, I'll just agree that it's a good looking pipe. Nice smoker too, which is ideal. I have no idea who carved it, but whoever did the job did it well as the proportions and alignment are pretty much spot on.

I like the clean look of it too. It's very different from the figure pipe I have, but I like both of them equally. I pull out the eagle claw when I'm feeling dramatic and stationary while this one will slip nicely into my pocket for when I'm on the move. This is what I tell my wife, anyway, when she looks at me sideways as I acquire another pipe by post. And that they cost $40...

I recommend Storient. Just read the print about how long it takes to make if you are getting a custom pipe or one from their catalogue; you'll have to wait for it. I saw that they now have a note advising of 45 days if it is from the catalogue. This is pretty accurate from my purchase, which was from the catalogue. I just didn't know it at the time and expected a time line of around 15 days, which was the previous quote.

BUT... timing glitch aside, this was a pipe worth waiting for and Yavuz is a pleasant person to deal with. He responded to questions, was fair, and when it shipped, it was super fast and well packed. It's hard to go wrong with them, by the sound of what other people say about the company and my own experience with them as well.

Here's a picture of my other pipe, which was carved by I. Baglan. Storient can also get you a pipe from this guy, who seems to be a pretty good carver. I didn't know much about him before buying this pipe, but after getting it and searching out more of his work, I'm pretty impressed with his skills.

The 'bone' stem on my pipe is a lucite stem. It looks much, much better than in the picture. I've never had a pipe with this colour of stem before, but now that I've seen one in person, I would like some of my other pipes to have the same colour stem. It's very intriguing and subtle looking. I hope to maintain it well so that it keeps the look, but so far I prefer it to the solid black and the amber swirl pipe stems that I have. Maybe it's just because it's a new acquisition, but I quite like the stem and recommend you give it a try.

I guess you missed it in the long rambling post. It's a lucite stem. Wikipedia says it's a Poly(methyl methacrylate). Also known as Plexiglass, Perspex, Oroglas, and some other names. It was intended to be a shatter resistant alternative to glass.

But, that's wikipedia... It is not bone, it just imitates bone.