OK, this guy is a piece of work. "Won" this auction and based on the description sounded like a nice pipe. I have 2 alligators in brown. You can see a little of the natural wood so went with his description as I have not seen any of the green, blue or red stained alligators in person and his desription makes the pipe sound like its in really great shape. Well the pipe us a turd and the reason you can see so much great wood is because the shellac stain has worn thin in areas or flaked off. The seller being the tool he is refuses to take a return and issue refund. I am fairly confident I will prevail with the ebay resolution people. Just does not seem like all the headache is needed. Below is the back and forth between us.
Hey there, sorry to bother you but the pipe is no exactly as described, you described the coloring as "They are able to stain the pipe blue yet have some areas where the natural color of the wood comes through. In person it is absolutely stunning". I have 2 other alligators but they are both brown and mey hide wear better. I dont know but the pipe you sent, its not the natural color coming through. It where the shelac cand stain have come off. Its easy to see the difference, the top smooth part next to the stem has the brown wood showing through but the same area n the bottom still has the shelac and stain in good shape. Basically the finish is just worn out in places. I hoped from your description it was really nice. Its not. I could possibly refinish it but do not have shelac nor the blue stain. It will easily run $30 for that stuff + my time. If oyu want to knock $30 off I wil deal with it, if not I would l9ke to return it and feel that shipping both ways should be refunded as the item is not as described and I purchased it based on your description.
Rob
Seller's message:
"I am sorry that you don't like the pipe. However, it is EXACTLY as I stated in the auction. Not to mention that I provided many pictures of the pipe to show the coloration. Note, I ran a cigar store that sold quite a few of these pipes and this pipe is in no way damaged, worn or disused. It is exactly as Savinelli intended them to be which is exactly as I explained it in the auction. If you wish, I can get in touch with the Savinelli rep in our area and have them provide the information about it. Being that the item is exactly as described, intended by manufacturer and by the pictures included in the auction I will not issue a refund.
Your message to the seller:
"That is the worst part that you were in the business for a while and should know what the pipe hould look like. From the photos I could not tell exactly what the condition was. The shellac stain is flaking off in parts. The parts where you can see the wood grain the shelac stain either wore trough or is just flaking off. Here is a Savinelli pic of hoe it should look.
Seller's message:
" It takes about 5 seconds to perform a google search to see that all of the alligator pipes are made to be exactly as I stated. Your requests are ridiculous and there is absolutely no "flaking" of the shellac as I thoroughly inspected the pipe as well as documented the condition of the pipe with the pictures in the auction. I provided extremely high-res pics in the auction which unless you used a cell phone to look at you could see EXACTLY as the pipe is. I will not be paying shipping and ebay fees because you have strange hangup about your purchase. Again, the pipe is exactly as pictured, designed by manufacturer AND explained in my auction."
Your message to the seller:
"Yes you are correct, takes about 5 seconds and I posted some more and in none of them is the wood grain showing through to the extent that your pipe does. AND ys it is flaking off, I was trying to remove what I thought was just dirt but it was the shellac stain lifting up. The pipe itself is solid. Its the finish that took a beating. You even see it in the pics, the bottom next to the stem is solid blue, the top part the grain is going through. I just thought it was lighting that was off. But its not and did not realise it until I saw it in person. You are making a easy transaction difficult. Refer to your photos showing it is worn through in places and not in the exat opposite place on the other side.
Your message to the seller:
"You have not responded to my last message. The pictures I uploaded show pipes with uniform stain. On the 18th I will escalate this to ebay customer service if you will not take a return."
Seller's message:
"Being that you have admitted to rubbing off part of the finish in a previous msg to me. I will not be taking the item back as you have devalued it by doing so. I will go ahead and escalate the case to ebay."
Seller's message:
"I've included the pictures that were directly from the auction. "
Your message to the seller:
"The pipe was already flaking, I was trying to clean it up and buff with a hard carnuba wax. I have restored many pipes and not had any issues with the finish flaking off. Pictures 1-5 show how the pipe should look with uniform color and no spots worn through. Pictures 12-14 are of a pipe I recd. a few days ago. Its not real pretty. Pictures 15-20 are after restoration. Its not perfect as I do not have shellac to fill in the scratches but otherwise the pipe is solid. Your pipe came to me with a bad finish as can be seen in your photos and in my photos 6-11. I should be able to clean and buff a pipe without the shellac stain coming off. Unfortunatly the finish on your pipe is in such poor shape it need to be refinished completly, I do not have blue stain nor shellac to do this and it would cost me $30-$40 in materials and shipping to do it. You can not get the correct shellac at lowes or home depot. At shellac.net the platina shellac flakes are $12 for 4oz CONT.................. "...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................
"A pint of 190 proof denatured alcohol is 8.00, the fiebings dye is about $7. once you add in tax and shipping you are over $30. I do not have and of those materials as I have not had a pipe in such poor condistion that I would have to completly refinish it. Again I was not sure if the lighting was throwing off the the finish and went with you description of the pipe "This pipe has been extremely well cared for". "This pipe was my favorite because of the unusually beautiful color. They are able to stain the pipe blue yet have some areas where the natural color of the wood comes through. In person it is absolutely stunning". Sorry but the above is not correct. I went with you description of how nice it was when in fact the fisnih was worn through in multiple area. pecifically looking and the top by the stem it is worn through and looking at the same are on the bottom is solid blue. You over sold the pipe and I went with what you said."
Hey there, sorry to bother you but the pipe is no exactly as described, you described the coloring as "They are able to stain the pipe blue yet have some areas where the natural color of the wood comes through. In person it is absolutely stunning". I have 2 other alligators but they are both brown and mey hide wear better. I dont know but the pipe you sent, its not the natural color coming through. It where the shelac cand stain have come off. Its easy to see the difference, the top smooth part next to the stem has the brown wood showing through but the same area n the bottom still has the shelac and stain in good shape. Basically the finish is just worn out in places. I hoped from your description it was really nice. Its not. I could possibly refinish it but do not have shelac nor the blue stain. It will easily run $30 for that stuff + my time. If oyu want to knock $30 off I wil deal with it, if not I would l9ke to return it and feel that shipping both ways should be refunded as the item is not as described and I purchased it based on your description.
Rob
Seller's message:
"I am sorry that you don't like the pipe. However, it is EXACTLY as I stated in the auction. Not to mention that I provided many pictures of the pipe to show the coloration. Note, I ran a cigar store that sold quite a few of these pipes and this pipe is in no way damaged, worn or disused. It is exactly as Savinelli intended them to be which is exactly as I explained it in the auction. If you wish, I can get in touch with the Savinelli rep in our area and have them provide the information about it. Being that the item is exactly as described, intended by manufacturer and by the pictures included in the auction I will not issue a refund.
Your message to the seller:
"That is the worst part that you were in the business for a while and should know what the pipe hould look like. From the photos I could not tell exactly what the condition was. The shellac stain is flaking off in parts. The parts where you can see the wood grain the shelac stain either wore trough or is just flaking off. Here is a Savinelli pic of hoe it should look.
Seller's message:
" It takes about 5 seconds to perform a google search to see that all of the alligator pipes are made to be exactly as I stated. Your requests are ridiculous and there is absolutely no "flaking" of the shellac as I thoroughly inspected the pipe as well as documented the condition of the pipe with the pictures in the auction. I provided extremely high-res pics in the auction which unless you used a cell phone to look at you could see EXACTLY as the pipe is. I will not be paying shipping and ebay fees because you have strange hangup about your purchase. Again, the pipe is exactly as pictured, designed by manufacturer AND explained in my auction."
Your message to the seller:
"Yes you are correct, takes about 5 seconds and I posted some more and in none of them is the wood grain showing through to the extent that your pipe does. AND ys it is flaking off, I was trying to remove what I thought was just dirt but it was the shellac stain lifting up. The pipe itself is solid. Its the finish that took a beating. You even see it in the pics, the bottom next to the stem is solid blue, the top part the grain is going through. I just thought it was lighting that was off. But its not and did not realise it until I saw it in person. You are making a easy transaction difficult. Refer to your photos showing it is worn through in places and not in the exat opposite place on the other side.
Your message to the seller:
"You have not responded to my last message. The pictures I uploaded show pipes with uniform stain. On the 18th I will escalate this to ebay customer service if you will not take a return."
Seller's message:
"Being that you have admitted to rubbing off part of the finish in a previous msg to me. I will not be taking the item back as you have devalued it by doing so. I will go ahead and escalate the case to ebay."
Seller's message:
"I've included the pictures that were directly from the auction. "
Your message to the seller:
"The pipe was already flaking, I was trying to clean it up and buff with a hard carnuba wax. I have restored many pipes and not had any issues with the finish flaking off. Pictures 1-5 show how the pipe should look with uniform color and no spots worn through. Pictures 12-14 are of a pipe I recd. a few days ago. Its not real pretty. Pictures 15-20 are after restoration. Its not perfect as I do not have shellac to fill in the scratches but otherwise the pipe is solid. Your pipe came to me with a bad finish as can be seen in your photos and in my photos 6-11. I should be able to clean and buff a pipe without the shellac stain coming off. Unfortunatly the finish on your pipe is in such poor shape it need to be refinished completly, I do not have blue stain nor shellac to do this and it would cost me $30-$40 in materials and shipping to do it. You can not get the correct shellac at lowes or home depot. At shellac.net the platina shellac flakes are $12 for 4oz CONT.................. "...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................
"A pint of 190 proof denatured alcohol is 8.00, the fiebings dye is about $7. once you add in tax and shipping you are over $30. I do not have and of those materials as I have not had a pipe in such poor condistion that I would have to completly refinish it. Again I was not sure if the lighting was throwing off the the finish and went with you description of the pipe "This pipe has been extremely well cared for". "This pipe was my favorite because of the unusually beautiful color. They are able to stain the pipe blue yet have some areas where the natural color of the wood comes through. In person it is absolutely stunning". Sorry but the above is not correct. I went with you description of how nice it was when in fact the fisnih was worn through in multiple area. pecifically looking and the top by the stem it is worn through and looking at the same are on the bottom is solid blue. You over sold the pipe and I went with what you said."
