Butz-Choquin Owners

[brass]

I've seen a lot of nice BC designs at very reasonable prices. I'd be interested in hearing from members who own BCs. Are they engineered and drilled well? Smoke well? Any problems?
Pictures would be much appreciated.
Pa

 

[michaelmirza]

I have one and it smokes like a champ. Can't post a picture right now but it's one of my next smokers. I'm eyeing another.

 

[twangthang]

I own 2 Butz Coquins and both are really good smokers.

Would highly reccomend them.

 

[janosh]

I have one from the generosity of a forum member here. I'm loving it, it's a great smoker!

 

[michaelmirza]

Haha. He said butts.

 

[brass]

I'm looking at the Calabash below. Haven't seen one other than pics. I just learned that the rim and shank extension are acrylic and I have some concern those parts might look like plastic.

 

[brudnod]

I have exactly the same pipe that Janosh shows off and 3 others. ALL smoke well, do not gurgle and stay lit reliably. The pick ax I own is one of my favorite smokers and in my regular rotation. And, as you surmise, they come at a reasonable price.

 

[papipeguy]

I also have 2 BC's and enjoy them often. No issues as far as my experience goes and good values for the money.

 

[mso489]

I have two BC's. Like most French pipes, they are carefully made, durable, well designed along traditional lines, and smoke very well indeed. They often are well beyond their price point in quality. Remember, the use of briar historically began in St. Claude, France, and the pipe making community in France has rigorous standards. BC, Chacom, Comoy, Chapuis-Comoy, Ropp, Sabastian Beo, Vuilliard, Genod, EWA -- and other French makes, all trustworthy brands. Then just to top it off, many of the beloved traditional shapes associated with English pipes originated in France, plus France has its own array of distinctively French shapes. So, take it from there. Highly recommended.

 

[griffonwing]

Here is mine. It's a BC Calabash. The only thing that it has smoked since I purchased it has been McClelland Christmas Cheer. It has a tapered chamber, so I had to learn to pack it correctly, but man is she a beautiful smoker. I get this out in the colder winter months with about half a tin of the previous year's blend.

 

[captainprophesy]

I have one that Ive had close to 15 years... it a fantastic cool smoker and cleaner runs right trough without any problems.

 

[andrew]

My favorite pipe is my Butz Choquim full bent plus I have a versailles by them which I really like too. They're great smokers, well made, can't say anything bad about them.

 

[newbroom]

When I first started acquiring estate pipes during my first year of pipe smoking I got this one. A Gigante', but I haven't smoked it.

 

[bungee]

I own the four shown in the pics. They are all vintage. Quality of wood is perfect and th eworkmanship is flawless.

All very good smokers.

1. Sweet

2. Galion

3. Capitan (restored as ir was mangled by my father's dogs)

4. Capitan (restored as ir was mangled by my father's dogs)
Cheers,
J

 

[vink]

I've seem some estate BC near my place and never bought them because they got some metal inserts inside. Are all their pipes like that?

 

[bungee]

@Vink, they are called stingers and they can be very easily removed. You just pull them out of the stem and that's it.

On some french pipes it may be screwed to a thread on the stem, but very easy to remove also.
I smoke the two Capitans with the stinger on. The other two are now stinger-less.
Cheers,
J

 

[vink]

So I guess I need to buy them now...

 

[bungee]

Sounds like a plan to me.
Supposedly older BC's are way better than their modern counterpart.

The vintage ones I posted were my father's and I got them unsmoked. They all have become very nice smokers and I smoke them rather frequently.

Based on this experience I acquired two of their modern 9mm pipes. A Stratos and a Thriller (around $70 new). They were very disappointing. The craftsmanship was lacking, and their smoking qualities very poor. They felt kind of "toyish" if you get my meaning
Several times and in different circles I have heard that this very old company used to make the stummel blanks for Dunhill. Aparently the quality was great and they made more money selling the blanks to Dunhill than putting a finished pipe on the market.

Before I get jumped by the Dunhill experts: I was never able to confirm this from any reputable source.
Cheers,
J

 

[mso489]

During the Peterson Dracula pipe crazy, I liked the concept of a black rusticated briar with a red stem, but not the Pete stem color, so I found instead a BC bent billiard Caprice 1304, with a raspberry stem and thin silver-tone band, at about $30 less than the Dracula. I'm having some GLP Westminster in it right now. It's my non-Drac pipe, and suits me well. I think the Caprice is still being offered as a new pipe.

 

[carbonmated]

I own 2 Butz-Choquin pipes. Both are great smokers, fit and finish is excellent with no flaws. They are relatively inexpensive and for my money a good value.