Chacom Pipes General Impressions?

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minerLuke

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jan 2, 2023
245
502
Vancouver BC
I have noticed that I've been spending some time looking at Chacom Pipes as of late. They seem to make pretty nice looking pipes at what seem like reasonable prices.

Do they smoke well compared to equivalent factories like Petes and Savinellis? Are they generally well drilled? How is their stem and button work?
 
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OzPiper

Lifer
Nov 30, 2020
6,100
33,047
71
Sydney, Australia
I have noticed that I've been spending some time looking at Chacom Pipes as of late. They seem to make pretty nice looking pipes at what seem like reasonable prices.

Do they smoke well compared to equivalent factories like Petes and Savinellis? Are they generally well drilled? How is their stem and button work?
The French started the briar pipe industry, so they had a head start on everyone else
Being Brit-centric, I have only a few French pipes.
But those that I have look and smoke as well as any other of my pipes (Brits, Danes, Italians)
 

anotherbob

Lifer
Mar 30, 2019
16,065
30,135
46
In the semi-rural NorthEastern USA
I have noticed that I've been spending some time looking at Chacom Pipes as of late. They seem to make pretty nice looking pipes at what seem like reasonable prices.

Do they smoke well compared to equivalent factories like Petes and Savinellis? Are they generally well drilled? How is their stem and button work?
I wish I knew how good the french pipes where earlier. Pretty much from my understanding all the French pipes you see regularly online are all good pipes. In fact most pipes for sale these days are going to be decent.
 

huntertrw

Lifer
Jul 23, 2014
5,410
6,030
The Lower Forty of Hill Country
I have two Chacom briar pipes, both estate pieces. The first is a Club (think Apple), shape number 163, and its workmanship and finish are excellent. It's a good smoker, too, and has a classic look.

The second is a Carat (a second line) with a Dublin shape and a honey-colored Lucite saddle bit. Its wood is pretty with flame-graining and there are no discernible fills. I loved the look of this pipe, but it was a terrible smoker. I wrote "...was..." After reading an article by Richard Newcombe titled Your pipes should have an easy draw, which appeared in the Fall 1997 issue of Pipes and Tobaccos magazine, I opened the boring in the shank and stem, and now this pipe smokes pleasingly. What a difference!
 

orvet

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jan 1, 2023
237
726
Willamette Valley of Oregon
I would describe myself as primarily a smoker of English pipes, predominantly Comoy and GBD, but I definitely have a place on my rack for about 10 or 12 Chacom pipes.
About half of those were purchased in the 1980s or early 1990s when I was still managing pipe stores. Two of my favorite are actually Chacom seconds which I believe cost me about $5 each. My favorite fishing pipes!
After a 20 year or so Hiatus from pipe smoking, I started smoking again at the beginning of this year. Having retained my pipe collection during my non-smoking years, I found my Chacom pipes to be very satisfying. As I succumbed to pipe lust I have had added five or six more Chacoms to my pipe racks, all estate pipes, one which was unsmoked.
(This reminds me, I need to crawl up in the attic and find another of my 12 pipe racks. I currently have rack space for 4 dozen pipes that are my daily smokers, and I have an unsmoked French GBD that should arrive in a day or two).

Most of you probably know that the Chapue and Comoy (sp) families, made both Chacom and Comoy pipes originally, or so I have been told. I have seen both names on a single pipe.
At one point I know Comoy moved their production to London. However, I am not sure if they moved their production exclusively to London or if they were still having some pipes made in France. Later on Comoy and GBD were both owned, I believe, by Cadogan. This may explain why I have had both Comoy and GBD pipes stamped FRANCE.

I am working off of memory here, something that is dangerous for me to do. If someone else knows the history, and relationship between these companies and where the pipes were made, please share it so we can all learn. Thank you.
 

NC TX ID pipeman

Part of the Furniture Now
Dec 25, 2021
565
1,225
North Carolina,Texas,Idaho
I only own one Chacom-996 chubby rhodesian(old comoy style)it is a great pipe..The only thing wrong with it is -it is too perfect and has a somewhat factory machine made feel because every20230729_233356_HDR.jpgthing fits great...mouthpiece is acrylic brown cumberland lookalike and wide open and it passes the pipecleaner...I hope after a years of using it it will get a handmade feel..