Charatan or Dunhill?

[smokeymo]

I feel like most folks either prefer one or the other. Are you team Charatan or team Dunhill? Why?

I have a decent collection of both, but I find myself reaching for Charatans more often. They seem to smoke cooler and fit in the hand a little better.

 

[mso489]

Some days I'm on team Ferndown, and other days I'm on team Ser Jacopo, for up-market. Some days I'm on team Dr. Grabow, and others on team Kaywoodie, for classic U.S. factory pipes. I don't know those other brands you mention.

 

[sablebrush52]

Both Charatan and Dunhill made great pipes. My late father-in-law was a serious Dunhill collector, with over 900 specimen from all eras, very rare pieces, all kept in fitted drawers. At the time I smoked primarily Dunhill pipes.

I got curious about Charatan and bought a few. My father-in-law got curious and borrowed them off me. I didn't get them back until after he passed, he loved them too much to give them back.

But both of these went away when I tried my first Barling. This was a pipe that delivered more flavor from the blends I was smoking, than any Dunhill I had and the bit was more comfortable that my Charatans.

A couple of top tier Dunhill dealers I knew, who smoked Barlings for their personal use, quite independently put it to me this way, Dunhill focused on passable wood with superb stemwork, Charatan focused on superb wood with passable stemwork, and Barling focused of superb everything. With more than a century of combined experience between them, who was I to argue?

So I'd have to go with the winning team, Team Barling.

 

[smokeymo]

Both Charatan and Dunhill made great pipes. My late father-in-law was a serious Dunhill collector, with over 900 specimen from all eras, very rare pieces, all kept in fitted drawers. At the time I smoked primarily Dunhill pipes.

I got curious about Charatan and bought a few. My father-in-law got curious and borrowed them off me. I didn't get them back until after he passed, he loved them too much to give them back.

But both of these went away when I tried my first Barling. This was a pipe that delivered more flavor from the blends I was smoking, than any Dunhill I had and the bit was more comfortable that my Charatans.

A couple of top tier Dunhill dealers I knew, who smoked Barlings for their personal use, quite independently put it to me this way, Dunhill focused on passable wood with superb stemwork, Charatan focused on superb wood with passable stemwork, and Barling focused of superb everything. With more than a century of combined experience between them, who was I to argue?

So I'd have to go with the winning team, Team Barling.

Sadly I only have a few of Barling's pipes. I always carry one with me in my travel bag though. Great little tasting pipe.

 

[mso489]

All the Barlings I see are post transition, which may not be so good ?? I think you have to ante up largely for the older pipes.

 

[paulfg]

I think value for money Charatan's win hands down you can pick up lane era pipes at much less than equivalent Dunhill's.
They smoke better as well

 

[kcghost]

I'll vote with the world and go with Dunhill.

 

[daveinlax]

I have lots of experience with both and Dunhill is my pick without a second thought!

 

[cigrmaster]

I have owned Dunhill, Charatan, Pre Transitionn Barlings,Ferndown and AAA Willmer Straight Grains over the years. I am no expert and don't claim to be just a guy who collected some pipes. For my tastes the Barlings had the best stems and they smoked the best. As far as the best wood, no one beat Willmer., but their stems sucked and their consistency wasn't great. Of all the British pipes I have owned over the last 20 plus years, I have only one left and I won't be selling it. It is a 1966 LB Billiard. The blast is nothing special but the shape to my eye is a great shape.

If I ever run a cross a 1957 or 1956 Dunhill I will buy them if I like them. I have passed on plenty over the years.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Charatan for better drilling but my favorite English pipes are GBD.

 

[telescopes]

I have both and they both smoke well. They also smoke differently. I use my Dunhill pipes for shorter smokes and the Charatan when I have more time. I wouldn’t choose between them other than to say only what Jefferson said on his death bed, “Dunhill Survives!”

 

[sandollars]

I like my Charatan's and I like my Dunhills. In my book it's Dunhill by 3 hairs..

 

[LotusEater]

Charatan for better drilling but my favorite English pipes are GBD.

What he said^^^

 

[jcsoldit]

I love the look of older (50's & early 60's) Dunhill, but I prefer the smoking quality of Charatan pipes.

 

[peregrinus]

Dunhill focused on passable wood with superb stemwork, Charatan focused on superb wood with passable stemwork,

There is truth here based on my personal experience. Charaton’s atrocious double-comfort bits and Dunhills with nice grain are nearly cliches.
Still…
I love the look of the Charatan Supremes that I have, they are beautiful, alluring and they promise much, but I prefer the daily smoking characteristics of the early Dunhill Shells, which promise less and deliver more.

 

[ssjones]

Dunhill for me - the stemwork. I like my vulcanite stems to be a little "clicky". The Charatan stems are soft, and I just can't unseen those DC stems (my lone Charatan is not a DC stem). I just smoked my '61 Dunhill this evening, my birthyear pipe, on my birthday, a great smoke

 

[OzPiper]

Reuben-era Charatans and Dunhills generally.

I like pipes with "classic" profiles and have no love for some of the later "Lane" era Charatans - those overgrown, misshapened monstrosities with the weird, stepped "double-comfort" stems.

Mind you, Dunhill has issued some clunkers in their time. And I dislike their freehand Danish pipes.

Just means that there is one less person scrabbling to score those "gems" on EBay

 

[OzPiper]

Dunhill for me - the stemwork. I like my vulcanite stems to be a little "clicky". The Charatan stems are soft, and I just can't unseen those DC stems (my lone Charatan is not a DC stem). I just smoked my '61 Dunhill this evening, my birthyear pipe, on my birthday, a great smoke

Al,
A Very Happy Birthday and wishing you Many Enjoyable Smokes
Best Regards
Ray

 

[Bax Burley]

I'll tell you if I ever pop for either one of them! But I have a Mounbatten and a Hardcastle, so a Charatan second and a tangentially pre-1967 Dunhill owned pipe (but not exactly a second). Both smoke...equally excellent.

 

[jpmcwjr]

I have some fine Charatans and Dunhills as well as Barlings, GBD, BBB, Comoys, Savinellis, and others among my Britwood, so no single team allegiance for me.