Ebay Dunhill Disappointment

[damacene]

I recently won a Dunhill Group 4 Tanshell from the 60s. In the listing the seller said the pipe was in mint condition, but I could tell there was a little oxidation on the stem. I messaged the seller and he said it was barely noticable. The pipe arrived today and there's a lot more oxidation than expected, also the stem comes off of the shank very easily...not like a normal Dunhill. To top it all off the pipe reeks of lane 1Q or Captain Black. Definitely not what I had in mind when purchasing this pipe. Should I try to send it back or am I making a big deal out of nothing?

 

[Scottmi]

I recently won a Dunhill Group 4 Tanshell from the 60s. In the listing the seller said the pipe was in mint condition, but I could tell there was a little oxidation on the stem. I messaged the seller and he said it was barely noticable. The pipe arrived today and there's a lot more oxidation than expected, also the stem comes off of the shank very easily...not like a normal Dunhill. To top it all off the pipe reeks of lane 1Q or Captain Black. Definitely not what I had in mind when purchasing this pipe. Should I try to send it back or am I making a big deal out of nothing?

if you are not satisfied at the price you paid, send it back, if you can.

 

[AroEnglish]

Send it back for sure.

 

[wilblee]

Too many nice Dunhills out there to settle for one that isn’t.

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

Not sure why you are asking - if the seller has a return policy that allows it to be sent back, I'd assume you have done it, if not, you're stuck?

 

[damacene]

The seller doesn't accept returns but it is covered by eBay money back guarantee. Should I message the seller or just go through eBay? I'm hoping the guy didn't know what he was doing by putting "light use" when the thing is saturated with lane IQ topping.

 

[damacene]

I'm asking because I really don't buy pipes on eBay often. The couple times I have, they were pretty much perfect and as described.whats the proper pipe guy etiquette in this situation?

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

The seller doesn't accept returns but it is covered by eBay money back guarantee. Should I message the seller or just go through eBay? I'm hoping the guy didn't know what he was doing by putting "light use" when the thing is saturated with lane IQ topping.

Aha! Hopefully someone chimes in with experience on that particular angle. My only $.02 is follow eBay's procedures (which may include you contacting the seller, but likely via eBay, for example). I don't think "etiquette" comes into it and the seller may not even be a "pipe guy" - if it didn't live up to the representations and eBay allows a return for that reason I'd sure pursue it.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Ask for a partial refund, keep the pipe and send it to a reputable repair shop

 

[Kobold]

Keep it if you got a crazy good deal, otherwise I would send it back. Doesn’t matter if he says he won’t accept returns eBay will make him.

 

[Chasing Embers]

also the stem comes off of the shank very easily..

Probably difference of ambient humidity. Smoking it should tighten it up.

I recently won a Dunhill Group 4 Tanshell from the 60s. To top it all off the pipe reeks of lane 1Q or Captain Black.

Considering the size, not surprising. Larger chambers are perfect for aromatics.

Just sounds like it needs some cleaning and smoking.

 

[The Libertine]

A deep clean should fix the problem. If it was a great deal I would keep it.

 

[BrightDarkEyes]

If you paid a lot of money for it, try to send it back.

If it was a great deal, see if you can have it restored.

@Chasing Embers is probably right about it needing to be smoked to tighten up the stem. One of my pipes sat unused for about five years and when I went to pick it up the stem came right off. I smoked it a few times and it was back to normal.

 

[khiddy]

Technically, on eBay there is no "mint condition" for physical items, there's only "New" and "Used." But you may have grounds to invoke the eBay money-back guarantee if the description hid the fact that the pipe was heavily ghosted and the stem was loose. I agree with @HawkeyeLinus here: there's no "etiquette" question involved, it is a question of potential false representation in the listing.

 

[xrundog]

If the seller has a return option, and you can’t deal with it, by all means contact the seller and return it.
But what you describe is common on eBay. Including the hyperbole. Photos mean more than the description. To me, good condition for an unrestored 60 year old pipe means a good rim and unchewed stem. I expect soot, oxidation, cake and ghosting. Unless you’re buying from an avowed pipe restorer, you will probably get a pipe with all of that. Used Dunhills are overpriced. That’s the market. If you paid under $200 and the pipe needs restoration, that’s pretty normal for a Dunhill.
Maybe eBay pipes aren’t for you. Buy instead from a reputable estate dealer.

 

[damacene]

I spent $290 including tax and shipping, which is pretty decent/fair from what I've seen with most listings. The blast is beautiful and the coloring of the tanshell is very nice. I'm going to meditate on it for a day before I contact the seller.

@Chasing Embers It may be worth just trying to clean it up and run a bunch of burley or latakia through it to get rid of the lane ghost. Especially if the stem tightens up. I'm still kinda new buying estates, the other Tanshells I've bought were pretty much perfect so this one threw me off guard.

 

[damacene]

I appreciate everyone's advice, as stated above I'm not very experienced with estate buys on ebay. All of my other dunhills were purchased from reputable dealers, or my white spots I bought new from Europe.

 

[Chasing Embers]

if the stem tightens up

If smoking doesn't straighten it out, give this a go.

 

[xrundog]

I spent $290 including tax and shipping, which is pretty decent/fair from what I've seen with most listings. The blast is beautiful and the coloring of the tanshell is very nice. I'm going to meditate on it for a day before I contact the seller.

@Chasing Embers It may be worth just trying to clean it up and run a bunch of burley or latakia through it to get rid of the lane ghost. Especially if the stem tightens up. I'm still kinda new buying estates, the other Tanshells I've bought were pretty much perfect so this one threw me off guard.

Well, if you can get a good pipe out of it, that is not a horrible deal. Especially if it is a pipe you really like and want. There are lots of different fixes for the problems you describe in the Restoration and Maintenance section. Or you could spend a little more money and have a pro do a job you will likely be really satisfied with.

 

[georged]

I recently won a Dunhill Group 4 Tanshell from the 60s. In the listing the seller said the pipe was in mint condition, but I could tell there was a little oxidation on the stem. I messaged the seller and he said it was barely noticable. The pipe arrived today and there's a lot more oxidation than expected, also the stem comes off of the shank very easily...not like a normal Dunhill. To top it all off the pipe reeks of lane 1Q or Captain Black. Definitely not what I had in mind when purchasing this pipe. Should I try to send it back or am I making a big deal out of nothing?

How deep the green (oxidation) goes will determine if you can get back to black without reducing the stem's dimensions an unacceptable amount.

The stem coming off easily might mean nothing that isn't easy to set right, but also might mean the shank is cracked. Tanshells hide 'em pretty well for color reasons. The test: Remove the stem and touch the flat end of the shank with a bit of water, then gently blow on it while watching. If a dark radial line remains for a few seconds after the rest of the shank face has returned to its normal color, you have a crack.

The reeky smell thing is no biggie: Fill the chamber with activated charcoal and then fill again with alcohol (use an eyedropper). Wait overnight and pour out the now-dry charcoal granules. Give it a smell. Repeat until the stink is gone. (I've never known it to take more than twice)