@MontyTX Another vote for Ropp. I have several of their pipes both estate and new, and they have been consistently great. I would heartily recommend their Vintage line, which is a line of unfinished stummels from the 50-60s that they found in storage. They finish them and pair the stummel with genuine horn stems. They are vey affordable, and have classic shapes you don’t really see much anymore.
Chacom I have to give a small demerit to, their older pipes were phenomenal, but there was a slump with some pretty uninspiring designs and lacklustre quality for a chunk of time. I’ve heard people say things are better now, but the thing is, that old stock nobody wanted is still in plenty of shops, so... new Chacoms are strictly on a case by case basis for me. I’ve also found them quite a bit more expensive than Ropp, and frequently the pieces did not justify that, IMHO.
Winslow has terrific pipes, and specifically the Crown series offers great quality at a reasonable price. I had the opportunity to see and own several Crown series pipes and regardless of their grade they all feel built to a very high standard. I have also handled Winslow’s higher grades that cost multiples more than any Crown, and while I obviously see the difference in briar selection, shaping, etc. the Crown series is just as well-built, and just as good of a smoke. A slight downside to the Crown pipes is that they tend to be large heavy chunks of wood with large bowls, not everyone’s cup of tea. But if you like that sort of pipe, if there’s only one reccomendation I could give, I’d say look into Winslow.
I would also echo @OzPiper in not giving up on vintage Stanwell, there is a lot of value and quality to be had there. Of brands and options not mentioned I would take a look at Butz-Choquin, as they had a broad range of different models and are usually more affordable than Chacom, but generally of better quality. Sadly, they are no longer made but old stock is still in plenty stores. I would also look at Radice or Nording, the latter being in a similar state of closure but with plenty of stock remaining.
I have posted these images in different threads already, but here are some examples just for reference. I’ll just post a couple of pics, more can be found here or here.
First, a lovely Ropp Stout:
And a very nice Winslow Viking – the lowest grade Crown pipe:
Chacom I have to give a small demerit to, their older pipes were phenomenal, but there was a slump with some pretty uninspiring designs and lacklustre quality for a chunk of time. I’ve heard people say things are better now, but the thing is, that old stock nobody wanted is still in plenty of shops, so... new Chacoms are strictly on a case by case basis for me. I’ve also found them quite a bit more expensive than Ropp, and frequently the pieces did not justify that, IMHO.
Winslow has terrific pipes, and specifically the Crown series offers great quality at a reasonable price. I had the opportunity to see and own several Crown series pipes and regardless of their grade they all feel built to a very high standard. I have also handled Winslow’s higher grades that cost multiples more than any Crown, and while I obviously see the difference in briar selection, shaping, etc. the Crown series is just as well-built, and just as good of a smoke. A slight downside to the Crown pipes is that they tend to be large heavy chunks of wood with large bowls, not everyone’s cup of tea. But if you like that sort of pipe, if there’s only one reccomendation I could give, I’d say look into Winslow.
I would also echo @OzPiper in not giving up on vintage Stanwell, there is a lot of value and quality to be had there. Of brands and options not mentioned I would take a look at Butz-Choquin, as they had a broad range of different models and are usually more affordable than Chacom, but generally of better quality. Sadly, they are no longer made but old stock is still in plenty stores. I would also look at Radice or Nording, the latter being in a similar state of closure but with plenty of stock remaining.
I have posted these images in different threads already, but here are some examples just for reference. I’ll just post a couple of pics, more can be found here or here.
First, a lovely Ropp Stout:
And a very nice Winslow Viking – the lowest grade Crown pipe:
