I’m near the endgame of my pipe collection and only want to get a 4 more pipes. Two of them are factory pipes. The other two are pipes that might be out there as factory pipes but I haven't found them yet. I know I could have them custom made but I don't know the pricing on something like that. I also did think that these two could be made from existing factory pipes if they were modified:
1. Stout Bent Billiard
I thought I found a pipe that would appropriately fit this description in the Savinelli La Corta Smooth (616 C):
The problem with this when I finally got it in hand was the stummel was too big for the stem or the other way around. It looked a little imbalanced and more like a fatty than a chubby. The bend in the stem was also a little too "sharp" (for lack of a better word) rather than being gradual. (I know I’m being pretty nitpick-y here but you have to understand I’m keeping my pipe collection to 10 or less.)
I also ordered a Peterson XL90 to see if that was stout enough for what I was looking for but it wasn't. The stummel was very nice but the stem was long to give it more elegance than I was looking for.
Since neither of these pipes worked, I thought I would try to imagine the pipe I was looking for by combining parts of the two: the stummel from the Pete and the stem from the Sav. What I found was pretty much the pipe I was looking for:
The bend is still a little too sharp on the Sav stem but the proporations are just right. So the question was (and is): do I get a stem custom made to look like this or do I just have a custom pipe made?
2. The Mini Bent Dublin
I’ve loved the Morgan Bones "Stubby 20" Dublin since I first laid eyes on it. The only thing that kept me from buying one was the saddle bit stem. From what I’ve read, the the thin part of the the saddle bit is cut short enough that if you clench it, your lips are touching the fat bit. That sounds really unpleasant. I thought a solution to this would be getting a tapered stem on it, plus I would like the looks better anyway.
These Stubby 20 pipes are now all sold out and the closest thing I can find to this shape are the Molina bent dublins (below), though they’re also hard to come by. I heard the Bones were made from rejected Molinas.
What to do?
So, I’m wondering what I should do: get a custom pipe built to get the looks that I want or get some stems cut for the factory pipes?
I’d also love to hear your suggestion on pipe makers that could either custom make these pipes or do the just the stems.
1. Stout Bent Billiard
I thought I found a pipe that would appropriately fit this description in the Savinelli La Corta Smooth (616 C):
The problem with this when I finally got it in hand was the stummel was too big for the stem or the other way around. It looked a little imbalanced and more like a fatty than a chubby. The bend in the stem was also a little too "sharp" (for lack of a better word) rather than being gradual. (I know I’m being pretty nitpick-y here but you have to understand I’m keeping my pipe collection to 10 or less.)
I also ordered a Peterson XL90 to see if that was stout enough for what I was looking for but it wasn't. The stummel was very nice but the stem was long to give it more elegance than I was looking for.
Since neither of these pipes worked, I thought I would try to imagine the pipe I was looking for by combining parts of the two: the stummel from the Pete and the stem from the Sav. What I found was pretty much the pipe I was looking for:
The bend is still a little too sharp on the Sav stem but the proporations are just right. So the question was (and is): do I get a stem custom made to look like this or do I just have a custom pipe made?
2. The Mini Bent Dublin
I’ve loved the Morgan Bones "Stubby 20" Dublin since I first laid eyes on it. The only thing that kept me from buying one was the saddle bit stem. From what I’ve read, the the thin part of the the saddle bit is cut short enough that if you clench it, your lips are touching the fat bit. That sounds really unpleasant. I thought a solution to this would be getting a tapered stem on it, plus I would like the looks better anyway.
These Stubby 20 pipes are now all sold out and the closest thing I can find to this shape are the Molina bent dublins (below), though they’re also hard to come by. I heard the Bones were made from rejected Molinas.
What to do?
So, I’m wondering what I should do: get a custom pipe built to get the looks that I want or get some stems cut for the factory pipes?
I’d also love to hear your suggestion on pipe makers that could either custom make these pipes or do the just the stems.
