I received my first Savinelli, a 626B (you can look it up) for Christmas and am slowly breaking it in ... It was purchased in Italy along with a couple of pouches of tobacco (Amphora Full and Borkum Riff Riff Bronze - but this is not about them, much) and I am currently in Spain and away from my pipes (in E TN) and a better selection of tobacco. Anyway, nice pipe.
I never looked at Italian pipes before, I don't know why. I can't say that I ever bought a pipe without ever holding it, but I have a few that were given as gifts. My big hands like something substantial to hold.
I would not consider the 626B (is the B for Blue?) a substantial pipe. But I like it. It is very light and easy to clench. I am smoking it with the insert, having never used a filter before, although one balsa and one charcoal filter are provided. I will probably get a few of the balsa filters just to try them ... Until I get back to the States, I am using the insert.
I chose the Borkum Riff to break in the pipe. Why? Because I have smoked it in the past and am familiar with it. There is no need to review the tobacco, it is what it is. It seemed a little dryer than I remember, but then again, I may be thinking of Captain Black. It is smokable directly from the pouch.
The bowl of the 626B is perhaps a 20-minute bowl (for me) with a loose pack, I am breaking in the pipe. So, I take my time. I have three bowls through it and am happy with the way it smokes (the tobacco needs to sit for a little longer than directly from the pouch) and it smokes all the way down. I would toss the dottle under normal circumstances, but breaking in the pipe means smoking it down to ash for a few bowls. And the pipe does that with one final light, one final light from where I would normally toss the remnants ...
Italians like family and countrymen, so there will be others joining this pipe in my currently small collection.
I never looked at Italian pipes before, I don't know why. I can't say that I ever bought a pipe without ever holding it, but I have a few that were given as gifts. My big hands like something substantial to hold.
I would not consider the 626B (is the B for Blue?) a substantial pipe. But I like it. It is very light and easy to clench. I am smoking it with the insert, having never used a filter before, although one balsa and one charcoal filter are provided. I will probably get a few of the balsa filters just to try them ... Until I get back to the States, I am using the insert.
I chose the Borkum Riff to break in the pipe. Why? Because I have smoked it in the past and am familiar with it. There is no need to review the tobacco, it is what it is. It seemed a little dryer than I remember, but then again, I may be thinking of Captain Black. It is smokable directly from the pouch.
The bowl of the 626B is perhaps a 20-minute bowl (for me) with a loose pack, I am breaking in the pipe. So, I take my time. I have three bowls through it and am happy with the way it smokes (the tobacco needs to sit for a little longer than directly from the pouch) and it smokes all the way down. I would toss the dottle under normal circumstances, but breaking in the pipe means smoking it down to ash for a few bowls. And the pipe does that with one final light, one final light from where I would normally toss the remnants ...
Italians like family and countrymen, so there will be others joining this pipe in my currently small collection.
