My MacQueen Pipe

[misteridentical]

Sorry about raising a topic from the dead (horse),
I recently bought the MacQueen "Iron Wizard" Churchwarden from it's Epic Wizards range. Funnily enough, I got mine pretty fast. Two weeks, which is pretty remarkable considering the postage from the US to Australia. That's about the best thing I can say about them, however.
I've come to learn from hearsay that the product images over on their page are all retouched, but I had no idea how retouched. The image with the product looks like it could be a lighter wood, maybe ash or birch. The pipe that I received looks like it's been spray-painted silver (which I'm sure it hasn't been... has it?)
It also feels... cheap. Like it's made out of cardboard or something. My little bent-billiard falcon is actually heavier than it, which I hadn't expected from a Churchwarden, and the stem feels like it could break quite easily.
When it smokes, I have to be very careful not to smoke it too hot, or else I get a horrible burnt-plastic taste. I'm not sure if this has anything to do with it being a cherry bowl, since I've no experience with them (and apparently the epic wizards only come in cherry).
Overall... unless their other lines are remarkably better, I wouldn't bother with them again. I've already ordered a pipe from Luna Pipes and so far have only praise for him.
Just waiting for it to arrive :D

 

[pappymac]

All MacQueen pipes are made in Canada.
MacQueen pipes are carved mainly from Ash and Cherry. Both will smoke hotter than briar so you have to smoke them slower.
I bought one of his pipes as a Christmas present for one of my sons 3 years ago and he still smokes it and says after he got used to slowing down it doesn't get that hot. It hasn't broken either.

 

[tarheel1]

From what I can tell is the Iron Wizard is the white wizard painted silver. Probably should have purchased the white wizard.

 

[pruss]

misteridentical - Welcome to the forums. I look forward to your posts. On the MacQueen pipes... there are a number of threads here which highlight some of the challenges folks have had with these pipes over the years. In general, they appear to be functioning pipes of low to middling quality. Given the price commanded for these pipes I think you'll probably find that your hard earned $$ is better off going into different manufacturers' wares. Vauen makes a wonderful series of churchwardens based loosely (or not so loosely) on a LOTR theme. These are more expensive than the MacQueen product but are gaining better reviews from smokers.
Here's a link to the Auenland series by Vauen: http://www.vauen.de/en/pipes/auenland.aspx
Happy puffing!
-- Pat