Rattray’s Yule Pipe comments

[pappymac]

First let me say I am really enjoying my experience with the 2024 Rattray’s Yule pipe I bought myself for Christmas. It is a nice looking pipe and without using the filter it has smoked like a well broken in pipe instead of a new one. I do not regret buying it.

However, there are two things I am disappointed with. During my 3rd smoke, I detected a small bubble on the bowl. The bowl didn’t get hot as I was smoking slowly when I detected the bubble. I only felt it when wiping the bowl with a soft cloth after it had cooled down.

Second. The nice gold logo on the stem is mostly gone.

I was expecting better.

 

[Chasing Embers]

I detected a small bubble on the bowl.

Long ago I had one of their Marlin dublins that did the same. I heated it with a hair dryer and buffed the bubble out with a tshirt. The airway had some cockeyed drilling as well.

 

[Infantry23]

1 smoke on Christmas day. Noticed this the next morning.

 

[Auxsender]

1 smoke on Christmas day. Noticed this the next morning.View attachment 359173

View attachment 359172

What an absolute piece of shit.
I’d be gently and respectfully ramming that up the retailer’s ass if I were you.
That is totally unacceptable, period.
Get your money back for sure.

 

[pappymac]

1 smoke on Christmas day. Noticed this the next morning.View attachment 359173

View attachment 359172

If mine was that bad I would definitely send it back.

 

[Infantry23]

I've been in touch with Smoking Pipes Europe already. Hope has provided great customer support and they're going to take care of it.

Makes me wonder though, with @pappymac having a pipe that is having finish issues if the replacement would be just as bad.

I am a sentimental gift receiver.... I don't return gifts usually. That, and me being a woodworker makes me wonder if I can strip the lacquer and refinish it. Probably best to just return though, unfortunately.

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

They should be ashamed of that logo rubbing off.

 

[pappymac]

I've been in touch with Smoking Pipes Europe already. Hope has provided great customer support and they're going to take care of it.

Makes me wonder though, with @pappymac having a pipe that is having finish issues if the replacement would be just as bad.

I am a sentimental gift receiver.... I don't return gifts usually. That, and me being a woodworker makes me wonder if I can strip the lacquer and refinish it. Probably best to just return though, unfortunately.

Wait and see what the offer to do for you. They may have you send it back and send you a replacement IF the have one.
I didn’t realize it had a lacquer coating on it to be honest. I only have two or three that do. If anything I’m more offended by the gold logo peeling off and you can’t even feel the impression of the part that’s missing.
I’m thinking it is just this line of pipes. I bought one of their Beltane pipes for my oldest son last year and he loves it.

 

[Infantry23]

Wait and see what the offer to do for you. They may have you send it back and send you a replacement IF the have one.
I didn’t realize it had a lacquer coating on it to be honest. I only have two or three that do. If anything I’m more offended by the gold logo peeling off and you can’t even feel the impression of the part that’s missing.
I’m thinking it is just this line of pipes. I bought one of their Beltane pipes for my oldest son last year and he loves it.

They offered me to send it back on their dime, and replace or refund. I just don't want to send it back and they get sold out. I'd rather strip the lacquer and apply a wax that can be buffed to a shine

 

[sardonicus87]

If that's a lacquer coating, it looks like they tried going too thick in one go and rushed the job. Lacquer needs to be put on in thin layers and left to dry for at least an hour per layer, then needs a good 48 hours to be left the hell alone, but lacquer when properly applied takes a good week to fully cure (but can be handled 24-48 hours).

Lacquer is a far superior finish in my opinion to urethanes, but I don't recommend using it to people that don't know what they're doing, you really cannot rush it, it isn't forgiving like polyurethane is, though I dunno if that would be good on a pipe.

 

[smudgersmissingleg]

They should be ashamed of that logo rubbing off.

Yeah, that's piss poor quality.

 

[smudgersmissingleg]

I wonder who produced them for Rattray's?

 

[AndyNJ]

Butz Choquin maybe or even overseas and finished in France who knows and who even cares, I'd get a refund never to be reminded. Savinelli is still a good old world shop, go w them

 

[OzPiper]

When I got back into pipes some years ago, I looked at Rattray morta pipes, but never pulled the trigger because of negative reviews.
Seems like things have not improved in the intervening years

 

[Infantry23]

Butz Choquin maybe or even overseas and finished in France who knows and who even cares, I'd get a refund never to be reminded. Savinelli is still a good old world shop, go w them

I don't like the Savinelli Christmas pipe.

 

[SmokeyJock]

Wait and see what the offer to do for you. They may have you send it back and send you a replacement IF the have one.
I didn’t realize it had a lacquer coating on it to be honest. I only have two or three that do. If anything I’m more offended by the gold logo peeling off and you can’t even feel the impression of the part that’s missing.
I’m thinking it is just this line of pipes. I bought one of their Beltane pipes for my oldest son last year and he loves it.

my Rattray's Fair Maid has been excellent and no aesthetic wear to it at all, the stem logo seems pretty robust, it may well just be this line of pipes, but I'm aware they use a variety of different pipemakers (some in Germany, some in France iirc?) so maybe an issue with one particular factory?

 

[smudgersmissingleg]

When I got back into pipes some years ago, I looked at Rattray morta pipes, but never pulled the trigger because of negative reviews.
Seems like things have not improved in the intervening years

I bought a Rattray's morta and it cracked. When I sent it back for a refund the dude at the shop said they'd had a lot of problems with this happening. Someone else on here had the same experience.

The only other Rattray's pipe I have is a meerschaum and that's great. I guess it depends on who's producing the pipes for them.

 

[AroEnglish]

I forget where I saw it (here or Reddit) but there was a Rattray that developed a crack. The retailed told them to take up with Rattray (K&K) which he did never got a response. I wish I saved that link but I think of it every time I get tempted to get a Rattray pipe.

 

[Sigmund]

Ive liked a few of their pipes but honestly, I could spend 20-40 bucks more and get a pretty high end estate.

 

[pappymac]

I forget where I saw it (here or Reddit) but there was a Rattray that developed a crack. The retailed told them to take up with Rattray (K&K) which he did never got a response. I wish I saved that link but I think of it every time I get tempted to get a Rattray pipe.

The never got a response because K&K was only responsible for the Rattray tobacco blends and not the pipes.