Rattray's Olive Wood Pipe

[agnosticpipe]

I've always been ambivalent about different woods for pipes. It's always been briar for pipes for me, with the exception of an old MM hardwood, and a Ropp cherrywood. Many years ago I bought an estate Paronelli olive wood pipe to try one out. I was not impressed. First of all, although it was well made it smoked rather hot, and it was darker in color than I expected, so the grain did not look all that great. I passed it on. A week or so ago I got a Rattray's Sanctuary olive wood pipe from SPC, for a very reasonable price. It has a mat brushed/rusticated finish and has a faux spigot stem shank connection. It also takes a 9mm filter which does not bother me at all. I use one or not depending on what I'm smoking. (Savinelli balsa only) Well, well, well... this smokes much better than the Paronelli I had, cooler and I kind of like the textured finish. I'll see how it does down the road. This is the second Rattray pipe I've bought and I'm quite impressed with the quality for the money. I still don't know who makes them though as there's no COM stamp.

 

[mso489]

For a while, PC had Stanwell beechwood pipes that had attractive bright grain and they went on sale for giveaway prices. I didn't cash in, having many pipes, but I was tempted.

I've seen olive wood pipes from time to time, also at good prices, but the grain is not quite as dramatic. Yours looks sturdy and well made.

I do have an MM hardwood pipe, which I like a lot. It's the thrift champion of the world for about seven to ten bucks, nicely turned and handsomely reminiscent of Danish modern furniture to me.

I do have one cocobolo pipe, a pocket bent billiard pipe made by Jerry Perry that smokes well. I understand that the dust in working cocobolo can be toxic, but this is one of a kind and small, so i hope that didn't pose a hazard. It's a good compact little smoker.

 

[didimauw]

I'm in the same boat. I don't care for the look of olive wood pipes, but yours is nice! Very cool grain on it!

 

[OzPiper]

Nice pipe. The wire-brushed finish is appealing.
I hope it smokes well for you.

I bought a couple some years ago because I was really attracted by the beauty of the grain and intrigued by how they would smoke compared to briar and other material.

Once broken in, I didn't find they smoked any different.
I definitely did not get any of the "olive taste" that a few had mentioned.
Perhaps mine were made from well-seasoned blocks.

By the way I love olive wood in the kitchen - salad servers, cooking/mixing spoons, mortar&pestle, knife handles, cheese board, etc.

 

[FurCoat]

That's a fine looking pipe.

 

[Smoke Wagon]

I’d always heard olive wood pipes didn’t last as long as briar. Myth?

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Very nice looking pipe.

 

[Reggie]

Smart looking Pipe!

 

[UB 40]

I’d always heard olive wood pipes didn’t last as long as briar. Myth?

Look here, they did some research on briar and compared it to other woods. Olive is nearly as heat resistant as briar. And I think if a carbon layer is build it might smoke as similar to briar. So…

 

[UB 40]

Look here, they did some research on briar and compared it to other woods. Olive is nearly as heat resistant as briar. And I think if a carbon layer is build it might smoke as similar to briar. So…

Sorry missed to put in the link:

https://pipedia.org/docs/CharacteristicsOfBriar.pdf

 

[Doctor Chopper]

Very unique color and style. Nice pipe. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Jack the ripper]

I bought a bent apple (15, i think). The grain is incredible. Havent smoked it yet…..

 

[Jack the ripper]

Oops…. Yours looks very nice as well.

 

[Jbyrd]

Nice looking pipe. Keep us posted on how it smokes for you please.

 

[hall222]

I like it! Hope its a good smoker for years to come.

 

[Merton]

I've always been ambivalent about different woods for pipes. It's always been briar for pipes for me, with the exception of an old MM hardwood, and a Ropp cherrywood. Many years ago I bought an estate Paronelli olive wood pipe to try one out. I was not impressed. First of all, although it was well made it smoked rather hot, and it was darker in color than I expected, so the grain did not look all that great. I passed it on. A week or so ago I got a Rattray's Sanctuary olive wood pipe from SPC, for a very reasonable price. It has a mat brushed/rusticated finish and has a faux spigot stem shank connection. It also takes a 9mm filter which does not bother me at all. I use one or not depending on what I'm smoking. (Savinelli balsa only) Well, well, well... this smokes much better than the Paronelli I had, cooler and I kind of like the textured finish. I'll see how it does down the road. This is the second Rattray pipe I've bought and I'm quite impressed with the quality for the money. I still don't know who makes them though as there's no COM stamp.
View attachment 215212

Until this post I have never seen an olivewood pipe that is attractive to my eye. That is a very nice pipe. Not a fan on 9mm so I probably would not buy one but the sandblasting (looks more like wirebrushing) makes the grain pattern look great. I notice that it is also offered in a smooth with the typical olivewood grain. This one is nicer. It should color like a natural briar or a meer. Great price too. Enjoy it. I think that they might be made through or by K & K.

 

[agnosticpipe]

I've been smoking this pipe for a couple of months now and am impressed with it. Smokes a lot cooler than my previous experience with an olive wood pipe. I smoke mostly english blends in it and only use a balsa filter from time to time. I'm not sure I understand some smokers fear of buying a pipe that takes a filter. You don't have to use a filter if you don't want to, nor do you even need an insert to smoke it. Hell, a 9mm filter pipe almost becomes a reverse calabash without a filter! This pipe is not sandblasted though, but is wire brushed, and I would not hesitate to buy another one.

 

[kcghost]

I have a number of friends who have bought Osage Orange pipes claiming if they are tough enough to last in the ground for 50+ years that they will work in their mouths. Osage Orange (it has another more common name, but I can't remember it right now) is the wood old time farmers would use for fence posts.

 

[anotherbob]

I’d always heard olive wood pipes didn’t last as long as briar. Myth?

I bet it's not a myth. Longevity and durability is a big part of why White Heather burls took off as the pipe material of choice.

I have a number of friends who have bought Osage Orange pipes claiming if they are tough enough to last in the ground for 50+ years that they will work in their mouths. Osage Orange (it has another more common name, but I can't remember it right now) is the wood old time farmers would use for fence posts.

And is amazing for making stringed instruments. We have a luthier that often uses Osage Orange and his guitars sound amazing. (yeah I've heard another name but always thought Osage Orange was the most common name used).

 

[mso489]

Hardwood pipes like maple, beech, olive, etc. are good bets if you have a rotation of pipes, if they smoke well otherwise. Maybe they don't last as long as briar if you smoked them only, or with only one or two other pipes, but in rotation, I doubt you'd notice the difference over the years.