Ropp Etudiant vs. Rossi vs. ...?

[olkofri]

Anyone here has a Ropp Etudiant? A friend of mine has expressed interest in pipe smoking and I said I'd get him a pipe.

Of course, I'm Der arme Olkofri and I'm looking for an inexpensive briar pipe to give him. I was looking at Rossi's yesterday, but to-day's ads on the left brought up Ropp.

I could get him a Brigham, of course, but I'm thinking that maybe an unfiltered pipe would be best for him to try things out, before starting to fiddle with filters and what not.

Any Ropp owners here that can chime in?

Oh, and no, I am NOT gonna give him a cob or a used pipe. NO, NO, NO, NO, & 1,000 times NO!!

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Yes Sir, be it Ropp Etudiant or Genod or from Buz Choquin BelAmi series all these would be good choices, Ropp etudiants and those of Butz Choquins are of modest chamber size which is just what a brand new pipesmoker must look for, several times in the past I have been observing cases where rookie'pipe smokers are buying excessively big pipes

 

[Cotton1]

Get him 2 Cobbs...MM makes a gift set!

 

[Magpiety]

I can't speak to the Etudiant line, but I have a sandblasted tomato from one of their budget lines that has always been excellent. Little to no break-in, good smoking characteristics, etc.

 

[shanez]

I bought my brother in law a Rossi as a gift for when he visits in a few months. Having it in hand it certainly seems very nice. Good finish, good weight, and no pipe cleaner issues.

 

[STP]

Don’t know much about Ropp pipes, but I have several Rossi pipes that I really like. You can’t beat them for the price.

 

[olkofri]

Cool. So, the Ropp is a fine option. Yup, I'm also wanting one with a smallish chamber and billiard shape.

 

[olkofri]

@paulie66scandinavian: do your Ropps have thin walls? Do they get too warm? Beginner smokers normally heat the heck out of our pipes.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

@paulie66scandinavian: do your Ropps have thin walls? Do they get too warm? Beginner smokers normally heat the heck out of our pipes.

Generally speaking Yes, unless if You could not find Bulldog or Pot shape, Ropp standard billiards are thin-walled, You see French pipes are old school

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Also it might be an idea to check outon those Ropp pipes bowl measurements given on SPC
here is pipe group 2-3( by Dunhill) outside dimension 1,15'which has rather thin walls

 

[FurCoat]

I would lean towards a Rossi since they are essentially Savinelli's and quite frankly you can't go wrong with a Sav.

 

[olkofri]

I would lean towards a Rossi since they are essentially Savinelli's and quite frankly you can't go wrong with a Sav.

Yup, kind of my same thinking, but the Rossi's are still pricier than the Ropps. And I still can't get myself a Savinelli, darn it!

I'll check out the Genod and Bel Ami's.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

I would lean towards a Rossi since they are essentially Savinelli's and quite frankly you can't go wrong with a Sav.

I have had Rossis as well, those did smoke very well, only drawback was they were quite heavyweight when compared to French products,

 

[mso489]

Rossi with their basic Savinelli shapes might be a little more durable, while Ropp may offer a wider variety of shapes. I'd lean toward the Rossi, but either will be fine. I have a Ropp, though not an Etudiant, and it is fine. In either case, I'd go with a traditional shape, a billiard, apple, or pot, or similar.

 

[edger]

Take a look at Blakemar Briars in England. Mike is an old master, and his pipes are very reasonably priced.

 

[FurCoat]

I'll go ahead and throw this one out there. Check out the Mastro de Pajas at Tobaccopipes. I have a couple and they are really good pipes and very reasonably priced at under 80 bucks. I would also look ay the Molina's. Not fancy by any means but a really good briar to start off with. I have four of them and smoke them regularly with no complaints. These can go as low as 50 bucks and are made in the old Rossi factory.

 

[donjgiles]

I am a super big fan of the Ropp Etudiant.
The key with these pipes is, they are very old wood. Old stummels from Chapius / Comoy so they are very dry and seasoned. These are smaller pipes, which I adore as I am usually smoking VA flake.

 

[tobefrank]

Cool. So, the Ropp is a fine option. Yup, I'm also wanting one with a smallish chamber and billiard shape.

This may hit the mark. Sandblasted and only $43.20.

Rossi Piccolo (8105) | Buy Rossi Tobacco Pipes at Smokingpipes.com

Smokingpipes.com is your one stop shop for Rossi Piccolo (8105) Tobacco Pipes and all your tobacco smoking needs. From new tobacco pipes and estate tobacco pipes to tin pipe tobacco and bulk pipe tobacco, we have everything you need

www.smokingpipes.com

 

[olkofri]

Interesting all this. Thanks, mates. I'll look at those suggestions and potentially visit my B&M: maybe there's something there, like an Orlik. Most of the moderately priced options at my local shoppe are Vincenzo, I think, which is not something you see mentioned often.