Things Fall Apart And Pipes

[cosmicfolklore]

I wretched the stem out with a blood curdling screech. I was determined to make this work, pipe be damned. I didn't see any glue, but that doesn't rule out a pneumatic impact wrench. I buffed the stem and added a bit of olive oil. It went back in. It works. Yeah!! I have a fully functional, no name, bent bulldog. I'm pretty sure this dog will hunt.
Eh, I don't feel ripped off. Sure, it wasn't what you want to go through when you buy a pipe, but on the bright side, it didn't explode. And, the thing comes with a fairly lengthy story, especially useful when forced into conversation with unsuspecting pipe smokers that I might end up engaged in social awkwardness.
Plus, I might play around with it creatively anyways. It's not like I've ever heard anyone else complain about his pipes. I just drew a low card on this one. I can still play the hand, maybe make something cool out of it. His pipes really are very affordable for small shop production.

 

[fnord]

Cosmic:
I'm a bit of a purist so I'd never monkey around with trying something creative on a burner from such a well known maker.
Even if he did buff out his nomenclature - a shabby thing to do, sweetheart/great guy or not - you've still established provenance with your documentation here and that will mean something to a Tinsky collector.
It's a beautiful pipe but I'm truly sorry this wasn't a "Got'cha covered, bud" scenario.
I'm intrigued by the idea of a scrotal tobacco pouch, although I'd never use one, however I'm more disappointed a well known maker didn't stand tall by his product.
Six called the ball, Cosmic, "...not very impressed."
Fnord

 

[misterlowercase]

"Things fall apart. The center cannot hold."

Great quote!

Thanks for placing it.

 

[peckinpahhombre]

I'm intrigued by the idea of a scrotal tobacco pouch, although I'd never use one,

It's pretty cool. When you rub it vigorously it turns into a suitcase.

 

[cortezattic]

I may have gotten the only bum pipe in Tinsky's arsenal.

No. There are at least two others:

• -- one, a blast that I bought with an invisible flaw on the bottom of the shank that caused a leak -- which I noticed on the first smoke
  
  -- the other, the pipe that Mark sent as a replacement -- which had so much wood asymmetrically blasted from the bowl that it should have been sold as a "second".

I would have returned this replacement pipe also, but, due to Mark's lack of attention in creating the mailing label, it got lost in the mail TWICE! After a hassle like that I decided to hang on to the ugly beastie since its appearance doesn't affect the smoke. Mark probably felt some inward guilt because he included a handmade tamper (that I don't use) -- as a consolation, I suppose.
On reflection I should have just filled the original pipe with Krazy Glue, which would have stopped the leak, and spared my nerves.
I never started a thread on this because I thought it was an isolated incident. But since someone else had a bad experience with Tinsky's pipes, I thought I would chime in. For me, never again with this maker.

 

[misterlowercase]

Peck is right,

although I haven't vigorously rubbed it much,

it does keep my baccy moist 'n ready!

:twisted:

 

[misterlowercase]

Larry,

the honest post is appreciated, thanks for sharing that.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I feel your pain Cortez. And, I'll pass on the scrotum baccy pouch, ew. LOL. I'll just avoid this maker, before I get the urge to demand his skull be brought forth upon which to gnaw! ::

 

[gregprince]

"The Second Coming" by W. B. Yeats, one of my favorite poems. Thanks for the reminder. Sorry to hear about your hassle but you did good, good will come to you.

 

[billinsfl]

I have had a couple high end pipes I purchased new that developed problems with the wood.

Sometimes the pricier they are the more trouble prone they can be. Rather than send them back to Europe I had a local craftsman repair them to my satisfaction. It happens sometimes..

 

[zack24]

Keep in mind that different woods expand and contract differently and that causes the problem. I love shank extensions, but the only way you can guarantee against them failing is for the briar to extend all the way through the extension. When you have a stub extension like this one that failed, it's because the smoke and moisture worked to destroy the glue bond along with the constant torque of removing the stem...It's easy to tell how this was done- look at the end of the shank- if you see the briar extending through the extension, that won't fail...(Wish I had figured this out a few months ago- I have 4 good looking pipes I can never sell, because they're going to fail at the glue joint...)Here's an example of what to look for- this is an ivory extension on a billiard- you can see the briar extending all the way through the ivory- no worries about the glue joint failing- (BTW- Certainly not holding myself out as a paradigm of pipe-making perfection. I screw up pipes for a whole multitude of reasons...and then I get to fix what I probably should have done correctly the first time...)

 

[cigrmaster]

Cos, I cannot believe what I just read. For years and years all I have heard is how great a guy Tinsky is. He helped Rad, Mike Linder and many others. Rad and Linder do the sandblasting on almost all of Tinsky's pipes because they are appreciative of his getting them started.
This episode is very sad indeed. First off, Skip should have given you your choice of any pipe in his shop using the retail of the Tinsky against his cost on any pipe. The fact Tinsky buffed off his name is in such poor form that for me, he has ruined his reputation for all time. I used to tell people who are on a limited budget to look at a Tinsky but that will never happen again. I will never recommend his work to anyone and will go out of my way to let people know they should stay away from his pipes. The way you were treated by both Tinsky and Skip is just plain wrong. Skip should have done what I suggested right away and if he had to take a 1-200 blow on a pipe, then he should have done it. It is not like you are some stranger off the street, you have a relationship with him, plus you are a member of this site. This site carries more weight then any other in the pipe world and when a story like this hits our pages, Skip should be very worried.

 

[tbradsim1]

I have followed this thread very closely, and when a man will not do the right thing it bothers me. What in the hell is 200 To 300$ to define your reputation or character. You should have gotten a new pipe free, an apology, in life shit happens, it's the way you handle it that speaks volumes.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Thanks guys, but Skip did offer me store credit as I mentioned above. The Briary is practically my home away from home, so he slides me stuff all of the time. Skip is good to me, no gripes against him. The only miff I have left with Mark is the mark missing and the stuck stem when I got it back. Well, and the accusatory tone I was getting. Ego be damned when you're in business. I have remade stuff. It happens (rarely, but...), but I would never raise an eyebrow at a customer.
Zack, you and Skip have said the same things. Skip studied under Mark as well, and he recognized that the stummel should have come through the additional wood also. And, I believe that he swapped some pipes back to keep from offering anyone else a Tinsky with the glued on wood parts. He only wants quality pipes in the Briary. And, since I finally wrenched off the stem, sanded it, and waxed it, it seems to work. But, its hard to smoke it and not think about all of this. I may trade it off to rid myself of the residual bad mojo.
Zack, I would love to see your pipes at the Briary. You should give him a call. Or, if you drop by there to show him, let me know, and I'll sing your praises to him. Of course this is partially self-serving on my part, as I tend to swap my tamps and repair work for pipes, and I can work on getting one of yours for credit, ha ha. But, even if... I will be hitting you up for a pipe as soon as I recover from my latest PAD.

 

[voorhees]

Michael, I understand the negative vibe you may now associate with this pipe. I had the same experience a couple of years ago with my Storient Meer(I won't go into that.)

I pushed through and smoked it and it has become a favorite of mine. Not sure if you have the same luck, but who knows.