What About Italian Made Comoys?

[mso489]

Comoys have strong supporters for the pipes made in England, and quite a few buy these as estate pipes. They almost always get high praise. I've heard some angry negative remarks about the Italian made Comoys, but I'm not sure if there are specific complaints with the pipes, or if it is more the abandonment of the home place and the culture of the English Comoy. What experience do people have with Italian made Comoy, and are they fair pipes, or not so much? I was not happy to see Stanwell relocate to Italy for manufacturing their pipes, but the Italian made Stanwell's seem like better than standard quality pipes to me. How about Comoy's since they've moved?

 

[pepesdad1]

The few "modern" Comoy pipes that I have seen are an embarrassment to the name and history.

 

[mso489]

pepes', what's cheap and cheesy about them? Crappy materials, workmanship, design? Any experience with smoking them?

 

[pepesdad1]

The briar has massive fills in some cases that I have seen...I mean 1/2" scars with putty. Plastic stems...I mean, really? Yes, all three Comoys that I have looked at had the same crappy stem.

PreCadagon Comoy was proud of the quality briar, the air curing and the hand cut stems were perfection between the lips. If it had a "C" on the stem it was guaranteed to have no fill....and I never saw one with fill.

No, I haven't smoked a new Comoy, nor would I bother. I have the original pipes and am thrilled with the selection I made 50 years ago.

One would not pass a pipe cleaner through the stem let alone the stummel.

 

[mso489]

Thanks, pepesdad1. Sorry to hear the brand has slipped so precipitously. I'll look elsewhere when I'm shopping, or get an estate Comoy made in England.

 

[tarak]

Been wondering the same myself, especially since the "new" Comoy's look pretty nice from a distance but go for a reasonable price. I figured it was too good to be true.

 

[disinformatique]

Comoy's may you rest in peace. Cadogan basically farked the brand.

 

[aristokles]

Given the reputation of the Italian production I might consider only buying such a pipe either in person or from a source to which I could return the pipe (unsmoked of course) should I find the construction faulty or poor.
I bought a Comoy's Tiger Eye saddle pot from a local B&M several years ago for $50 when at the same time I could have ordered the identical pipe from JRCigars for $30. I am pleased with my purchase nonetheless. There are no fills I can see, the drilling is right on, it passes pipe cleaner test with ease, and it smokes as well as a vintage British piece I have. (The finish is identical as well). Had I not been able to handle and inspect the pipe before buying I probably would not own it now.
In either case, they are cheap.

 

[mso489]

aristokies, the ones I'm seeing online are not so cheap (at least not the prices you cite). So I don't think I'd take a chance, given the bad reports. The contingent that remained in France as Chapuis-Comoy makes low priced pipes that are entirely respectable to my mind, smooth finish, acceptable stem material, and prices in the $30 to $50 range, but this is a separate forever French group, basically no relation, or only one that is historical. I guess the English Comoy is gone forever, except as estate pipes.

 

[pepesdad1]

"I guess the English Comoy is gone forever, except as estate pipes."

Sad, but true.

 

[zekest]

Pipe snobs, so undereducated.
SMFH

 

[mso489]

zekest, so good. Educate us. That was what the original post asks, and you took your sweet time. So what's true here? About the pipes, please, not your fellow members.