Savinelli Churchwarden Smooth 404 Tobacco Pipe

There is nothing like a Savinelli Churchwarden pipe! That statement is completely true and will be explained in more detail later in this review so READ ON! First off I wanted to briefly touch on the usual aspects of the pipe in question. The Savinelli 404 Churchwarden is beautiful example of Italian pipe making, with a gorgeous high grade straight shaped bowl, finished to a mirror like luster. The number “404” denotes the actual bowl shape this pipe employs which like any other Savinelli pipe model that sports those three numbers is a “Dublin”. And unlike other CW lines from other brands, the capacity of this bowl is exactly the same as a conventional 404 model pipe in their line. Very different than your typical Churchwardens out there which tend to run on the small size in terms of tobacco holding capacity. I have found that all the CWs in this series have standard capacity bowls which is great if you only smoke long pipes like myself! In terms of the overall design, there is a slight bend to the stem, but for all intents and purposes this 404 is a straight style CW design. Now... I opened this review with the claim that no other pipe brand's line of long pipes can compare to the Savinelli. I made this statement because honestly no other pipe brand offers a Churchwarden model with the robust "WIDE" stem and bit that you will find with a Savinelli Long Pipe. Anyone who owns or has smoked a typical Churchwarden/Long Pipe will tell you that as a rule the stem and "bit”/mouth piece" is usually much more delicate and narrow than a conventional pipe, with some being downright tubular in their shape. This trait can make it difficult to comfortably hold these pipes in your teeth to smoke them in a hands free manner. Hands free pipe smokers rejoice! This common complaint will be remedied by the 404 and other Savinelli CWs! The first time you smoke a Savinelli the first thing you will notice even before you light it up is how "STOUT" the pipe feels in the mouth. As I said before, these pipes have the feel of your favorite short pipe and then some. You can’t help but feel as though you are smoking the most “STOUT” Churchwarden ever created! The satisfying end to a long quest! I personally searched for years to find a line of Churchwardens with a bit like a solid conventional pipe, finally discovering the Savinelli line about 15 years ago. When I began this quest back in the late 80s before the arrival of the internet and the sudden rise in the popularity of the long pipe thanks to The Lord of the Rings films, I had no idea how hard it would be to find such a pipe! Back in those days, a pipe smoker was pretty much at the mercy of their local tobacconist for their pipe selection, and finding a retailer who stocked more than a handful of long pipes was next to impossible. For whatever reason, even when the internet arrived and online tobacco shops began to pop up like mushrooms, most of these online merchants didn’t and still don’t seem to feel it important to mention this aspect of most CW pipes they list and sell on their online stores, so the pipe smoker must do their own research and in these days of online shopping that unfortunately involves a lot of trial and error purchasing in the hopes of stumbling on a pipe that feels right. I’ve got a whole drawer full of the also-rans from my own personal quest! Well… If you were smart enough to read this review down to this point I have just saved you a lot of time and a lot of money! Because if you have been looking for a robust and solid Churchwarden pipe line that provides all the benefits of a long pipe with the familiar comfort of your favorite conventional pipe, then Savinelli is that pipe! And the Model 404 is one of the best options in their line of broad stemmed Churchwardens! In addition to the 404, I would also recommend the model 401 and 921 in either smooth or rusticated finish. Personally, I find the quality of the briar used in the smooth versions so beautiful and the finish equally gorgeous that I would strongly advise spending the extra money and buying the smooth finish version of any Savinelli CW you choose. The model 404 and 921 are two of my personal favorites of all the long pipes in my current collection. About the author: Goose7 has been an avid long pipe smoker and collector for over 35 years. His current collection of over 35 top of the line Churchwarden pipes includes most of the major brand offerings as well as some custom and one of a kind examples. His Savinelli CW collection of which the model 404 is a part includes every model in the current line as well as several older models no longer in production.