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Just received my new (estate) Costello bent pipe. Although the bowl is larger than the other Dunhill's I have it feels great in my hand and in my mouth.
Tried a bowl late this afternoon through my ride home and it smokes wonderfully.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/39k2w6hwgorp8lw/IMG_00001.jpg
https://www.dropbox.com/s/80y8pbjn6tpte70/IMG_00002.jpg
Allan
Beautiful. I bet she is a smoker. I want one
Nice one Allan! Costello makes great pipes. I wish I liked Lucite more {sigh}.
That is one beauty of a pipe.
Gee,I didn't know it was lucite. How does one tell lucite vs. Vulcanite?
allan
That's a really nice looking grain on that pipe and I like the shape. Good purchase!
Beautiful pipe Allan! Way to go!
Never had a Costello but it looks beautiful!
Gee,I didn't know it was lucite. How does one tell lucite vs. Vulcanite?
A "Castello" grade Castello, great choice! I love the briar military stem trim and the 4K size, just right! While I prefer vulcanite myself, my Castello stems have a certain appeal as well. Enjoy that one!
White spots are just light reflections-the stem is solid black.
Are Castello's known for lucite stems? I have Dunhills which have (I guess) vulcanite stems, and really I'm not sure how to tell the difference?
thanks for the kind words, everyone
Allan
I don't really know of a single Castello pipe with a vulcanite stem.
If the stem has an inlaid white bit it's lucite. Otherwise it might be a replacement stem.
Vulcanite is a softer material. If you have another pipe do compare the lucite and vulcanite stems; you will understand the difference.
Unless I am out to lunch, black stems can be made out of lucite.
Truth be told, I can't tell any difference between lucite and vulcanite in terms of feel. Granted, I am a clencher and so I use the soft rubber things to protect the stem which probably makes me insensitive to the difference, but I certainly have seen many black stems that must be lucite. Frankly, given the maintenance issues with vulcanite, I would probably choose lucite, all other things being equal. Just my view.
Unless I am out to lunch, black stems can be made out of lucite.
Truth be told, I can't tell any difference between lucite and vulcanite in terms of feel. Granted, I am a clencher and so I use the soft rubber things
I like the feel of vulcanite stems myself.
I may be weird but I can usually tell the difference between the two by smell, especially after any sort of cleaning involving alcohol. I much prefer the smell of vulcanite but they both feel fine to me. I don't find it to be a deal breaker if it doesn't have my preferred stem material.
Thats a nice looking pipe. Enjoy!
Allan, glad to hear you like the pipe. Castello only uses acrylic stems. If you put your Rad Davis in your mouth and then the Castello, you can tell instantly, the Rad will be way softer.
You know, I've never really noticed or took special notice of the stem 'feel' between the Dunhill's and other pipes. I am assuming my Dunhill's have vulcanite/amberlite stems; now that I know that Rad Davis pipes are vulcanite and the Castello is acrylic I'm going to take notice.
Does anyone actually prefer the acrylic feel, ignoring the maintenance issue?
Allan
Does anyone actually prefer the acrylic feel, ignoring the maintenance issue?
It's no secret I prefer rubber (vulcanite) stems. I just like the mouth feel better. However, I can well understand that some much prefer plastic (Lucite) stems.
After all, Lucite, like vulcanite, can be hand cut, and Lucite stem rods are offered in many more colors and designs which opens up the creative options for both the maker and the buyer (though both materials also do come as mass produced molded stems).
Lucite is also a lot less maintenance than vulcanite (rubber dulls more easily; older vulcanite will oxidize quickly; and Lucite is stronger so bite through is less of a problem).
Thanks for taking the pix. I love looking at beautiful pipes and women.
I personally will never buy another pipe with an acrylic stem. I prefer vulcanite way more. The new vulcanite does not oxidize like the old suffer laden ones. I would also suggest getting Obidisian Stem Oil, it works great at keeping the rubber stems pretty.
I still smoke my acrylic stemmed pipes but do not enjoy them as much as my vulcanite ones.
I travel a lot with my pipes and need a mix of vulcanite/acrylic pipes on my rack. I don't like teeth marks on my stems but hate rubber softy tips. I handsmoke at home and don't clench my vulcanite stemmmed pipes. On the road, car events, etc. an acrylic stem is nice to clench and not worry about damaging. My Castellos and new Jimmy Craig Ashtons (one Tinsky)fit that bill nicely. Variety, the spice of life!
The pipe is a beauty. It looks relaxing. I love the shape of it.
Very nice Castello! I don't mind the acrylic at all and prefer Castello's over all other brands of pipes I have smoked. That is a beauty for sure! Congrats!!
I love Castellos. They are fantastic, high-grade pipes. (And that's a beauty you picked up!)
I feel like putting in my .02 regarding stems, though. I've noticed that a lot of folks -- even online sellers -- identify lucite as acrylic. That may technically be accurate, I don't know the science differentiating these two materials, but I don't think it's helpful.
Vulcanite is rubber; we all agree on that. It can easily "cloud" and get discolored at the bit.
Lucite is a hard, usually black plastic that can be hand-carved and result in a thinner mouthpiece than Vulcanite. It is glossy and will always be glossy. It is more resistant to teeth marks, but that's because it also doesn't "give" very much when clenched in the mouth. For some, that might make it a bit more uncomfortable to hold for long periods.
An acrylic stem is thicker, colored, molded plastic. You see them on some GBDs, a lot of older Caminettos, and virtually every meerschaum. They can become a bit dull, but they never discolor like a Vulcanite stem. They don't "give" at all when clenched by the teeth.
(Finally, there's simple plastic, like what you'd find on a corncob. With a little effort, you can chew your way through a cheap plastic stem.)
Feel free to disagree! But these are the definitions I was raised on, and I think they're still useful today.
Bob
Great looking pipe -Congrats! I don't own a Castello but I like Italian pipes and do hope to have one someday.
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