I have a 1971 Castello "Castello" KKKK which I bought as an estate. It looks to me like it has a crack in the shank, but it's hard to notice. It doesn't seem to open up when inserting the stem. I almost wonder if the previous owner didn't have it glued. I would like to protect this shank from any further damage, but don't want to band it. For one, that would cover up the KKKK mark. For another, I like the pipe the way it is.
Ronni Bikacsan, better known as Ronni B, formerly of Nightowl PipeWorks and now retired from pipe repair, was a great and innovative pipe repairman from all I've read and heard. In addition to his Blueprint pipe conversions, which improved the draft on pipes, he had developed a process for repairing shanks which utilized a carbon fiber tube which was glued inside the shank. This eliminated any need for banding.
Does anyone know of a repairman who is offering that style of repair?
Ronni Bikacsan, better known as Ronni B, formerly of Nightowl PipeWorks and now retired from pipe repair, was a great and innovative pipe repairman from all I've read and heard. In addition to his Blueprint pipe conversions, which improved the draft on pipes, he had developed a process for repairing shanks which utilized a carbon fiber tube which was glued inside the shank. This eliminated any need for banding.
Does anyone know of a repairman who is offering that style of repair?