Castello 55

[jojoc]

So my new 55 arrived. In looking at the stamping, on the bottom of the pipe it is stamped B45. What does this signify?

I will some more photos when I have time to take some decent shots.

Thanks

jojoc

 

[jfred]

Congratulations with the 55, they are great smokers.

The letter is usually a stamp for the shop from where it was originally sold. There is a good list here (it has the "B" though not the "45"):

http://www.briarblues.com/castello.htm

 

[npod]

Congrats! Great pipe.

 

[jojoc]

Congratulations with the 55, they are great smokers.

The letter is usually a stamp for the shop from where it was originally sold. There is a good list here (it has the "B" though not the "45"):

http://www.briarblues.com/castello.htm

Interesting - I purchased the pipe from Bollito, which apparently should have a "BO" stamp and not "B".

 

[briarblues]

The B on it own stamped usually indicates a pipe sold through Alberto Bongiglio's shop. The 45 stamp has me at a loss. What other nomenclature is on the pipe? It may have been part of a set …. or maybe a miss stamp …. or Bolito has changed their shop stamp codes.
Regards

Michael J. Glukler

 

[jfred]

That is interesting. I now checked the stamping on a shape 16, I just received from Bolito, and it also has the same stamp. With a closer look it seems more like B15 to me though.

 

[briarblues]

On the smooth shape 55 …… is there a castle with a number inside? If so what is that number? Could it be a 68?
Regards

Michael J. Glukler

 

[jojoc]

Here is a picture of the Castello stamping:

Castello "Castello" 71 in castle KKKK in circle

 

[jojoc]

the stamping on the other side of the pipe is

Made In Cantu

Italy

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

It is a poorly applied B15 for Bollito. The 1 just looks like a 4. Happens occasionally.

 

[jojoc]

It is a poorly applied B15 for Bollito. The 1 just looks like a 4. Happens occasionally.

So the Bollito stamp was changed from BO to B14 at some point in the last few years?

 

[briarblues]

I have emailed Italy to get a solid answer.
71 in a castle = made in 2018.
Regards

Michael J. Glukler

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

<p>Pipes I have that have come new straight from Bollito have the same stamp. That strikes me as solid enough.

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

So the Bollito stamp was changed from BO to B14 at some point in the last few years?

The Bollito shop stamp has been B15 like, forever.

 

[jojoc]

Here are some photos of the whole pipe:

 

[oldgeezersmoker]

Very nice pipe!

 

[briarblues]

OGS is correct. I have a reply from Marco the US agent for Castello. B15 is the current shop stamp for Bollito. It has been such for quite a while.
Regards

Michael J. Glukler

 

[jojoc]

Thanks OGS and Michael for your help on the stamp.
Now I just need to make the time to give it a try. Thinking Escudo Navy Flake would be a worthy choice.

 

[jojoc]

Had a chance to fire up my 55 for the first time last night with some Capstan Blue. I am officially a Castello convert! Wow! Not sure I can put to words what made this such a great smoker -- it just was.
Only drawback was I over loaded the pipe, so it did not burn as well as it probably would have - first time loading that pipe and first time with capstan blue as well. I started with 1.5 flakes and should have just done one, or maybe even 3/4 of a flake. Those flakes are rather thick. Despite having too much tobacco in there, it still burned well (much better than I think any of my other pipes would have done with my mistake. Turned into about a 3 hour smoke, cool and dry the whole way through. Never even a hint of over-heating, which is something I seem to struggle with at times with other pipes.
Contrast that to the new Peterson silver spigot system pipe I purchased a few months ago. After about 10 or 15 bowls it is just now finally breaking in to the point of being a decent smoker. Those first 7 bowls for so were an exercise in frustration. I am fighting an urge to sell all of my other pipes to fund the purchase of a couple more Castellos and being done with it.
As to the Capstan blue, this is my first foray into Virginia Flake. I have mostly smoked mild aros and English blends. I really liked it. I'm thinking Virginia Flakes will become a part of my regular rotation. However, it seemed that the Capstan blue has a fairly strong nic hit. Compared to cigars, it has been rare for me to feel any nicotine effect, but man it hit me hard last night. Maybe it was more of the 3 hours vs a higher nicotine content?
Anyway, for me the Castello hype is not hype anymore. I don't understand or see what makes the pipe that much better than my other pipes, but there is a difference.

 

[dcon]

That is one great looking pipe! It is not hype or puffery if the result is true for you.