Castello Factory Repair Service

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georged

Lifer
Mar 7, 2013
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13,920
It will be interesting to see how they do this.
Fastest and easiest would be handing the pipe off to be processed by the line as if it was partially complete. That would avoid messy leveling and finish matching issues, but would subtly change the shape. And a complete re-finish would probably require re-stamping.
Making and fitting a new stem without touching the stummel wouldn't trigger those alterations, but would be torturously slow in a volume production environment. Doing that would also require tools and techniques used for no other purpose.
What I can't imagine is a "low rent" fix where the end of the shank gets ground smaller to level and that's it. A splash of stain and you're good to go. :crying:
Definitely post pics when you get it back, Paul.

 
Oct 7, 2016
2,451
5,195
From reading Paul’s first post, wouldn’t a Delrin tenon do the trick? Maybe I am just lucky, but I have had three or four tenon repairs done, no visible issues as far as stem fit goes, perfectly smokeable.

 
Jul 28, 2016
7,564
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@OldGeezersmoker,Yes I was thinking of this as an option,if they are sending me that original stem back I may consider to turn it to Delrin, who knows how they are gonna proceeding further on,

@Georged, I was thinking of contacting You but knowing Your time is limited, (btw, could Delrin tenon to be made without a pipe being sent under the condition that the original broken tenon part is present with the stem itself?)

 
Oct 7, 2016
2,451
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Paul, Castello will replace the stem, not create a Delrin tenon for the repair.
I am sure of that. I was just speculating that a good Delrin tenon job might have sufficed before sending the pipe off. Having seen the wildly varying results of other “factory” stem replacements, I tend to believe that folks like Georged and Rich Lewis do a better job if you are understanding of their wait time and cost. I know Rich can do a replacement stem without hardly touching even the wax and I imagine George can, too. My one experience with Castello factory service was entirely satisfactory, but it involved a split stem on a Canadian 32 Collection that I had them band with a DuPont lighter style acrylic over gold band, not a replacement stem.

 

ssjones

Moderator
Staff member
May 11, 2011
18,317
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Maryland
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I tend to agree with George & Oldgeezer. I think a Delrin tenon in the OEM stem is a better option that letting Castello molest the briar. The issue will be, if they do alter the briar to match their new stem, fitting the old stem with a Delrin stem won't be a snap (it too would likely need altered, which I guess would be easier than the briar was)

 
Oct 7, 2016
2,451
5,195
"
I think a Delrin tenon in the OEM stem is a better option that letting Castello molest the briar."
Most of what I know about pipe repair I have learned from reading George's posts here, except I have long understood just how difficult a job it is to fit a hand cut replacement stem. My only knowledge of Delrin tenons is that the three I can recall having done involved nothing more than my dropping them off at the Edwards shops in Atlanta when I lived there in the 1980's and in Lakeland when I lived in Orlando in the 1990's, to be sent out to the "repair guy." (I think they used the same person.) I have no idea of the skill set that was required, but the cost was modest and turn around prompt.
It might be that the person doing the work was exceptional, I have no idea, but the wood wasn't touched and the fit of the stems was just like they came from the factory. So, I have always viewed a clean tenon snap as no big deal to an experienced pipe repair person. Perhaps I am wrong. Perhaps I shouldn't be writing about this since I haven't broken a tenon in over 20 years.:)
 

briarblues

Can't Leave
Aug 3, 2017
378
565
Al, Al, Al, damn you ..... I just spewed coffee all over my keyboard! You made me laugh, too hard!
Trust me ... the skill do do either repair is not for the faint of heart or unskilled hands. Both are tricky, most notably as Paul's pipe has an oval shank. Getting the Delrin insert lined up just perfectly is a very tricky task indeed, as I am sure George will verify. The same holds true for creating a new stem, in which the shank / stem junction are smooth and ledge free, without having to "shave" the shank.
Personally ....... I'd try the Delrin tenon first. Least "intrusive" and costly, plus a Delrin tenon is less likely to break, ( as opposed to Lucite ) if the pipe happens to get dropped.
Again, Al, Thank You for requiring me to buy a new keyboard!!! hahahahahahaha
Regards

Michael J. Glukler

 

georged

Lifer
Mar 7, 2013
5,491
13,920
After grinding the stem face flat to remove the jagged shards of the original tenon (a tricky business in itself), notice that the air hole isn't centered (common with factory pipes).
The problem? That off-center hole acts like a PILOT hole when drilling for the new tenon, which must be aligned to the "exterior" ring-image of where the tenon was, NOT the old hole as is commonly assumed...
Add to that the hideousness of clamping a delicate, irregularly shaped object firmly enough to drill it without damaging it, AND align it to within a couple thousandths of an inch in THREE dimensions...
Then fabricate a new tenon from the chosen material, so that it exactly fills the drilled hole. The necessary dimensional accuracy here is also a couple thousandths.
Then glue it in place using a method that guarantees perfect exterior alignment with the shank when the stem is fitted, without gluing the stem TO the shank, and 100% functional reliability for the life of the pipe (i.e. will never fail).
Sorry, you guys who think this is a trivial exercise. You are welcome to come to my shop anytime if you'd like to give it a try. :lol:
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P5064972.jpg


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Oct 7, 2016
2,451
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I never said it was trivial, I said it had been done three times to my complete satisfaction, promptly and inexpensively. And I am picky. Ask Hagley. I have said I had no f’ing idea of the skill set involved and in my first post raising the issue said I might have been lucky! I hope Paul is happy with his replacement stem. I frankly have my doubts.

 

georged

Lifer
Mar 7, 2013
5,491
13,920
OGS -- My post was intended for anyone following the thread who might have concluded---or previously thought---that the procedure was trivial. It seemed like a "visual definition" of what's being discussed was called for.

 

georged

Lifer
Mar 7, 2013
5,491
13,920
And I forgot something...
The difficulties described earlier increase dramatically as a stem's size gets smaller, for both manipulation reasons and "tolerances as a percentage of size" reasons.
This stem was about 1.3 inches long (not including the tenon):
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Toku-re-tenon-1.jpg


Toku-re-tenon-2.jpg


 
Jul 28, 2016
7,564
36,060
Finland-Scandinavia-EU
What amazing customer service does this vendor Mr.Luca at Tabaccheria Corti Italy provide, imagine while visiting Castello manufacturers he saw this very pipe out there and got in touch with me asking if he could be of any help.If You ask me,Quite a rare approach to customers nowadays.

 
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