Castello Pipe Sizing

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Until the day I acquired this Old Antiquari Grop G Liverpool,I was under the impression that all G group Castellos are heavyweight with huge chambers which weren't the case with this one, the chamber and overall weight are rather moderate with this one, being not a Castello connoisseur I'm a bit confused how they size them pipes, doesn't the G stands for larger chamber/pipe size,?For instance, somehow in this regard Dunhill sizing seems to be something more logical. Very pleased with the pipe though, and is just right size for me and smokes great. Dimensions: chamber width:18,20mm (0.7,20')(Depth:38mm(,1,5')weight35gr Lenght :15,5cm

 

[shaneireland]

The "G" is a designation for oversized pipes (not necessarily heavyweight), unlike the "K" stampings, which denote size in certain finishes (Sea Rock, Trademark, etc.) and overall quality in others (Collection).

Keep in mind that a pipe can earn a "G" for having a long shank, which I'm confident is the case here. It's possible for a long-shanked "G" grade to have a modest, Group 4-sized chamber. I've also seen some "GG" and "GGG" pipes with chambers that aren't much larger than a "KKKK", because they had extra-long shanks. Grading pipes isn't an exact science; there's always edge cases. I hope this helps!

 

[mso489]

That seems a little confusing to me, not helpful to a pipe buyer who isn't steeped in Castello lore. Most of the Castello pipes I've seen pictured on Forums are both big and heavy, and similar pipes I see at online retailers are expensive even for the Castello line. I was intrigued to see that especially some of the online retailers in Europe have Castello that are medium size and even a bit small, which is what I would want for clenching. The moral of the story is, insist on specs of a pipe you are considering so you have no surprises once you have made a choice. No specs, no purchase, I'd say. I will say, I greatly admire that pipe, the snappy canted bowl, the textured but not overdone finish, and the lithe design. Really nice.

 

[ofafeather]

The Castellos I’ve handled have all been amazingly light for their size.

 

[robcapp]

It's all the place to be honest.

I have a 4k Sea Rock finish (so the k's represent size) that has a 1 inch bowl diameter.

 

[burleyboy]

Thats a very nice Liverpool! Congrats on that long shank piece and may it serve you for many smokes!

I also assume, there is not too much logic going on, when it comes to sizing Castellos. Those sizes' dimensions seem to vary quite a bit. I've seen Sea Rock pipes in KKK and for KKKK which have literally had the same size and shape...

Another thing that occurs a bit mysterious to me is the "Great Line" stamp. I own an Old Antiquari Dublin for example which is graded only KKKK (not that it bothers me, though!) and have seen similar pipes with very equal dimensions that were stamped "Great Line".

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

The "G" is a designation for oversized pipes (not necessarily heavyweight), unlike the "K" stampings, which denote size in certain finishes (Sea Rock, Trademark, etc.) and overall quality in others (Collection).

Keep in mind that a pipe can earn a "G" for having a long shank, which I'm confident is the case here. It's possible for a long-shanked "G" grade to have a modest, Group 4-sized chamber. I've also seen some "GG" and "GGG" pipes with chambers that aren't much larger than a "KKKK", because they had extra-long shanks. Grading pipes isn't an exact science; there's always edge cases. I hope this helps!

From what I've seen with Castello's grading system, it is the opposite of science. LOL

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Gents,Thank You for Your replies,much appreciated.