Hey guys and gals, I recently purchased this pipe and it has a replacement stem. I'm wondering if I can get the little diamond replaced from someone?
Thanks all!
Thanks all!
Castello Sea Rock
- Thread starter NVFireFighter
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It may be worth reaching out to Tim West. He doesn't have it listed but he does list this service for other brands.
J. H. Lowe & Co. | Our Services - https://jhlowe.com/tobacco-pipe-repairs/
J. H. Lowe & Co. | Our Services - https://jhlowe.com/tobacco-pipe-repairs/
Fun fact: the "diamond" is a tiny ball of aluminum foil that's been compressed in the bottom of its hole with a facet-ground drill rod, then sealed in place with clear acrylic.
In addition to Tim West, consider Briarville. If you're really meticulous about lthe logo contact George Dibos.
Well, at least it "works," assuming the goal was to look chintzy.
There is another option. You may arrange to have the pipe re stemmed at the Castello Workshop, but it is not inexpensive.
I wouldn't let Tim West or Briarville touch my pipe, especially Briarville. First, not sure why you care. Putting the little diamond logo in won't make the stem any more original than it is now. Second, this type of work likely requires some reasonable skills. Tim West can do simpler stuff. Briarville hacked up one of the stem jobs horribly, I would let them replace the stem on a cob.
Good question.
The "diamond" on the side---as opposed to the white bar on the top---was a special case sort of thing for pipes shipped to the US once upon a time. (Can't remember why... some sort of trademark hassle/requirement, probably).
Anyway, the shop might not even be equipped for them anymore.
That said, the company recently had a change in management, and it looks like they aren't interested in resting on their laurels but engaging in whatever comes along activity-wise to keep their market share up. And happy customers are repeat customers.
Tim West made a very good copy of a BBB stem for me. He even put the old triangle "BBB" logo in the new stem. Luckily I still had the logo piece. I recommend him for stem work generally (not commenting on diamond logo replacement specifically).
Castello still holds a patent for their "diamond" logo and on occasion still make pipes with that logo in the stem. Thus they keep the patent alive. IF you're serious about getting a Castello stem contact Marco at Regali Novelli, in Rome, or Luca at Tabaccheria Corti ( site sponsor ). I am sure either could arrange the process and get a quote on cost.
Thank you, I was thinking it might relate to how craggy the sea rock could be.
Back when they first imported Castello to the U.S. there was already a pipe brand cqlled "White Bar" that had a logo just like the Castello bar. The "diamond" was created for imports to avoid any conflict.
Size is a factor, but actually the K's are for Castello to tell the dealer the cost of that particular pipe within the type of finish.
This is the info I had come across...Size is a factor, but actually the K's are for Castello to tell the dealer the cost of that particular pipe within the type of finish.
In Castello pipes, the "K" stamp refers to the quality of the briar wood's grain for smooth pipes, and to the size of the pipe for carved (rough-finish) pipes. The number of "K"s, often stamped in a line or a small circle, increases with the quality or size of the pipe, and "K"s were introduced by Franco "Kino" Coppo in the late 1960s.
K as a measure of grain quality
- Smooth pipes: For smooth, natural-colored pipes, the "K"s (e.g., K, KK, KKK) indicate the beauty and quality of the briar wood grain.
- More "K"s: More "K"s denote a higher grade of grain. A pipe with three "K"s (KKK) would be considered a higher quality than a pipe with one "K".
K as a measure of size
- Carved (rough-finish) pipes: For pipes with a carved, rough finish, the "K"s indicate the size of the pipe.
- More "K"s: As with grain quality, more "K"s signify a larger size.
So, just a little update.
I spoke with a Italian pipe shop gentleman, Luca to be exact, and the cost to do so with him taking it to Castello himself would cost a lot more with shipping, both ways would be quite a bit more than what I paid for the pipe.
When it arrives to me I might just smoke it and see what is what with it and maybe wait for a local US based guy to do the work.
I spoke with a Italian pipe shop gentleman, Luca to be exact, and the cost to do so with him taking it to Castello himself would cost a lot more with shipping, both ways would be quite a bit more than what I paid for the pipe.
When it arrives to me I might just smoke it and see what is what with it and maybe wait for a local US based guy to do the work.