How is rustication done in pipe factories?
- Thread starter snagstangl
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For some reason, I absolutely did not care for rusticated pipes at all. Some of those rusticated blowfish pipes look way too much like a ballsack or a turd with a stem sticking out of it. 99% of my stable is smooth with the exception of a Savinelli 320 KS Alligator and my cobs.
Then I finally caved and bought a Savinelli Roma 673 KS and I'm in love with it. My only caveat now is that any rusticated I buy in the future must have a smooth rim.
Also very much enjoyed the video posted above and is the first one I've seen as to the whole hand made pipe making process. Probably would have been a pipe maker myself in a past life.
Then I finally caved and bought a Savinelli Roma 673 KS and I'm in love with it. My only caveat now is that any rusticated I buy in the future must have a smooth rim.
Also very much enjoyed the video posted above and is the first one I've seen as to the whole hand made pipe making process. Probably would have been a pipe maker myself in a past life.
Procedure seems to be rough up the briar with that screw tool thing, or dremel with any number of bits that will carve wood or lathe. Decide how deep what pattern you can make. Last step is going over it with a wire brush. It is interesting that rustication ever looks similar between to producers. There are number of factor. I was thinking it was something simpler than wood carving, but it really is that. So the finishes can very as much as any carving. I feel kind of stupid now.
The wire brush that castello uses is a ground down wire brush my late FIL had for removing rust from bulldozers. The "wire" on the brushes were 1/8 " wide metal strips like this.
It is hard to imagine how these can been seen as cheaper pipes when it must take more labor to do it. I guess it would have to be looked at the cost of just throwing the pipe away.
The wire brush that castello uses is a ground down wire brush my late FIL had for removing rust from bulldozers. The "wire" on the brushes were 1/8 " wide metal strips like this.
It is hard to imagine how these can been seen as cheaper pipes when it must take more labor to do it. I guess it would have to be looked at the cost of just throwing the pipe away.
Forget the rustication tools; I'm scoring one of those sweet ass Castello jackets those boys are sporting
It's interesting to me that rusticated and sandblasted pipes are way more labor intensive yet cost much less than their smooth counterparts
It's interesting to me that rusticated and sandblasted pipes are way more labor intensive yet cost much less than their smooth counterparts
A couple technical points: Rustication as we see by Castello or Don Carlos is indeed hand tooled, labor intensive stuff, and the idea that these are "cheaper pipes" is tempered a bit (they are only somewhat cheaper, and the reason is that ANY briar can be "sea rock" where not any piece can be blasted well or a smooth).
"Factoryish" rusticating, done with a dremel type tool usually, is nowhere near as nice.
Yuck.
"Factoryish" rusticating, done with a dremel type tool usually, is nowhere near as nice.
Yuck.
Ah, the pine cone again!
The Cannoy video is interesting, as it trends towards the suede look he is well known for. And he's got all the cred you could have in the area.
I've sort of been thinking about rusticating a well smoked smooth brown bent I have that sports nearly a dozen fills.
The Cannoy video is interesting, as it trends towards the suede look he is well known for. And he's got all the cred you could have in the area.
I've sort of been thinking about rusticating a well smoked smooth brown bent I have that sports nearly a dozen fills.
Sasquatch, I appreciate the clarification. I was mostly referring to the rustication applied via Castello, Former and Eltang's. I have no idea what the hell that thing is the you posted.
One thing to consider is that the smooth pipes probably require many additional steps: several stages of sanding and polishing etc. Not to mention zero flaws in a premium pipe.
That's right - smooths get more handling yet, multiple sandings, staining, (possibly more sanding), polishing etc. Shaping has to be perfect, grain has to hold up. One little slip of the file and that smooth is now a sandblast! Even buying very good briar, which Castello for example does, you don't get smooth after smooth. If half the production is smooths that would be pretty good.
Factory briar.... you run a bag full of ebauchons of shape A and quality P through the machine heads, and see what comes out. You pick the best ones and make them your "high end" series, you take the worst ones and rusticate quickly and sell 'em cheap. And that's why a rustic Peterson is 90 bucks and a rustic Castello is 300. The Castello started as better stuff, got handled a lot more, has a far nicer texture and finish, is one of a kind and ... naturally costs 3 times more. Castello is a manufacturer, but basically not a factory in that sense, right? Like, they make 20 pipes a day if they are flying, and Peterson makes 500 (annual distribution of some 100,000 units).
Factory briar.... you run a bag full of ebauchons of shape A and quality P through the machine heads, and see what comes out. You pick the best ones and make them your "high end" series, you take the worst ones and rusticate quickly and sell 'em cheap. And that's why a rustic Peterson is 90 bucks and a rustic Castello is 300. The Castello started as better stuff, got handled a lot more, has a far nicer texture and finish, is one of a kind and ... naturally costs 3 times more. Castello is a manufacturer, but basically not a factory in that sense, right? Like, they make 20 pipes a day if they are flying, and Peterson makes 500 (annual distribution of some 100,000 units).
Sasquatch, your post confirms what my assumptions when I saw the video: Castello uses predominantly (if not only) plateaux briar: thus, their pipes are automatically high grades, even their cheapest.
It is simply a market law. A perfect briar, without impurities, without stuccoing, is rarer and more beautiful, and therefore has greater value on the market.
A sanded or rusticated pipe, although it needs more work, is less coveted by buyers, has less appeal, so it costs less.
In an industrial or craft product, the market price is not always equivalent to its intrinsic value.
Try to order a custom pipe to a craftsman: if you ask for it smooth and without grouting, you will not find anyone willing to make it. This is because the probability of finding a wood without impurities is very low, and a pipemaker can not afford to produce 5 or even 10 pipes all the same on a particular shape, required by the customer, before finding the right briar.
I haven't found this to be true. The pipe maker may go through several blocks, either ultimately tossing them or making different pipes with them, but does accept the order and delivers. Most of the pipe makers I have ordered from have no issue with this.
I obviously talk to you about my experience: if you order a "made-to-measure" pipe, then with a shape chosen by you, to a craftsman, he will make it sanded or ashlar, but never smooth. If you also look at all the "pipes of the year" commissioned by the various forums of the sector, these are always ashlar or at most sanded.
This is my experience in Italy, if then in the USA the situation is different, better for you.
Wait, I'll explain better: let's say that the pipemaker does not guarantee you the smooth pipe "no fills", but - in theory - it could be lucky and come to the first; in that case, if he has luck with the briar, he will make it smooth. Otherwise you'll take it as it comes :mrgreen:
So it is more accurate to say that he does not guarantee you smooth, not that he does not do it.
So it is more accurate to say that he does not guarantee you smooth, not that he does not do it.
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