NPD - Castello Sea Rock Shape 32 KK

[Johnny_Pipecleaner]

All my current pipes are Italian. I don’t have many these days… just one Savinelli, two by Rossi, and now this handsome Castello. It came from a shop in Italy, and it didn’t come cheap—even before the 20% tariff DHL charged me before they would deliver.

A few years back I had a virgin sea rock Castello almost exactly like this one, and I foolishly sold it. I have been shopping for a replacement, and finally came across this one with nearly the exact same dimensions and weight.

I live on the Northern California coast and work outdoors, so the sea rock finish really resonates with me. I prefer the “vergin“ version, but this standard sea rock with its vintage leather color is certainly nothing to be upset about.

The 19mm x 40mm chamber is just the ticket for the VA and VAPer flakes I smoke almost exclusively. I just broke it in with a half bowl of Escudo from 2012, and I’m happy to report it seems to smoke just as well as its predecessor.

 

[Briarcutter]

All my current pipes are Italian. I don’t have many these days… just one Savinelli, two by Rossi, and now this handsome Castello. It came from a shop in Italy, and it didn’t come cheap—even before the 20% tariff DHL charged me before they would deliver.

A few years back I had a virgin sea rock Castello almost exactly like this one, and I foolishly sold it. I have been shopping for a replacement, and finally came across this one with nearly the exact same dimensions and weight.

I live on the Northern California coast and work outdoors, so the sea rock finish really resonates with me. I prefer the “vergin“ version, but this standard sea rock with its vintage leather color is certainly nothing to be upset about.

The 19mm x 40mm chamber is just the ticket for the VA and VAPer flakes I smoke almost exclusively. I just broke it in with a half bowl of Escudo from 2012, and I’m happy to report it seems to smoke just as well as its predecessor.

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Nice pipe, can't go wrong with a Castello. Congratulations on your find.

 

[georged]

... can't go wrong with a Castello.

Yes and no. Consistently good smokers, but not the most durable. I get sent a lot of them. The snappy-fragile acrylic they use being the main reason.

They also do some design stuff that is truly bizarre. In this case so bizarre that the pipe isn't invisibly repairable ---

Spectacularly horrible design AND materials --- true WTF - pipemakersforum.com

 

[Johnny_Pipecleaner]

Consistently good smokers, but not the most durable. I get sent a lot of them.

How many do you repair each year, on average?

 

[seanv]

Nice pipe. Don't sell this one for any reason

 

[Johnny_Pipecleaner]

Just want to touch on a couple more aspects of this pipe I chose (or has it chosen me?)

Finish: sea rock is regarded as the lowest grade finish that Castello offers, which makes it the most affordable—But it’s honestly my favorite finish they offer. Rusticated finishes feel more interesting to my hand, can look just as intriguing to my eyes as fancy grain, and technically offer superior cooling properties FWIW. Smooth finishes stress me out a bit. I worry about keeping them polished, and not scratching or dinging them.

Shape: I prefer straight pipes, ideally with long shanks and short stems. I like the look of them, and for whatever reasons (user error?) they have outperformed the bent pipes I’ve owned.

 

[Briarcutter]

But it’s honestly my favorite finish they offer.

One of the nicest rustications on the market, IMO

 

[Jo L.S.]

I like it very much, Italian pipe makers do a remarkable job, the pipes are always excellent to smoke.

 

[seanv]

The Sea Rock finish is my favorite finish they produce. Such a nice look and a great feel.

 

[georged]

How many do you repair each year, on average?

The number isn't the thing, the percentage is.

I'd say that all the brands which use the same Snappy-Shatter-y Acrylic as Castello account for 30% of my annual throughput, and because Castellos tend toward expensive so fixing them makes more money-sense, they comprise half of that 30%.

Why use Snappy-Shatter-y Acrylic at all? Because the companies which do decided that enough labor is saved on the front end to be worth the back end problems. The material shapes easily (in relative terms), and can be polished from roughed-in to a glass finish in (effectively) a single step.

Important Note --- Acrylic CAN be crazy-tough stuff. It's a "recipe" thing. Do not assume that all acrylic-stemmed pipes are the same.

 

[Johnny_Pipecleaner]

The number isn't the thing, the percentage is.

All I’m saying is I reckon we’d see more complaints around here if stems were regularly breaking on folks’ $400-$1000+ Castello pipes.

Good on you for repairing these fine pipes when issues do arise though.

 

[Briarcutter]

All I’m saying is I reckon we’d see more complaints around here if stems were regularly breaking on folks’ $400-$1000+ Castello pipes.

Good on you for repairing these fine pipes when issues do arise though.

I think your logic is sound. Castellos has a very good reputation amongst collectors. I've have many,many Castellos in the past,always smoked very well never broke one. Do they make odd,strange,scratch your head pieces once in a while,sure,but who doesn't

 

[georged]

All I’m saying is I reckon we’d see more complaints around here if stems were regularly breaking on folks’ $400-$1000+ Castello pipes.

"Regularly" makes people think that something is to be expected.

I never said that.

I said that compared with vulcanite or the more durable recipes of acrylic, the material Castello and several other Italian brands use is fragile. (I'm working on two broken Castellos and an Italian Becker as I type, in fact. Two snapped tenons, and another stem that had to be replaced in its entirety.)

And the baseline is long. I've been doing this steadily for twenty years, and the pattern became clear long ago that the percentage of pipes sent to me which incorporate the Snappy Stuff is an order of magnitude greater than those which use other materials.

What you (or anyone else) does with that information is up to you.

PS -- like riding a motorcyle without a helmet, or driving a car without wearing a seatbelt. People doing it all the time doesn't change the odds

 

[Johnny_Pipecleaner]

I enjoy them and have had zero issues. I’m honestly not sure what the heck you’re trying to tell us, but I’ll defend to the death your right to keep trying

 

[georged]

I’m honestly not sure what the heck you’re trying to tell us,

I'm providing information, not trying to direct anyone's action.

Not sure how to be more clear:

The chance of normal day-to-day handling (stem removal and insertion, accidental drop, etc.) of an Italian pipe that uses the brittle acrylic formula resulting in stem breakage is much higher than for pipes that use vulcanite or a robust acrylic formula.

 

[VDL_Piper]

Do they make odd,strange,scratch your head pieces once in a while,sure,but who doesn't

This is part of the fun with Castello, its like every now and then they let the madman carver out of his cage to make a few.

 

[VDL_Piper]

I have one Castello with a very tight tenon and I am always careful with it and graphite powder or a lead pencil makes it glide in if I remove it, no need for force.

 

[Johnny_Pipecleaner]

I'm providing information, not trying to direct anyone's action.

Me: I got a new pipe
Forum member: nice one!
You: those pipes have SERIOUS issues
Me: Really? This is the first I’m hearing about these issues.
You: I NEVER SAID THEY HAVE ISSUES

That’s obviously oversimplified and exaggerated for effect, but it sure seems like you came in here trying to stir things up, or at the very least offering answers to questions no one asked. Respectfully, you probably could’ve just started your own thread warning folks to avoid these pipes, or whatever it is you’re trying to communicate.

 

[georged]

Just stop, OK?

 

[Terry Lennox]

Great pipe. I like the straights too. And Sea Rock is my favorite finish, I even like it more than the expensive smooths.