Should I Care about this Drilling by Castello?

[jpmcwjr]

I need to update my profile. Good point! For the time being:

I am a Pacific Northwest guy. Raised and lived in the west and east side of Washington State. Did some summers working in Alaska for the fishing industry, outside talking with boat captains and crew about the fish they were bringing in to sell.

I lived three years in the Patagonia, Argentina. It's like "the Alaska" of Latin America, the final frontier, for sure.

Now I teach Spanish. I'm in Nashville, TN.


My favorite pipes are from northern Italy. I only really have straight apples. My favorite length to my straight apples are about 4 4/5in

Thank you! Great info. I'd love to visit Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego, but not for more than a week or so!
My son is dying to get to Nashville, and finally booked his flight yesterday. (Music drives him, not unusual for those coming to visit.)

 

[mso489]

I'd echo sable'. If you are in love with the pipe otherwise, I think it will smoke fine, so it's not a problem. If it disappoints you in other ways, or if the drilling just offends your sense of craftsmanship, then push for a return. One of the reasons I like moderately priced pipes is that I can absorb little quirks in their manufacture and/or crafting. I haven't had a malfunction from those yet.

 

[Searock Fan]

I need to update my profile. Good point! For the time being:

I am a Pacific Northwest guy. Raised and lived in the west and east side of Washington State. Did some summers working in Alaska for the fishing industry, outside talking with boat captains and crew about the fish they were bringing in to sell.

I lived three years in the Patagonia, Argentina. It's like "the Alaska" of Latin America, the final frontier, for sure.

Now I teach Spanish. I'm in Nashville, TN.


My favorite pipes are from northern Italy. I only really have straight apples. My favorite length to my straight apples are about 4 4/5in

Small world. I spent the summer of '65 working my butt off in a cannery near Naknek.... I'm still tired!

 

[bayareabriar]

I had one and sold her off. It smoked great. It was even more off than this.

 

[Searock Fan]

Making a counterfeit Castello is not beyond the talents of quite a few pipe makers. The key to making a "good" copy is in the details. Many of the techniques are on line and the tools are readily available. Having dies made is no problem. Fake Dunhills have been around for years, so why not fake Castellos. Even I could do it. Below are a couple of pipes I made. The thing is, mind are not marked "Castello".

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Thanks, everyone, I'm in the process of negotiating keeping it on the condition that I get some money back. I'm not collecting it nearly as much as I'm smoking it.

If the partial refund is not very much, then I will be returning it.

I guess I don’t agree with this, not that it matters. It’s either good enough to keep. Or it isn’t.

 

[bayareabriar]

Making a counterfeit Castello is not beyond the talents of quite a few pipe makers. The key to making a "good" copy is in the details. Many of the techniques are on line and the tools are readily available. Having dies made is no problem. Fake Dunhills have been around for years, so why not fake Castellos. Even I could do it. Below are a couple of pipes I made. The thing is, mind are not marked "Castello".

Second one is worthy of the bird in flight logo from earlier days. Very impressive!

 

[hawky454]

Even I could do it. Below are a couple of pipes I made. The thing is, mind are not marked "Castello".

Those are some good looking pipes. Good job!

 

[Searock Fan]

Thanks for the kind words. I'm kind of like a stray cat, you feed me and I come back for more! I can do a smooth also, here's a couple.

 

[Bivymack]

Nice catch. I learned little late to scrutinize my new pipes after smoking a Savinelli 673 with a stem that lines up crooked and an off center draught hole. Smokes fine but still, dammit. Tough to not have a local B&M to check pipes out in person.

 

[samuelgawith01]

The magic, or lack there of in a Castello is in the smoking.
I’ve had some that were completely soulless, but it wasn’t because the drill point came out a sixteenth off.
I bet it’s fine, but you have to smoke it to know.

You have a point,also.and it could well be true.Very interesting thread.

 

[jpberg]

You have a point,also.and it could well be true.Very interesting thread.

Keep in mind that I haven’t handled that many Castellos. Maybe 20. And of the twenty, maybe 10 have been drilled perfectly.
My experience vastly varies from the guy who has purportedly handled hundreds and has never seen one drilled similarly to the OP.
Weird, ain’t it?

 

[samuelgawith01]

Keep in mind that I haven’t handled that many Castellos. Maybe 20. And of the twenty, maybe 10 have been drilled perfectly.
My experience vastly varies from the guy who has purportedly handled hundreds and has never seen one drilled similarly to the OP.
Weird, ain’t it?

That was the first Castello I've seen like that,too.I'm sure very few end up like that.In the end,it's all up to the owner of the pipe.

 

[Simmerdown☕️]

If it were me, I’d return it cause having spent the $ I’d at least want a solidly drilled pipe. I have no doubt your pipe will smoke fine, but it would eat at me. ️

 

[anotherbob]

Sorry, I stopped quite a while ago. Seems the factory made a deal with an American rep and instructed all their dealers not to sell at a discount to us "wildcat" dealers. Oh well, all good things come to an end. Also, I stopped dealing in pipes by mail order for personal reasons. I did open and manage my own pipe shop for a number of years and finally sold it and retired. Now I'm just another dedicated pipe smoker with time on my hands to play with forums....

That a can o worms right there. So tell us more about this shop. Some of us might have shopped there.

 

[anotherbob]

Kind of reminds me of the ship of Theseus. If there are different people running or working for a company is it really the same company????

 

[sandollars]

Must be a Monday morning pipe....

Seriously, Castello is a premium pipe maker and frankly, I am surprised this one made it all the way through QC and got the "stamps". If it were mine, I would return it for another.

 

[Bobby Bailey]

Craftsmanship and artistry do not hinge on perfection. Though perfection is a lofty goal, it is not obtainable by mortals. Show me an item made by human hands and I will show you a flaw.

 

[ssjones]

Making a counterfeit Castello is not beyond the talents of quite a few pipe makers. The key to making a "good" copy is in the details. Many of the techniques are on line and the tools are readily available. Having dies made is no problem. Fake Dunhills have been around for years, so why not fake Castellos. Even I could do it. Below are a couple of pipes I made. The thing is, mind are not marked "Castello".

I like your buttons better than new Castello's!

 

[ssjones]

I was at a pretty well known upstate NY shop two years ago and saw in their case, 4-5 very poorly drilled Castellos.