What does "K" markings mean on castello smooth pipes?

[hyperstar]

Hello everyone.
I've been seraching the Interent for a while. Trying to figure out the ,meaning of letter "K" stamped on castello pipes.
Everybody say that "K" is used for non-smooth pipes to designate size. More K's means bigger pipe.

But, there are two explanations for smooth finish pipes.
Some articles say "K" means a combination of grain quality and size for smooth pipe, while some people say it only indicate grain quality not size.

Could you tell me which one is the correct answer?
Thank you!

 

[TheIronMonkey]

You may find this link helpful:

Castello Pipes

Information about Castello pipes

briarblues.com

 

[hyperstar]

I got the answer from Castello.

 

[Sobrbiker]

I got the answer from Castello.

View attachment 285624

Well, that clears it up!
Great shape, small size but fantastic grain would be???

 

[alaskanpiper]

Well, that clears it up!
Great shape, small size but fantastic grain would be???

(KKKK, K, KKKK)

My understanding is that K is used for size on rusticated and blasted pipes, but to designate "grade" aka grain on smooths.

 

[Sigmund]

oK, not oK, very oK, Knackered.

You would think someone who runs a worldwide business would have a canned answer that is useful by now.

 

[daveinlax]

oK, not oK, very oK, Knackered.

You would think someone who runs a worldwide business would have a canned answer that is useful by now.

Well I’ve gotten that same answer from Marco but in person with a little smile and shrug. I get it.

It’s one man grading the pipes and anything and everything can come into play in his assessment. Inconsistency is the only constant.

 

[alaskanpiper]

Yeah, I will never understand why we all can't just put a year and a grade number. 2024 Grade 1. Not 0938473PF and stupid ass symbol, or animal, or whatever the F. Just a year and a grade number. Please!

Same with tobacco tins for God's sake. Put whatever production code you need internally, fine, but just give us a year too. 2024. How hard is that.

 

[PipeIT]

@hyperstar On a side note, if you like Castello pipes, in the future, I highly recommend buying them from Tabaccheria Corti. They are a small family owned business, also a sponsor here, and Luca, who seems to run the place for his family, is absolutely amazing to work with.

He told me, he always goes to Castello and hand picks out Castello pipes too.

Home Page - Tabaccheria Corti Lecco - Online Shop

Negozio online di pipe, accendini, penne e articoli da regalo. Vetrina di sigari, toscani e accessori. Pipe Peterson, Bang, Ascorti, Castello, Dunhill, Caminetto e tanti altri marchi. Accendini St. Dupont edizioni limitate.

tabaccheriacorti.com

 

[AroEnglish]

Yeah, I will never understand why we all can't just put a year and a grade number. 2024 Grade 1. Not 0938473PF and stupid ass symbol, or animal, or whatever the F. Just a year and a grade number. Please!

Same with tobacco tins for God's sake. Put whatever production code you need internally, fine, but just give us a year too. 2024. How hard is that.

Only the worthy can decipher the ancient text.

But seriously, what's so hard to understand about Becker & Musico Roma 6 years - 7 Roma?

Now you've got me wondering who has the most complicated nomenclature in pipes.

 

[alaskanpiper]

Only the worthy can decipher the ancient text.

But seriously, what's so hard to understand about Becker & Musico Roma 6 years - 7 Roma?

Now you've got me wondering who has the most complicated nomenclature in pipes.

Yeah, if I ever make pipes I'll be sure to complicate the hell out of it. It's the only way to make it clear that it's a luxury pipe.

For my moose grade pipes, you'll have to count the tines on the rack to figure out the grade within a grade. Dall sheep grade pipes, you have to count the growth rings, and Muskox grade pipes will all be based on the millimeter differences in the size of the horn bosses. Seal grade, Walrus grade, and Sea Lion grade will of course depend on cock length, Caribou grade the number of antler shovels, and Bear grade will be either black, grizzly, brown, or Kodiak which you will be able to decipher by the size of the shoulder hump.

All of these will of course have their own graphite, mica, lithium, bronze, copper, silver, gold, platinum, diamond, and unobtanium grades within their existing grade stamps.

As far as years go, you have to read the numbers backwards, divide by 13, add 24, and then multiply by 2.6. After that you simply add 7 and that's the year.

Size will be indicated only by ancient Pictish inscriptions, as found on the Lunnasting Stone of the Shetland Islands. But in reverse order. For blasts that is, Smooths will say large, medium, and small. With small being the largest.

And I will not make rusticated pipes like some kind of acolytic fool.

 

[Uguccione]

My understanding is that K is used for size on rusticated and blasted pipes, but to designate "grade" aka grain on smooths.

I knew it that way too, but in the end it's not important since the number of k is given by the manufacturer at his sole discretion. So there can be a lot of variability, it's not an exact science.
Personally I prefer looking at the pipe more than the punching.

 

[alaskanpiper]

I knew it that way too, but in the end it's not important since the number of k is given by the manufacturer at his sole discretion. So there can be a lot of variability, it's not an exact science.
Personally I prefer looking at the pipe more than the punching.

On this we can agree!

 

[kcghost]

I wish the pipe carvers could agree on anything but no they won't.

 

[georged]

Yeah, I will never understand why we all can't just put a year and a grade number. 2024 Grade 1. Not 0938473PF and stupid ass symbol, or animal, or whatever the F. Just a year and a grade number. Please!

The same reason Charatan's grading was all over the map. Sales are more important than grading consistency.

If your company received an order for thirty pipes of grade X, and your supply of ready-to-ship-except-for-being-stamped pipes was 28 grade X's, with many that were lower but none that were higher---and you considered pipemaking as a bu$ine$$ above all else... whatcha gonna do?

It worked the other direction as well: A pipe than Mr. Straightgrain himself, Fred Hanna, examined in hand and said would place between #10 and #15 in his personal lifetime collection of all-source/all-shape straightgrains, and among the best fifty pipes he'd ever seen in his life, was a Charatan Selected. Not their highest grade.

 

[hyperstar]

@hyperstar On a side note, if you like Castello pipes, in the future, I highly recommend buying them from Tabaccheria Corti. They are a small family owned business, also a sponsor here, and Luca, who seems to run the place for his family, is absolutely amazing to work with.

He told me, he always goes to Castello and hand picks out Castello pipes too.

Home Page - Tabaccheria Corti Lecco - Online Shop

Negozio online di pipe, accendini, penne e articoli da regalo. Vetrina di sigari, toscani e accessori. Pipe Peterson, Bang, Ascorti, Castello, Dunhill, Caminetto e tanti altri marchi. Accendini St. Dupont edizioni limitate.

tabaccheriacorti.com

Thank you. @PipeIT
I also been checking Tabaccheria Corti for a while. Their website interface is very nice. I bought a collection 3k pipe on Iwan Ries last year. Been looking for a collection 4k pipe.

 

[OzPiper]

Well I’ve gotten that same answer from Marco but in person with a little smile and shrug. I get it.

It’s one man grading the pipes and anything and everything can come into play in his assessment. Inconsistency is the only constant.

The man's Italian
Cut him some slack

 

[hyperstar]

I knew it that way too, but in the end it's not important since the number of k is given by the manufacturer at his sole discretion. So there can be a lot of variability, it's not an exact science.
Personally I prefer looking at the pipe more than the punching.

Like the my Ser jacopo pipes. I got a la pipaccia 14 + a calumet without grading. However, they have better grains than my L2 luciano.






The grading markings to me is much more like Pokémon. Gotta catch them all.

 

[AroEnglish]

Yeah, if I ever make pipes I'll be sure to complicate the hell out of it. It's the only way to make it clear that it's a luxury pipe.

For my moose grade pipes, you'll have to count the tines on the rack to figure out the grade within a grade. Dall sheep grade pipes, you have to count the growth rings, and Muskox grade pipes will all be based on the millimeter differences in the size of the horn bosses. Seal grade, Walrus grade, and Sea Lion grade will of course depend on cock length, Caribou grade the number of antler shovels, and Bear grade will be either black, grizzly, brown, or Kodiak which you will be able to decipher by the size of the shoulder hump.

All of these will of course have their own graphite, mica, lithium, bronze, copper, silver, gold, platinum, diamond, and unobtanium grades within their existing grade stamps.

As far as years go, you have to read the numbers backwards, divide by 13, add 24, and then multiply by 2.6. After that you simply add 7 and that's the year.

Size will be indicated only by ancient Pictish inscriptions, as found on the Lunnasting Stone of the Shetland Islands. But in reverse order. For blasts that is, Smooths will say large, medium, and small. With small being the largest.

And I will not make rusticated pipes like some kind of acolytic fool.

Definitely interested in the seal, walrus, or sea lion; whichever is largest. And no, I’m not compensations for anything.

 

[minerLuke]

@hyperstar On a side note, if you like Castello pipes, in the future, I highly recommend buying them from Tabaccheria Corti. They are a small family owned business, also a sponsor here, and Luca, who seems to run the place for his family, is absolutely amazing to work with.

He told me, he always goes to Castello and hand picks out Castello pipes too.

Home Page - Tabaccheria Corti Lecco - Online Shop

Negozio online di pipe, accendini, penne e articoli da regalo. Vetrina di sigari, toscani e accessori. Pipe Peterson, Bang, Ascorti, Castello, Dunhill, Caminetto e tanti altri marchi. Accendini St. Dupont edizioni limitate.

tabaccheriacorti.com

Yup Luca at Tabaccheria Corti is great to deal with, I bought my Castello from him, and a couple Dunhill's. Highly recommend.