Sykes Wilford

Pipes Perfectly Executed, Part 1

Pipes Perfectly Executed, Part 1

July 11, 2010 by Sykes Wilford

3 Comments

After a couple of missed turns and driving around in search of the correct address (you're probably beginning to discern a pattern), we pulled up into a small grouping of plaster clad homes, finding Claudio Cavicchi, and his good friend (and our translator for the day) Gianfranco Musoni chatting in Claudio's immaculately maintained garden. ... Read More

Shapes as a Way of Life

Shapes as a Way of Life

July 8, 2010 by Sykes Wilford

I've long been a fan of Giancarlo Guidi's work. Much like Carlo Scotti in Northern Italy, or Sixten Ivarsson in Denmark, Guidi first created a new idea, a new approach to pipe making, and then taught others. Is that not the mark of a true master? ... Read More

Video: Max Rimensi of Il Duca

Video: Max Rimensi of Il Duca

July 6, 2010 by Sykes Wilford

1 Comment

Here's another video from the Italy trip, this one of Massimiliano Rimensi of Il Duca Pipes going from block of briar to the sanding disk, including work on the band saw, the lathe and the sanding disk. I'll have a blog post with the story of the visit and some photos in the next few days. ... Read More

Mimmo Briar

Mimmo Briar

July 5, 2010 by Sykes Wilford

3 Comments

As I indicated in previous posts, I'm now terribly far behind in sharing all sorts of little insights about our trip to Italy and Germany, from which we returned almost a week ago now. In my jetlagged fugue of last week, editing videos just seemed far more tenable than putting metaphorical pen to paper and stringing words together in some coherent pattern. ... Read More

Video: Briar Cutting

Video: Briar Cutting

July 2, 2010 by Sykes Wilford

I'll have something of a write up on the visit to Mimmo's briar cutting operation later today or tomorrow, but in the mean time, I thought I'd get this little video of Mimmo and his colleague Nicola at work. Mimmo supplies briar to many, if not most, of the top pipe makers in the world. ... Read More

Video: Radice Family at Work

Video: Radice Family at Work

July 2, 2010 by Sykes Wilford

2 Comments

Here's yet another video from the trip, this one a little longer and more involved, though my video editing skills leave much to be desired. Some of the best video we had from the trip was visiting Radice in Cucciago. ... Read More

When Sykes and Tools Collide

When Sykes and Tools Collide

July 1, 2010 by Sykes Wilford

The video below is, well, pretty much self explanatory. I will offer that there's a reason that I do not make pipes for a living. Watching the Castello worker rusticating for the Sea Rock finish makes it look easy. It isn't. ... Read More

A Pipe Family

A Pipe Family

June 21, 2010 by Sykes Wilford

2 Comments

Luigi "Gigi" Radice started making pipes in 1960, working at the Castello factory as a young man. He spent eight years there, leaving in 1968 to co-found Caminetto with fellow Castello veteran, Peppino Ascorti. ... Read More

One Vision, One Factory, Two Men

One Vision, One Factory, Two Men

June 21, 2010 by Sykes Wilford

1 Comment

Castello is something of an anomaly in the world of modern Italian artisan pipe making. Carlo Scotti, when he founded Castello in 1947, did more than anyone else to create the idea of the modern Italian hand made pipe as we've come to know it. ... Read More

Where Tradition Meets Innovation

Where Tradition Meets Innovation

June 19, 2010 by Sykes Wilford

Three days ago, on our third day on the Italian and German (and a bit French) pipe maker tour, we visited Ardor. We were running a little late, having decided to take the mountain pass out of Switzerland instead of doing what sane people do, take the tunnel. ... Read More

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