The Pipes Cavicchi Pipes: Smooth-©

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Pipe Code: CV350 Price: CHF 240.00  Convert Shape: Bent Dublin Weight: 57g / 2oz Chamber ø: 22mm  --  Chamber Depth: 42mm  --  Wall Thickness:  12.5mm  --  Cleaner Passes? Yes

COMMENT: I looked and looked and looked, and still I couldn't figure out why this pipe was graded only 1C. I love the grain which is way too good for this low grade; it is well pronounced and regular all over the pipe, with some excellent Flame Grain on both sides of the bowl and gorgeous Bird's Eye on the bowl top. The pipe has so much wood, with bowl walls reaching 12.5mm thick. The saddle mouthpiece is quite wide, offering more stability when clenched on; it measures 20mm in width at the button.

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Pipe Code: CV503 Price: CHF 240.00  Convert Shape: FF Lovat Weight: 51g / 1-13/16 oz Chamber ø: 20.5mm -- Chamber Depth: 44mm -- Wall Thickness: 12mm -- Cleaner Passes?Yes

COMMENT: You might be wondering why I decided to describe this shape as a "Freeform Lovat", as opposed to a straightforward classic "Lovat". Well, it all lies in the shape of the bowl, which in my opinion is not quite the classic Billiard shape. If you look closely you might notice that the bowl shape is somewhere between the Billiard and the Apple, and hence the use of the term "freeform". Apart from that, the shape is undoubtedly that of a Lovat, complete with the long, round shank and the short, saddle mouthpiece. The pipe is quite robust, with so much wood all over it. The shank is also very slightly tapered, starting at the bowl's end at a diameter of 17mm and ending at the other end at 15mm. Yes, the difference is tiny, but it does affect the overall appearance of the pipe. This is why I see this as a very special and unique interpretation of the Lovat, and if you collect Lovats (esp. large ones), this one should be a great addition to your collection.

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Pipe Code: CV504 Price: CHF 240.00  Convert Shape: Panel Apple Weight: 71g / 2-1/2 oz Chamber ø: 20.5mm -- Chamber Depth: 43mm -- Wall Thickness: 14mm -- Cleaner Passes?Yes

COMMENT: This comment could end up being too long, which is usually the case with pipes that may not appear quite special at first sight and yet are ones I personally believe to be nothing short of fabulous. What might detract from the pipe's value and overall beauty is that "dark spot" near the shank, on the left-hand side (see first and third pictures, from the left). You see, knowing how meticulous and ruthless Cavicchi is when it comes to grading, I had to ask him about that spot. He tells me that it is not a sandpit, but rather, it's a dark stain that runs through the wood. On closer inspection, this does appear to be the case. I didn't dare ask him why he didn't rusticated because I didn't want him to lose faith in me and my eyesight. The grain. It's the grain. It's that unbelievably good grain. It's the kind of grain that would have easily earned the pipe a place in the 5C grade, which is Cavicchi's highest. As for the shape, I believe it's a delightful and quite rare interpretation of the classic Apple. The addition of the two panels not only added beauty to the design, but it also managed to better represent the fabulous grain. Claudio clearly went a step further in his effort to make this an even more unique and attractive design; he added a massive briarwood insert to the mouthpiece, which stands as the base of the mouthpiece; he applied the same light brown stain to this insert, which means he had to fit his logo on the insert, as opposed to the acrylic base of the mouthpiece. For this reason, the logo has quite a different look from the ordinary Cavicchi logo, though it is the same. It's all due to the reduced contract between the logo colors and the color of the briarwood insert. Just imagine the amount of work and time that Claudio put into the making of only the mouthpiece! Back to the stain, if you are in love with this pipe, but you don't like how that stain looks, remember that the pipe will continue to get darker when you smoke, and I'm confident that the dark spot will become less and less evident with time. Plus remember, that you are getting the best possible grain, in a very attractive shape, for the price of the lowest smooth Cavicchi grade.

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Pipe Code: CV505 Price: CHF 240.00  Convert Shape: Freehand Weight: 74g / 2-19/32 oz Chamber ø: 21.5mm -- Chamber Depth: 55mm -- Wall Thickness: 12mm -- Cleaner Passes?Yes

COMMENT: I'm happy and proud to be able to offer you this shape, which is one of Cavicchi's most recent and exciting additions to his shape arsenal. Though it is not my shape at all, I'm completely in love with it, and if I smoked anything other than perfectly straight pipes, I'm sure I would have added one in this shape to my personal collection. There's no doubt in my mind that the best way to define the shape is by using the term "Freehand"; however, I do have an idea. You see, when you look at the bowl shape, with the mouthpiece pointing towards the floor, I bet you anything you will see a... "Golf club"! Please look at the first picture on the left, and tilt your head to the left side, and see if you agree! In addition, the pipe comes in an extra large size, with a bowl that proudly stands at 81mm (3.19 inches) high! Notice the two elegant grooves that Claudio added to the end of the shank, and also the slender tapered mouthpiece with its Army Mount. Another feature that is important to many is the fact that, thanks to the flat base of the bowl, the pipe can sit still on a flat surface without support. The grain is another story most definitely worth referring to. It's very elegant blend of Crossgrain and massive Bird's Eye. Every time I look at this pipe, in that shape and size and with that grain, I simply cannot even begin to understand how it can be offered in this entry grade and for this low price! This is a magnificent pipe, and I would recommend it as highly as any other pipe I have ever recommended.

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Pipe Code: CV506 Price: CHF 270.00  Convert Shape: Freehand Weight: 75g / 2-21/32 oz Chamber ø: 21mm -- Chamber Depth: 43mm -- Wall Thickness: ->19mm -- Cleaner Passes?Yes

COMMENT: This is one of Cavicchi's most popular shapes. The shape is so unusual for Cavicchi's general style, and I must admit that the idea is brilliant. I challenge anyone who could objectively describe this pipe in classic terms or associate it with a classic shape. Having said that, I can make certain shape associations, but with some of the recently established freehand shape names. I see this pipe as a sort of Snail, which is a shape everyone raves about. As far as I know, a Snail is usually made to bring out as much Bird's Eye as possible, which is what happened here. I tried to show the Bird's Eye as well and as much as I could through the pictures, but believe me, it's 10 times better. I find it simply breathtaking! Of course, Claudio had to go the extra mile, and so he made the shank into a very usual shape, which stands in contrast with the roundedness of the bowl. He then added two layers of inserts, one of acrylic and the other of olivewood, and fitted a uniquely shaped saddle mouthpiece. Moreover, he added an elegant silver band into the elaborate saddle mouthpiece. Now, if you put all these elements together, considering the complexity and uniqueness of the shape, the incredibly labor-intensive process which lead to its creation, the fabulous shape and incredible grain, and add to all that the very low price, you start to see why no one, I mean NO ONE, can compete with Cavicchi when it comes to maximum value for the money. Honestly, I dare to say that I find this pipe ridiculously cheap! I'm happy, though, for whoever will get it, and I sure am proud to have been the source.

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