The Pipes Cavicchi: Small, Flake Pipes, P.3

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I use the term "Flake Pipes" to refer to pipes that have a tobacco chamber capacity comparable to a Dunhill Group 1-4. I personally believe that pipes within that size range are ideal to smoke pressed tobaccos (such as flakes) in. This does not mean that they're not appropriate for other kinds of tobacco. In my opinion, if you smoke a regular mixture in a small pipe, you end up having a very short smoke, whereas a pressed tobacco usually lasts for over an hour in a Dunhill Group 3-4. The above is by no means a rule. It all depends on the smoking style and preferences of the individual pipe smoker.

 

Smooth ©©©
Pipe Code: CV393 Price: CHF 375.00   Shape: Freeform Dublin Weight: 51g / 1-13/16 oz Chamber ø: 21mm  --  Chamber Depth: 43mm  --  Wall Thickness:  ->10.5mm  --  Cleaner Passes? Yes This pipe is comparable in size to a Dunhill Group:  4
COMMENT: It is definitely accurate to describe the basic shape here as a Dublin. However, the shape is a very, very close cousin of the Hungarian (Oom Paul) thanks to the acute curve on the shank, which stands almost parallel to the bowl. I don't recall ever seeing a Cavicchi in this shape. When I asked him to make a selection of Flake Pipes for my site, he worked hard on offering as much variety as possible, and his efforts paid off big time. The grain of the pipe is excellent, with some exceptional Bird's Eye on the bowl top. I know a lot of people who have a definite preference for "compact" pipes, pipes that they can clench on with ease and in comfort, pipes that would fit their faces in the most discrete way, and pipes that can be easily kept in one's pocket without taking much room. This pipes meets all those criteria and more.

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Smooth ©©©
Pipe Code: CV531 Price: CHF 375.00   Shape: Cherrywood Weight: 32g / 1-1/8 oz Chamber ø: 19mm -- Chamber Depth: 38mm -- Wall Thickness: 7mm -- Cleaner Passes?Yes This pipe is comparable in size to a Dunhill Group:  4
COMMENT: This has been a steady and a favorite shape of Claudio's over the past few years, which, in my opinion, makes it one of very few pipe makers in the world who produce this elegant shape with regularity. The true elegance of the shape is at its best when you place it on a flat surface. Only from that position can one have a collective view of the small, yet significant, details, such as the canted bowl, the slightly conical shank, and the tapered mouthpiece which seems to be running away from the rest of the pipe (the opposite direction in which the bowl is going)! This particular pipe differs from any other Cherrywood Cavicchi I have ever offered due to the slanted bowl base; in fact, it is thanks to that little touch that the shape is as close as it gets to the classic Cherrywood (not that the Cherrywood is a classic shape, mind you)! This is a beautiful pipe, of a good size, and with good grain; it's the kind of pipe you will grab and put in your pocket and enjoy when you get a chance.

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Smooth ©©©
Pipe Code: CV575 Price: CHF 400.00   Shape: Tomato-Lovat Weight: 56g / 1-31/32 oz Chamber ø: 20mm -- Chamber Depth: 30mm -- Wall Thickness: 10mm -- Cleaner Passes?Yes This pipe is comparable in size to a Dunhill Group:  2-3
COMMENT: There's a whole story to this pipe, and though it will sound like I'm bragging, I'll tell you anyway. Claudio came to visit me recently to show me his latest creations, and while we're talking, I told him about this shape I'd had in mind for many years: A perfectly shaped Lovat, but with the bowl of the Tomato, all in a small, compact size and proportionate. Claudio listened carefully, asked many questions, but made no comments. A couple of weeks later, I received the first example of this gorgeous shape pipe. One he's made that first pipe, Claudio fell in love with the shape and I know that he intends to continue to make it. This pipe is the first one I see in that new shape that comes in a smooth, natural finish, and I love it. The bowl is 50mm (1.97") in diameter and 38mm (1.5") in height, while the shank is 62mm (2.44") in length. The total length of the pipe and mouthpiece is about 152mm (5.98").

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Smooth ©©©©
Pipe Code: CV556 Price: CHF 440.00   Shape: Pickaxe Weight: 41g / 1-7/16 oz Chamber ø: 18mm -- Chamber Depth: 42mm -- Wall Thickness: 10mm -- Cleaner Passes?Yes This pipe is comparable in size to a Dunhill Group:  4
COMMENT: If I remember correctly, I first used the term "Pickaxe" back in 1999 to describe a Moretti pipe. As far as I know, I was the first to use the term, and many people then frowned upon it. Today I see that not only has the term been accepted by the pipe community, but it has become so popular, as well. I'm trying to say is that finally I have gotten an opportunity to use the exciting shape name, "Pickaxe". Of course, I would have never expected to use it to describe a Cavicchi shape, which makes the occasion a whole lot more special! This shape is so revolutionary for Claudio that he was not sure it would be welcomed by his fans. For this reason, Claudio came to visit me some time ago to show me shapes he had been experimenting with, and he needed to know what I thought of them before he made them available to you. Well, this was one of those shapes and among the most innovative and impressive, and as soon as I saw it, I told him that he had just produced a shape that not only would be appreciated by his customers but also that it would stay with us for years to come. The pipe shape is quite unusual for Cavicchi, and I hope you see why. The extra pictures are meant to tell you what I can't express through words. Just please examine them carefully just to get a general impression of the beauty and complexity of the shape as well as the breathtaking quality of the grain. By the way, that elegant shank insert is made of Red Palm Wood, and the tapered mouthpiece comes in an elaborate shape and in the old-fashioned Army Mount way. A tip: You can get both this pipe and the CV548 in the Smooth 2C grade and get yourself one heck of a two-pipe set.

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Smooth ©©©©
Pipe Code: CV576 Price: CHF 470.00   Shape: Prince Weight: 51g / 1-13/16 oz Chamber ø: 20.5mm -- Chamber Depth: 32mm -- Wall Thickness: 13mm -- Cleaner Passes?Yes This pipe is comparable in size to a Dunhill Group:  3
COMMENT: It's so rare to see example of this noble classic shape: the Prince. While we can always argue that this is a Freeform Prince, I do not have the intention of doing so this time. I do see the pipe as a classic Prince, and its traditional elegance is quite evident and it speaks volumes of Cavicchi's attention to details and knowledge of classic shapes. As you would expect on a Prince, the bowl is perfectly round, with a short shank, and a rather long mouthpiece. The choice of a tapered mouthpiece here is absolutely right on. I agree that we might have expected the bowl to look more like that of the Tomato, than the Dublin-Pot, and I also agree that a classic Prince may be required to have a slightly longer mouthpiece (or longer shank). However, I do still stand by my initial statement and repeat that, to me, the best possible shape definition here, is the "Prince", period. In spite of the fact that the bowl has quite thick walls, and wood is not lacking anywhere, the pipe is still very light in weight, and thank to that elegant and slim tapered mouthpiece, I bet you anything that it'll be a pleasure to clench on this pipe. You'll simply forget you're clenching on a lit pipe if you lose sight of the smoke! The grain is one of this pipe's strongest point. This pipe, and I say this with all possible confidence and hard-earned expertise, is one of the best example of Straight Grain you can find. Yes, it is, and I do think it should have been graded as a Diamante. All the better for those who like it and are seriously interested in it.

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