FACTORY TOUR CONTINUED

Thanks for sticking it out with us this far. If the images appear a little slow, 
it is because we wanted to give you the best possible clarity and to do so, 
one sometimes has to trade off speed.

The following photos are those of various operations throughout the factory 
showing different stations for the noted tasks.

Sanding: 
During the course of producing a pipe, it may pass through the sanding stations 
                   several times before it is finally OK'd as smooth enough to proceed 
to the staining stations.

Pumicing: 
Some pipes (usually sandblasted) are stained with a base color and later with another color 
                     over that. At the pumicing stations, pumice wheels are used to remove some of the 
top stain revealing the base color giving the pipe a nice two tone look.

Coloring: 
All of our stains are of a natural origin and are applied at the staining stations. 
We produce all of our stains in house and keep a tight control to insure 
uniform color from pipe to pipe.

Vacuum System: 
      Just a side note here, in that the yellow tubing you see in most of the photos 
                  is part of the vacuum system, the likes of which probably won't be found in any 
                      other factory manufacturing pipes today.                                
With so much sanding and buffing going on, you would not believe 
how clean a factory Savinelli maintains, 
thanks largely in part to this custom designed system.

Imprinting:
At the imprinting or stamping stations, the shape number and series name are applied by using a
                        machine that imprints the information into the briar. This is delicate work in that the 
operator need use just the right amount of pressure without damaging the briar.

Final control:
 In the stamping and final control area, every pipe is meticulously scrutinized one final 
  time to ensure that every step prior to the pipe arriving here, has been properly addressed. 
This is the point of no  return. From this station, leave the beautiful results of four generations of 
Savinelli quality pipes, destined for markets all over the world.

Close-up grading:

  This last photo shows a Savinelli expert carefully determining what grade 
a particular bowl will become. It is a craft that takes an expert eye to master.

One final note before bidding  you farewell.

You have briefly seen what we go through to provide what we consider to be, 
one of the finest pipes made in the world.

None of this would have come about if not for the genius of Achille Savinelli,
 his dedication to excellence and his determination to follow his passion for making 
the best pipes Italy has to offer.

Though he is no longer with us, his son Giancarlo Savinelli has inherited his fathers passion 
and continues  with the family tradition and dedication to a quality product that began 
in a small shop over 132 years ago.

Thank you for taking the tour.

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