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"This" being differences in material hardness.

Like so:




Both the top and bottom lines are shit. The stone extension is (most of the reason) why. But Castello sent it out the door anyway.

Pick one:

-- They don't know HOW to cut a good line when hardness differences occur

-- Their pipes auto-sell for big money anyway, so they don't CARE ENOUGH to make the effort to cut good lines

Neither is good. Incompetent; or cheap, lazy, and greedy. No pride either way.

Yowza. I'm not generally a huge fan of the 55 anyway (that is a 55, right?), but that thing is a serious lumpfest. In the interest of my own education (as I also don't know how to cut a good line with materials of varying density/hardness), I'm going to take a stab at how I'd approach something like this, and if you don't mind, you can tell me how wrong I am

Speculation: I'd think that possibly working with a broader flat-faced file through that area would reduce the likelihood of that happening, and that working more passes on that stone if need be (while being careful not to gouge a valley in the material on either side) might help keep it more in line (something like maybe the stone extension needs four passes with the file for every two passes on the briar).
Above all, I'd think that might be avoidable if you work carefully (thus super slowly, in my case), check that line often, and really pay attention to not getting it out of line in the first place. How far off am I?

Stone is a particular challenge, as is brass. The challenge is you have to use some sort of flat surface like a file or flat sanding backer and not apply much pressure. Then you need to make sure it's only going to require light pressure on the buffing wheel. But then if there's shrinkage in the softer material, you're still going to end up with a lump. I've seen much worse than this, even if it wouldn't go out the door like this in my shop.