Silca Impero Classic Retro Frame Fit Pump

For fun I added one of these to my order, making sure to have low expectations. The pump did not even meet those.

The pump is made in China and typifies the old ‘Made in China’ rather than the new iPhones and high-end binoculars breed. The barrel appears to be a light alloy (unlike the traditional plastic) but it is roughly hewn. The head is crudely moulded plastic. There is a small leak in my example.

I had hoped for no good reason to find a leather washer that could be transferred to an old Impero. No such luck. It’s rubber. The outer diameter of the barrel is under 22 mm, so the traditional leather washer would never have fitted.

It looks alright from a distance.