diff --git a/lib/extras.py b/lib/extras.py
index e14e1c4..bb25015 100644
--- a/lib/extras.py
+++ b/lib/extras.py
@@ -846,6 +846,15 @@ class CompositeCaster(object):
         else:
             self.array_typecaster = None
 
+    def make(self, attrs):
+        return self._ctor(*attrs)
+
+    def register(self, where=None):
+        _ext.register_type(self.typecaster, where)
+
+        if self.array_typecaster is not None:
+            _ext.register_type(self.array_typecaster, where)
+
     def parse(self, s, curs):
         if s is None:
             return None
@@ -858,7 +867,8 @@ class CompositeCaster(object):
 
         attrs = [ curs.cast(oid, token)
             for oid, token in zip(self.atttypes, tokens) ]
-        return self._ctor(*attrs)
+
+        return self.make(attrs)
 
     _re_tokenize = regex.compile(r"""
   \(? ([,)])                        # an empty token, representing NULL
@@ -894,7 +904,7 @@ class CompositeCaster(object):
             self._ctor = self.type
 
     @classmethod
-    def _from_db(self, name, conn_or_curs):
+    def from_db(self, name, conn_or_curs):
         """Return a `CompositeCaster` instance for the type *name*.
 
         Raise `ProgrammingError` if the type is not found.
@@ -940,7 +950,7 @@ ORDER BY attnum;
         array_oid = recs[0][1]
         type_attrs = [ (r[2], r[3]) for r in recs ]
 
-        return CompositeCaster(tname, type_oid, type_attrs,
+        return self(tname, type_oid, type_attrs,
             array_oid=array_oid)
 
 def register_composite(name, conn_or_curs, globally=False):
@@ -960,12 +970,8 @@ def register_composite(name, conn_or_curs, globally=False):
         added support for array of composite types
 
     """
-    caster = CompositeCaster._from_db(name, conn_or_curs)
-    _ext.register_type(caster.typecaster, not globally and conn_or_curs or None)
-
-    if caster.array_typecaster is not None:
-        _ext.register_type(caster.array_typecaster, not globally and conn_or_curs or None)
-
+    caster = CompositeCaster.from_db(name, conn_or_curs)
+    caster.register(not globally and conn_or_curs or None)
     return caster