Peterson Questions
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I believe the current issue dipstained Peterson pipes are made specifically for the mellinial vegan hipster market. Modern day improvements in pipe manufacturing are simply too hot to be cool.
millenial.
I assume this is a dig on me. What's the newest Peterson you've bought? What's your favorite pipe?
I just bought my first Peterson on Black Friday, a walnut spigot (x105) straight billiard.
I used to just fire up new pipes, but my last meer came with a sheet that suggested running water through, just to be sure to remove any dust from manufacture. That and my success cleaning pipes with JP’s warm water technique led me to decide to run some warm water through it.
The bowl coating completely came off with the water and a paper towel. This was surprising, but not unwelcome. And there was a little splotch of stain in the chamber, but not much, and none in the mortise. Great!
Then I looked at the paper towel, and it was full of stain. From about twenty seconds in warm water and drying on paper towel. Some parts of the bowl were a bit lighter, but not fatally so. The shiny wax finish was mostly worn off except for irregular patches. This is the most fragile finish of any pipe I have. None have budged on a soak in warm water before.
I’ve got some wax on the way and I’ll shine it up. And it smokes very well, even if it’s not so pretty as the marketing pictures. The spigot acts as a mini reverse calabash collecting moisture, which is great.
I used to just fire up new pipes, but my last meer came with a sheet that suggested running water through, just to be sure to remove any dust from manufacture. That and my success cleaning pipes with JP’s warm water technique led me to decide to run some warm water through it.
The bowl coating completely came off with the water and a paper towel. This was surprising, but not unwelcome. And there was a little splotch of stain in the chamber, but not much, and none in the mortise. Great!
Then I looked at the paper towel, and it was full of stain. From about twenty seconds in warm water and drying on paper towel. Some parts of the bowl were a bit lighter, but not fatally so. The shiny wax finish was mostly worn off except for irregular patches. This is the most fragile finish of any pipe I have. None have budged on a soak in warm water before.
I’ve got some wax on the way and I’ll shine it up. And it smokes very well, even if it’s not so pretty as the marketing pictures. The spigot acts as a mini reverse calabash collecting moisture, which is great.
Sorry BROBS. Wasn't meant to be a dig on anyone in particular. Hipster was a typo. I meant to say hamster.
In all seriousness, it was a joke, perhaps a bad one in mixed company and for that I apologize to any and all that were offended.
My latest Pete is the same 2018 Christmas pipe posted by lawdog earlier in the thread. It's a fine pipe that I have zero complaints about. My favorite pipe is my 2012 rusticated Ardor bent apple.
Some useful information in this thread. My only Peterson is a straight billiard with silver band purchased circa 2010, and it was a very bitter smoking pipe from the start that hasn't sweetened much regardless of the cleaning and time spent smoking. I did cut the P-lip off and turn it to a fishtail end, but this did not affect the flavor either way (just no longer felt strange in the mouth).
However, I will try to sand the bowl down to bare wood this weekend. It's a classic shape and great feeling pipe in the hand, although it's rather heavy for its size.
However, I will try to sand the bowl down to bare wood this weekend. It's a classic shape and great feeling pipe in the hand, although it's rather heavy for its size.
From reading forum comments and speaking with B&M workers over the years (which has been quite a long period of time I might add) Petersons pipes have been dipstained (some lightly and some heavily saturated) Others have been bowl-coated with some super-secret mixture. Some are dipstained AND bowl-coated. As of late, I've heard some are bare-wood chambers (although rare and correct me if I'm wrong) From the post above it appears (member name "Casual") sounds like he had some issues with a brand new one? Or was it sitting on the shelf? I'd LOVE to know. Retailers chime in anytime.
I'm still seeing and hearing about new Petes that are dipped (from forum discussions and from visits to local B&M shops). When I'm interested in buying a new Pete, that's my first question to the seller. And often yes, the retailer will tell me if its dipped, coated or bare. And if it's coated it's hard to tell what's underneath it until you buy it.
Some guys don't care at all about the dipstain (in the bowl chamber and/or in the entire drilling) They just "smoke through it." Other new buyers spend countless hours alcohol swabbing it, sanding away, etc to get rid of the stain. Many guys complain it tastes foul and others believe it's just poor craftsmanship along with shoddy QC. I agree with the latter statement -and to boot, I have no plans of swabbing and sanding away on a brand new pipe just so I can smoke the thing.
Now it's possible Peterson has finally stopped "dipping" - that'd be nice. And the only ones presently being made are not dipstained at all. That'd be real nice.
Now there's some fuel for the fire. And, Happy Holy-daze !
The best way to find out the truth is to have B&M owners inspect all the new Petes that come into their shops directly from Peterson. But if they are bowl coated with some magic mix how will they know what's beneath that? Maybe a peek into the stem opening may reveal some info as well.
I'm still seeing and hearing about new Petes that are dipped (from forum discussions and from visits to local B&M shops). When I'm interested in buying a new Pete, that's my first question to the seller. And often yes, the retailer will tell me if its dipped, coated or bare. And if it's coated it's hard to tell what's underneath it until you buy it.
Some guys don't care at all about the dipstain (in the bowl chamber and/or in the entire drilling) They just "smoke through it." Other new buyers spend countless hours alcohol swabbing it, sanding away, etc to get rid of the stain. Many guys complain it tastes foul and others believe it's just poor craftsmanship along with shoddy QC. I agree with the latter statement -and to boot, I have no plans of swabbing and sanding away on a brand new pipe just so I can smoke the thing.
Now it's possible Peterson has finally stopped "dipping" - that'd be nice. And the only ones presently being made are not dipstained at all. That'd be real nice.
Now there's some fuel for the fire. And, Happy Holy-daze !
The best way to find out the truth is to have B&M owners inspect all the new Petes that come into their shops directly from Peterson. But if they are bowl coated with some magic mix how will they know what's beneath that? Maybe a peek into the stem opening may reveal some info as well.
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Absolutely likewise! Especially when I can buy a trouble-free pipe for the same money.
Ez
Except all but the largest retailers don’t buy from Peterson directly. No telling what kind of stock they are getting or how old. So B&M and forum gossip... again these aren’t really “facts”.
How do you know the pipe you will buy is trouble free?
also I believe it’s because so many Peterson’s are sold. You don’t hear people bitch about other brands because they only sell a tiny percentage of what Peterson does.
so until someone buys a brand new pipe (FRESH) from smokingpipes and it’s dipstained it’s all just gossip.
I believed the gossip for 2 years and never would buy a Pete. I did finally and sold/traded most of my collection and replaced them with Peterson’s.
You don't. I reckon even a Vauen can be a dud.
Of all the pipes I've so far purchased from different brands, I've gotten only one that has been troublesome: a MacQueen Wizard churchwarden.
It'd be interesting to see actual numbers of pipes sold per manufacturer; but, I also reckon Savinelli sells pipes by the bucketload and I just can't recall anybody here complaining about a Savinelli.
I just don't want to play roulette with a pipe purchase.
I've heard this a few times. Where do the numbers come from?
I've never seen sales numbers of pipes by brand before, so I'm very curious to see the breakdown of which brands are selling in what quantities.
Anecdotally, I would have guessed Chacom or maybe Savinelli or something like that. Which is probably way off.
I think it would be very interesting for everyone to get an idea of what the market looks like, but I can't find that information. If you have it, please share!
To end customers, or does that include B&M sales of pipes that will just collect dust on a shelf?
Not being snarky, I'm genuinely curious.
I'd like to know the numbers for other makers too, such as Savinelli, which seems to me to be high in popularity as well.
I held it under the tap for probably twenty seconds. It ran through the bowl and stem, but also filled up the chamber and overflowed, wetting down the whole thing. Hasn’t done a bad thing to any other pipes.
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