Problem with new Peterson

[beardedcavalier]

Picked up a beautiful Peterson St Patricks Day special the other day. I love the look of it, but I'm having difficulty cleaning it. It's a 01 shape (ie, full bent), but I can't get a pipe cleaner down the draft hole (I can't even see it!). This is affecting the draw. Any suggestions?

 

[warren]

Can you get a cleaner through with the stem removed?

 

[freakiefrog]

suggestions, Contact the company you bought it from or Peterson. Might be a defective drilled draft hole and need to be replace.

 

[beardedcavalier]

Can't even get it through with the stem removed! It was a private sale, so I guess my only recourse it to approach Peterson directly.

 

[mso489]

Many full bent pipes don't take a pipe cleaner all the way to the bowl. Afterall, this is asking a piece of wire to take an almost right turn. The problem is that the draw is impeded, so you have to establish if this is something that can be corrected by simply taking off the stem and cleaning it and the shank and bowl separately, or if there is a problem in the drilling altogether. If you can't resolve it, go back to the retailer first and Peterson second, and if neither of those work (they should!) go to a pipe repairman. Good luck. All of my Petersons have been excellent, but these reports make me reluctant to buy another. Savenelli makes a fine pipe....

 

[darwin]

This isn't so much a flaw but more like an almost inevitable fact of life with bent pipes in general and full bents in particular. A very slight bend in the end of a pipe cleaner can sometimes allow a cleaner to go all the way through but it can take a lot of fiddling and futzing to accomplish it. I have half a dozen full bents from modest to expensive and not one of them will pass a cleaner without fussing.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

If I'm understanding this correctly, it isn't the bend, but an obstructed airway on an estate pipe? If so, Peterson may not be to blame... for once, ha ha. It may be that the pipe has never been cleaned down the draft with a pipecleaner. This would not be unusual for an older style pipe smoker. Many pipe guys in my family never even used a pipecleaner once. Just smoke it till it stops, and toss it, get a new one.
It may be that you need to just run a drill bit down the draft, NOT WHILE CHUCKED IN A DRILL, but just gingerly run down the stummel. This should shave off some of the cake in the draft. Then clean the heck out of it. I might even suggest a retort.

 

[darwin]

An obstructed airway could well be the reason for the restricted draw but the drilling requirements of full bents can result in the draft hole ending up smack against the side of the shank counterbore which can make stabbing a cleaner in there very frustrating. This sounds like what may be happening here since beardedcavalier says he can't get a cleaner in the airway even with the stem removed.

 

[lordofthepiperings]

I'd contact Peterson, from what I've heard they're very good in dealing with situations like this. I'd venture to say they'll take the pipe back and fix the draft hole for you. I'd warn though you'll have to send it to Dublin Ireland so it probably will take a bit to have the issue resolved.

 

[xrundog]

Agreed that the hole is probably obstructed. It's going to be located at the very front (or top) of the well area. It may even be drilled into the side wall there. Use a tooth pick to poke around and find it. Then use a drill bit to ream it out.

 

[beardedcavalier]

Thanks. I'll have another poke at it tonight and see if I can locate it. Just to clarify - it is a new, unsmoked pipe (not an estate). Smoked great first couple of times I used it, but now (a few days later) the draw seems impeded.

 

[billypm]

If you can't get a cleaner through the airway to the bowl with the stem off, but still can get some air drawn through the pipe, then likely the hole is obstructed in some way but not totally closed. I'd take xrundog's excellent advice and poke around with a toothpick til you find the airway and then see if it needs drilling out or simply some serious cleaning. Either way you can probably fix it yourself. Now if the draw was TOTALLY blocked I wouldn't try to actually drill a new airway to the bowl myself-- but that isn't your situation, I take it?

 

[kola]

Have you tried rotating the pipecleaning as you go?
If you send it to Peterson be prepared for a very long wait. If I were you I'd send it to a private pipecrafter and have him make the alterations.

 

[raevans]

Sounds like a piece of tobacco, or possibly some sediment from the original drilling, worked its up into the stem. I would run a shank brush through it instead of a regular pipe cleaner. If something became wedged in the air chamber, you will need something with a little re-enforcement in order to dislodge it.

 

[pipebaum81]

I find the description of your concerns to be a little confusing. Some photos would be most helpful....
j/B

 

[nachman]

Try making a very slight bend in the end of the pipe cleaner, then insert it into the pipe till it stops. Then form a crank by bending the pipe cleaner at right angles, then turn the crank without putting much forward pressure on it. If that doesn't work, repeat with a bristle cleaner.

 

[foggymountain]

The best thing to do is to put it aside and get a straight pipe. Check that a cleaner goes thru easily before buying it.

 

[pipebaum81]

The best thing to do is to put it aside and get a straight pipe. Check that a cleaner goes thru easily before buying it.

This is so obtuse it's silly. Many fine bents from world renowned craftsmen won't pass a cleaner. Besides that many tobaccos won't need you to pass a cleaner into the chamber when smoked slow and dried properly. To just avoid half (or more) of pipe styles because they ain’t straight is missing out on so much.
j/B