Pipes Magazine » Pipe Repair and Maintenance

1. 

   adamjames
   

   New Member
   Joined: Jan 2013
   Posts: 6

   offline

   Login to Send PM

   Hi guys, this is my first post. Actually, I'm rather new to pipe smoking altogether; I only turned 18 this year.

   I know from reviews that the straight system pipes by Peterson are a devil to clean, but I can't find anyone who actually tells you how. There's supposed to be a moisture-well underneath the bowl, or something, which is hard to get at. My Peterson arrived today, and I like it a lot; so I don't want to ruin it.

   How should it be cleaned?

   (Also, one review I read recommended taking the metal bit out of the stem to stop pipe gurgle. As far as I know, this is a filter of some kind, and designed to catch "bad stuff". Is removing it a good idea? Any further recommendations would be most welcome. Thanks.)

   Posted 4 months ago #
2. 

   englishdave
   

   Member
   Joined: Dec 2012
   Posts: 110

   offline

   Login to Send PM

   Adam:

   My first pipe was a Peterson 301. Still have it, smokes well, and I got it when I was about your age.

   You don't really need the metal filter in the stem. It tends to capture gunk anyway. I would pitch it.

   I clean the reservoir with a either a pipe cleaner either doubled over, or a q-tip.

   The system pipes make it difficult sometimes to pass a pipe cleaner through with the stem still on. But your 31 is a straight pipe, so it shouldn't be a problem. In any event, it has a military mount so it's safe to remove the stem before the pipe has cooled, so you can clean it up at will.

   Hope this helps.

   Posted 4 months ago #
3. 

   adamjames
   

   New Member
   Joined: Jan 2013
   Posts: 6

   offline

   Login to Send PM

   Yeah, thanks Dave, that sounds like good advice.

   And it's good to see that there are some English people here.

   Posted 4 months ago #
4. 

   hans
   

   Member
   Joined: Dec 2012
   Posts: 198

   offline

   Login to Send PM

   Don't be so fast to get rid of that metal condenser. It is there for a reason. A system is not a system with a main component of it missing. Also your draw will become much more wide open.

   I say stick to the cleaning advice Dave gave otherwise.

   "Socialism never took root in America because the poor see themselves not as an exploited proletariat but as temporarily embarrassed millionaires."
   - John Steinbeck

   Posted 4 months ago #
5. 

   rothnh
   

   Senior Member
   Joined: Aug 2012
   Posts: 8,951

   offline

   Login to Send PM

   Adamjames, first of all, welcome to PM Forums and congratulations on your new Pete!

   You can try it both ways -- with and without the filter -- and then just go with what works for you.

   One thing I would caution, though, is if you decide not to use the filter in your pipe, put the filter in a safe place. Should you ever want to sell or trade the pipe in the future, the pipe is much more valuable with the filter in place (although I am sure a Peterson dealer can get you a new one if it is lost).

   Posted 4 months ago #
6. 

   rcstan
   

   Preferred Member
   Joined: Mar 2012
   Posts: 845

   offline

   Login to Send PM

   Welcome to the forum!

   I have 3 Peterson System pipes ( 317, 305 and an African Meerschaum ), but not a straight 31. That one is on my next to get list. Systems have an additional cleaning step. After smoking, remove stem and take a paper towel / thick napkin and shove it in the System reservoir in the shank to absorb all the moisture from there, you might need to do this several times until the paper comes out dry. Then clean as you would any other pipe.

   If the reservoir isn't dry ( don't let the juices soak in there but clean religiously ), then your pipe will gurgle , with or without the metal bit. 3 or 4 smokes without soaking the juice at least will yield you a mouthful of nastiness even with the bit in place, let alone without.

   rothnh is right, if you ever want to sell that pipe, the lack of the bit takes the value down. Replacement bits for the 31 at mysmokingshop.co.uk are 12 Sterling plus freight IIRC ....

   

   Posted 4 months ago #
7. 

   adamjames
   

   New Member
   Joined: Jan 2013
   Posts: 6

   offline

   Login to Send PM

   [quote]clean religiously

   Like it : )

   This all sounds great, guys. Thanks.

   Posted 4 months ago #
8. 

   bentmike
   

   Preferred Member
   Joined: Jan 2012
   Posts: 1,664

   offline

   Login to Send PM

   Welcome Adam!

   Peterson System Pipes are simple really and not hard to clean at all. I do Like rcstan says; when I'm done I pop off the stem and twist a paper towel and screw it down into the well and repeat. Twice is usually fine. That takes care of the moisture. Then I swab the smoke hole with a pipe cleaner. That's it. -Takes about 20 seconds longer than cleaning a non-system pipe.

   Here's a post with some good pictures of the moisture well on a few bent Systems.
   Inside A Peterson System

   Enjoy that 31 and let us now how it breaks in for you.

   Posted 4 months ago #

RSS feed for this topic

Reply

You must log in to post.

    Back To Top  | Back to Forum Home Page

   Members Online Now
   ghost, flippinbird87, gwtwdbss, gisboro, kcvet67, voorhees, daytonsean, dervis, papipeguy, philobeddoe, alphaflux, jjmitchem, kashmir, admin, blade, philip, martiniman, wyfbane, lordnoble, cigrmaster