My First Peterson-Thoughts About The Brand

Chasing Embers · Mar 17, 2017

A lot has been said about the quality of Peterson Pipes, and I will admit that I had been hesitant to purchase one as a result. The St. Patrick's Day 2017 B56 billiard shape caught my eye and didn't let go, so I gave Peterson a shot. This is what I think based on this one pipe.
1) The bowl coating was applied a little heavy handed, but that was fixed with careful sanding.
2) The pipe's drilling is spot on, and easily passed a pipe cleaner.
3) Despite the large size of this piece, it clenched effortlessly, and didn't tire my jaw. (It's inaugural smoke lasted just shy of two hours.)
4) The outside of the bowl grew comfortably warm in hand, but never hot. No finish bubbling.
5) I could find no foul taste in the smoke, just the sweet SPD 2016 tobacco that was being smoked, with a very open draw and no gurgle.
6) The stem, though made of vulcanite, was a bit on the hard side for the material. Perhaps Peterson just uses a different type of vulcanite. Still very comfortable to clench.
7) Aesthetically, the pipe's shape and stain just blew me away. It's a very stocky chunk of briar with a cavernous chamber, and a gorgeous green stain for the holiday.
It would appear that Peterson has alleviated my factory made phobia caused by my Dunhill experience, and I will be buying more Irish pipes.

davet · Mar 17, 2017

Love my Pete's :clap:

grouchydog · Mar 17, 2017

I have no problem with my Petes. I think they probably have a problem rate no different than other factory pipes, but they sell a LOT of pipes and therefore you hear about more problems. And at this point it's almost taken on a momentum of its own and so the "Legend Of Crappy Pete" is out there waiting to be jumped on.

ssjones · Mar 17, 2017

A nice summary, I've not purchased a new Peterson in a few years. I used to use a towel dipped in alcohol to wipe out the bowl coating, that got most of it.

didache · Mar 17, 2017

In my few weeks on this forum I have gotten the impression that there was a brief time when Petes acquired a bad rep for quality. I also get the impression that the quality issues have largely been dealt with. If that is so, then people are perfectly safe with the more recent Petes.
Yours is gorgeous btw!

toobfreak · Mar 17, 2017

When I saw this thread I thought: My God! Not yet another Pete-bashing topic again! Glad you like your pipe, Duane. Happy St. Patrick's Day.

leacha · Mar 17, 2017

I will be buying more Irish pipes.

And you will run into their famous quality issues.

jabo · Mar 17, 2017

Like Petes, I really prefer a Plip on one though.

warren · Mar 17, 2017

A wise choice! Never had a problem with a Pete in 50+ years and my mess o'briars is nearly exclusively Peterson these days.

gloucesterman · Mar 17, 2017

Pete bashing aside, I have over twenty in my collection and have never had a bad one through out the ranges. It always amazes me that someone will buy a $100 Pete and then complain it didn't meet the Dunhill standard. Frankly, if I were forced to make a choice I'd part with my Dunhills before my Petes. The Petersons are better smoking pipes.

pitchfork · Mar 17, 2017

Glad to hear the pipe was to your liking. My newest Pete (2012) has a particularly hard vulcanite stem as well.

owen · Mar 17, 2017

A good common sense review clear with no axe to grind. Thanks.

mso489 · Mar 17, 2017

Rather than try to tell people who've had bad experiences with Petes that they're mistaken, or just drew a rare short straw, I think the simple and therefore likeliest explanation is that the Peterson people got swamped by their success and, yes, greedy, and pushed pipes out the door without appropriate care. Like many on Forums, I am happy with my six Petersons, bought new between three and six years ago. I like their design, the solidity and overall quality. Peterson undoubtedly heard from its customers and retailers about the shortcomings, and it seems things have gotten a lot better. Every pipe outfit will have the occasional flawed pipe, but Peterson has a large cohort of satisfied customers to entice and confound the doubters. My only admonition to Peterson is, guys and gals, don't screw up. chase', that is a beautiful pipe. I'm a fan of the straight billiard, and this is a classic.

rigmedic1 · Mar 17, 2017

I think Petersons are no better or worse than many mass produced pipes. The ascetic is unique, and the quality is good. Out of 16 Petes that I have owned, there was only one that I disliked, and it was an estate that I sold off. And people love them, which is why you don't ever see many Pete's languishing in the estate pipe market. Many are purchased as quickly as they get posted. My favorite one is a 999 Grafton that I got from a fellow in Romania.

My least favorite is a second from the 1940's: a Limerick 02 Oom Paul. It smokes well enough, but it has a inch long metal stinger that is embedded in the stem. No way to get a pipe cleaner past it, and I broke off the tip of the stinger trying to get it out. It's a nice looking pipe though, in a natural finish.

Like what you smoke, and smoke what you like. It applies to pipes as well as tobaccos. I don't think I would ever trade any of my Peterson's.

mso489 · Mar 17, 2017

I have only one Peterson P-Lip, which I enjoy, but one is enough. I have a K-P rusticated author that took forever to get really good; it broke in, but not impressively. About two years later, it blossomed. Very strange, but now it's this great, broad-bowled, excellent cooker for any blend with three or more tobaccos. Some Petes may be awful, but mine have turned out outstanding.

anthonyrosenthal74 · Mar 17, 2017

Peterson has alleviated my factory made phobia caused by my Dunhill experience

I think you just melted some brains with that statement, Duane... :rofl:

Frankly, if I were forced to make a choice I'd part with my Dunhills before my Petes. The Petersons are better smoking pipes.

Gloucesterman... :rofl: Heads just exploded! :rofl:
I've had nothing but good experiences with my Petersons, and knowing that if there were a problem, that Peterson would replace the pipe, I have no worries with buying new ones. I'll be smoking my St. Patrick's Day 106 today with some of the 2016 blend.
Glad you're happy with your first Peterson, Duane. I hope it delivers a lifetime of wonderful smokes for you. :puffpipe:

davet · Mar 17, 2017

A few Peterson threads over the past couple of days without the usual bashing, just one negative..... what's going on? :rofl:

Chasing Embers · Mar 18, 2017

I will be buying more Irish pipes.

And you will run into their famous quality issues.

Considering it only took one Dunhill to find a bad one, I'm really liking my odds! :mrgreen:

dixie · Mar 18, 2017

Love all my Pete's. Great pipes, great history. Nice review, congrats on a wonderful purchase…beautiful pipe!

Chasing Embers · Mar 18, 2017

Thank you! Very hooked on the B56 shape. The bug to put together a seven day set of them together has started to bite.

My First Peterson-Thoughts About The Brand

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