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alexnc

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 25, 2015
953
804
Southeast US
Just received this Peterson XL23. The drilling is so far off the hole is above where the filter projects into the mortise it will barely draw, certainly not through the filter. It's probably about even with the end of the tenon so blocked by the filter. No way you could even smoke it! Back it goes and I don't think I'm going to throw those dice again.


 

dottiewarden

Lifer
Mar 25, 2014
3,053
57
Toronto
This is not the first time I've heard this complaint. I guess I've been fortunate, my 3 Petersons smoke perfectly.
Sorry to hear about your terrible experience, but I'll still continue to buy Peterson pipes and tobacco.

 

jerwynn

Lifer
Dec 7, 2011
1,033
12
About 5 years ago, I bought 3 Peterson pipes over the course of the year... a Kinsale, a Cork, and a Pipe of The Year 2008 with silver work. They were all gorgeous to look at, but...

the Kinsale's airway was obstructed with bits of material in a deep 90 degree bend of the stem and is still nearly impossible to pass a pipe cleaner, the Cork's drilling was way off center and way to high up on the interior side of the bowl, AND the POY2008 was welded shut in bowl with their Star Warsian carbonite bowl coating - I mean solid shut. My drilling of the hole just to remove the coating caused the coating to break off in a large chunk around the draft-hole, and then I discovered the mortise and tenon joint was misaligned to prevent the 9mm filter from working correctly... it was basically like sucking on a hardwood dowel rod.
And I have not, and will not buy another Peterson, ever.

 

dottiewarden

Lifer
Mar 25, 2014
3,053
57
Toronto
All my Petersons are from B&Ms, not one was purchased online. Perhaps the difference is being able to inspect the pipe prior to making the decision to buy. I also believe a reputable dealer would inspect the products it is selling in order to avoid this type of problem.

 

fitzy

Lifer
Nov 13, 2012
2,937
27
NY
Sorry to hear that. Make sure you return that pipe.
The Pete's I do have I love but this is why I stopped buying them over 10 years ago. There are plenty of other manufacturers in that price range that are far superior. I'd love to buy a spigot but won't.

 

leacha

Part of the Furniture Now
Jun 19, 2013
939
8
Colorado
There's no point buying cheaper Peterson lines.

Actually I've had great luck with their Army lines.
I'm critical of Peterson Pipes and swear I'll never get another, but I always cave. I love their looks, except for the rustication, that is some of the worst sh*t I've ever seen on a piece of wood. I hate their sloppy manufacturing.
I just snagged a Xmas pipe that was smoked maybe 6 times (it didn't even start to cake!). Its drilled high in the bowl and a little pipe mud will make it a perfect pipe. I shouldn't have to do that though. I mentioned to the original owner that it should have been returned. Too many smokers are willing to accept Peterson's crap!
I purchased an unsmoked 301 that was drilled so low in the stem that it didn't have the well. Because of that, it gurgled like a kid blowing bubbles in milk. I redrillled it and bingo! Nice pipe.
Those are just two examples I have fixed. To date I've had 8 that have passed through my hands that are drilled so bad, you would think they were done on purpose for the US market as a way of saying Fu*k you! I've returned the sh*t pipes only to see 'em for sale again. The retailer is a major sponsor of this site so I will not mention them. IMO the retailers know ignorant smokers will accept 'em.
Another week another Peterson rant..

If they would produce quality pipes... How many Savinelli rants do you see. Just pointing that out.

 

aldecaker

Lifer
Feb 13, 2015
4,407
42
That looks like a Peterson System pipe to me. Are you sure you're supposed to be trying to put a filter in there?

 
Jan 4, 2015
1,858
11
Massachusetts
That pipe is a system pipe. It's drilled that way on purpose. The drilling comes in well above the bottom of the mortis so that moisture can condense and collect without being transferred to the mouth. Google Peterson system pipes and look under the images, you'll find a cutaway that shows the system design. Sorry but there is nothing wrong with that pipe except maybe that you didn't understand what you were buying.

 

aldecaker

Lifer
Feb 13, 2015
4,407
42
That's kinda what I was sort of gently getting at, Glouster. A Google image search was the first thing I did, and that pipe looks just like the cutaway.

 

shutterbugg

Lifer
Nov 18, 2013
1,451
21
Just received this Peterson XL23. The drilling is so far off the hole is above where the filter projects into the mortise it will barely draw, certainly not through the filter. It's probably about even with the end of the tenon so blocked by the filter.
Never saw a Pete System with a filter.
Sorry but there is nothing wrong with that pipe except maybe that you didn't understand what you were buying.
Sounds like it. But also it's clearly obvious the drilling is way off-center to the right.

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
I feel badly about this and other quality complaints with Peterson. I bought all my Petes four or more (mostly more) years ago, and was also lucky. The only iffy one was a big rusticated author, and the complaints were vague, and the pipe finally broke in well, and now is excellent. I do not think the problems are specific to whether you buy high or low on the price scale. In fact, a number of complaints have come with Petes above the middle range, and some of my "lesser" pipes are among my best Petes. Peterson has enjoyed its venerable spot in the market and its appealing singular designs. They seem somewhat indifferent, or at least slow to respond, to their quality control problems. There is always a newbie willing to take a gamble or simply unknowing. I keep thinking Peterson will wake up to the fact that they can re-invest in quality at little or no extra cost and revive their reputation, but I keep reading these complaints. I guess Peterson is doing well and that's that, until they aren't.

 

aldecaker

Lifer
Feb 13, 2015
4,407
42
Well, if people are complaining that they can't stuff a filter into an unfiltered pipe, I hope Peterson keeps ignoring those complaints.

 

didimauw

Moderator
Staff member
Jul 28, 2013
9,889
31,595
34
Burlington WI
Yeah I own two Petersons. They are both cheaper line pipes, but one of then the finish is chipping off, and the other one the nickle band is now loose. Smoking quality they are just fine, so I try to not get upset about it.
But the pipe in question I thought looked just like a normal system pipe?

 

irishearl

Lifer
Aug 2, 2016
2,146
3,762
Kansas
I don't discount others' tales of questionable Petes but will say I've never had 1 with any issues. Don't own a ton of 'em, have 15 of varying ranges. Will say from the many tales I've heard that lacquer finishes on Petes have some significant bubbling problems and, as a result, I never buy heavily lacquered pieces. Earl

 
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