This bent pot shape is my newest Peterson. The Premier grade 301 is a beautiful piece of briar. I can't wait for the warm weather to get here so I can photograph my pipes outside. In my opinion nothing brings out the grain like sunshine. In the meantime these indoor pictures will have to do.
I'm conducting an experiment with this pipe. In the second shot visible in the bowl is a small light area. This is the patch of pipe cement I used to fill a divot left by overdrilling of the draft hole. I had never heard of pipe mud or pipe cement until I read Dimm's Pipe Cement Post on the Repair and Maintenance forum. If you have not read it -check it out. The very fine ash I used came from a mixture of hardwoods like Oak and Maple that had been burned under high temperatures in an iron wood stove.
On Dimm's post a few commenters voiced concern about the chemical hazards of wood ash. I have no idea but judging by the small amount of pipe cement used and the fact that these native hardwood species are the same woods I use when cooking on an open fire I'm not too worried about it.
This pipe is one of only two system pipes I have with fishtail bits. For the past couple years all my Pete's had P-lip bits and their typically tighter draw. Now that I have spent some time with a couple standard bit pipes I think I actually like the more open draw as opposed to the P-lip. Don't think I'm giving up on the P-lip they do provide a good smoke. They are just different creatures, another part of the cool history of the Peterson brand. Overall I love the 301. It's got a fairly large bowl so for me the pipe is an evening smoker or might be a good match for a hike in the woods.
