Why I Hate Peterson System Pipes

captainsousie · Jul 6, 2013

Well, I at least hate cleaning the one I have. Here's why. 1. I can't use a retort. They just don't work with the system well. If they do work, I can't figure it out. 2. The gunk buildup is epic. Even with shank brushes, bottle brushes and a lot of time spent, I've still gone through an entire pack of Long's standard bristle cleaners (40 in a pack) and they're still coming out dirty. I even clip them so I get at least 4 uses per pipe cleaner. 2a. Did I mention gunk? What feels like a half pack of q-tips later (realistically more like 1/3 pack) they're still coming out dirty too. 3. The stem has a pretty tight bend and with the p-lip it's a bugger to clean too.
All ranting aside, it looks beautiful and I hope it smokes as well as many say they do. It just makes me wonder though. Does the system encourage people not to clean it and if so, do owners really know the kind of crap they're leaving in their pipe?
If you love them, good on ya. Just be kind to the guy who's going to get it as an estate and clean it once in a while.

jah76 · Jul 6, 2013

I spent well over an hour on an old Dr. Grabow stem today. The tips on two fingers actually bled from all the bristle pipe cleaners I was using. I finally had to get out my dremel to try and untar the stinger. All this for a pipe that I won't even try and resell because the bowl is too chewed up and I'd lose too much shape by topping it. I have the bowl sitting with rum and cotton balls in it right now, then tomorrow is staining and polishing.
Normally I'd pull the stinger but its one single piece. Hang in there Captain....here's hoping they smoke great!
Pics when your done please.

kashmir · Jul 6, 2013

Yeah, I've never seen the sense in them, but many swear by them. Never tried one myself, so I can't really say. I like straight pipes, as I find they accumulate less moisture, and are easier to maintain.

jah76 · Jul 6, 2013

In my short timer opinion, I don't think they help you smoke any cooler or drier.
Fast puffing is fast puffing.
But I still have a few. I just like big bents sometimes.

kashmir · Jul 6, 2013

May have to try one sometime.

mrenglish · Jul 6, 2013

I prefer straight pipes myself, but I do have a handful of system pipes. I guess the trick is to keep them clean from the get go. But I agree with the above, I did get a nice estate system 312 (ready to smoke!) and it took a good pack of cleaners to get the gunk out. Freaking filthy on the inside. Its a great smoker now, but it was some work to get there.

ghost · Jul 6, 2013

Cleaning an estate System is hell, but worth it if you find a good one. I've done two so far and they are wonderful pipes, despite the higher maintenance...

petes03 · Jul 6, 2013

I've got one on layaway at my local B&M, gettin it out next week. It'll be my first System, hope it won't be as big of a headache as I think it might.

rigmedic1 · Jul 6, 2013

It must be a love/ hate thing. I absolutely love mine, an XL315. Upside: the coolest, most consistently dry smoke ever. Downside: I have to pour out a tablespoon of water from each and every bowl I smoke. Then I must swab the moisture trap, as well as my usual bowl and stem cleaning with a paper towel and a few pipe cleaners. By comparison, I get three or four smokes from a paper or charcoal filter pipe before I must change the filter and swab out the filter chambers. I can smoke a standard pipe about 10 times before I feel it needs to be cleaned. I live in a swamp, and the humidity is a big factor in this, of course.

I look at it as part of the ritual. All my cousin used to smoke were system pipes. I have only one, out of 76 various pipes and 10 or so Pete's. but I would have to say that the XL315 gets more use than any other pipe I own. I cannot imagine trying a new tobacco without giving it a go in the XL315.

mso489 · Jul 6, 2013

I suspect the Peterson System pipes were a more elaborate version of the stinger, and other modifications

to the tobacco pipe made when pipe makers were competing fiercely for a large pipe smoking population.

The various filters were part of that too. There were a lot of buyers, so there was a lot of motivation to

have a special feature to snare them. Unfortunately none of these modifications improved upon the basic

tobacco pipe, without circuitous drilling, reservoires, or added plumbing. Peterson hangs on proudly to

its System pipes, and Kaywoodie still has its stinger in many pipes. But the features don't add much, in

my opinion. A pipe might be a good smoker anyway, but it isn't improved by the once-patented extra

features. A straight drilled pipe (whether straight or bent in configuration) is the best, in my opinion.

jgriff · Jul 7, 2013

I don't think it's a gimmick. Love it or hate it, that 1 tablespoon or so of juice in the reservoir would be going somewhere. While it's not a substitute for good technique, it's a useful crutch for a wet smoker.....and yes, they are a pain to clean, particularly with estates but once you get it clean, then it's just maintenance.

cavendish · Jul 7, 2013

I had a Pete Tankard Standard P-Lip and I did NOT like it at all. The stem was difficult to clean and I didn't like the way it smoked. I tried three different times with three different blends and it just wasn't doing it for me. I find these pipes to be a little 'dainty' and 'small' for my liking. I have big hands and I like a long smokes so I doubt I will ever buy another Pete.

jgriff · Jul 7, 2013

Cavendish -
The System is a different issue from the P-Lip. It's the reservoir in the system (and its cleanliness) that seems to be the issue that people like or don't like. The P-Lip is another open book of love/hate relationships.
I wouldn't judge most Petes by your Tankard. The Tankards & Belgiques are unusually small for Peterson pipes. The rest of their stuff tends to be large and chunky. Generally, if you've got big hands, then you'd probably love most of their stuff, particularly some of the big XL stuff like the Sherlock Holmes line. There is nothing dainty or small about most Petes.

jbbaldwin · Jul 7, 2013

My father accidentally left his Pete system pipe here after a visit, so I decided to clean it up for him (he's notorious for never using pipe cleaners). I used around 50 bristle and plain cleaners, 30 Q-tips, and then an alcohol retort before I went back to using more pipe cleaners. It wasn't the best commercial for a system pipe.
I don't own a Pete, but if I ever buy one, I think Roth has the key: buy new, keep them clean.

mso489 · Jul 7, 2013

None of my Petes are System pipes. The best for a guy with big hands would be something like

the Kapet author. This is low end, but breaks in nicely eventually, has a straight stem, big bowl,

and nothing fussy or diminutive about it. The little 999 Rhody and bent bulldog Ireland Around

the World pipe are smaller, but straightforward, nice for Virginias, but may maybe somewhat

small for really massive hands. The B5's are beefy and big-bowled and would also have the heft

for a larger person.

cavendish · Jul 7, 2013

I am aware of the system pipes and how they work. I almost bought one then decided to go with the Tankard. I might look at them again down the road but right now I'm enojying my Brigham's and Trypis'

quincy · Jul 7, 2013

Glad I read this. Especially Roth's comment. I was looking for an estate one. Now I will just get a new one when I'm ready.

marlboromoro · Jul 8, 2013

Interesting to see other people's experiences. I have two Peterson System pipes, one straight and one bent and love them both! They smoke well and I don't find the cleaning to difficult, I just use a cotton pipe cleaner and spend about five to ten minutes after each smoke getting all the gunk out. My Savinelli Porto Cervo has a similar system in it too, which I thought was worth noting. Didn't realise this until I got the pipe and took off the stem. Anyway, I don't find it too hard to clean although perhaps in future I might need to do a more thorough clean, maybe with a pipe brush (which I don't have yet) and some pipe cleaning fluid. Smoke to smoke though I don't find any change in flavour for the worse even with just a clean after every smoke with a normal pipe cleaner.

jgriff · Jul 8, 2013

Quincy -
Normally, I give alot of deference to what Roth says but on this one I disagree. I don't want to turn this into another Peterson complaint thread but there are quite a few issues of quality control with the newer Petes, especially on the "value" lines (i.e. under $200 or so). On the other hand, the estates, particularly pre-republic era, have a great reputation. The biggest complaint seems to be the break-in time and with an estate, voila, already done.
Also, Estate Peterson's are pretty available and my favorite part is that like Dunhill, you are able to date most of them pretty closely.
Yes, you'll need to spend a little more time cleaning an estate Peterson System than something else but it's all just a question of whether it's worth it. After that, an Estate and a New System are going to have the same maintenance time.

barleynbaccy · Jul 8, 2013

The biggest complaint seems to be the break-in time

I will say it did take a little longer to break my Aran dublin in, but for a sub $200 pipe it is still the best english blend smoker I have.

Why I Hate Peterson System Pipes

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