Cleaning a Peterson System Pipe

[ParkitoATL]

What is your preferred routine for cleaning a Peterson System Pipe? I recently acquired a new Peterson System 313 Pipe without a filter and absolutely love this thing! My previous Peterson 303 System has a 9mm filter, so there was rarely much if anything in the well after a bowl. The 313 tends to show much more liquid and gunk. Sometimes in the middle of a bowl I will pull the stem and give the extension a little wipe. I also keep Q-tips handy for swabbing out the well. Afterwards, I run a pipe cleaner through the airway and clean the bowl with a paper towel.

One thing of note is the Peterson bowl coating which has been discussed over at Peterson Pipe Notes. When I mixed my own to coat other pipes, it became very flakey but seemed to help with break-in. This 313 has a coating that does not flake one bit. It seems very hard and glossy and I have had sweet smokes since the second bowl.

One of my main challenges is getting the P-Lip clean. While I love the P-Lip, it's not the easiest to clean, esp with the narrow extension on the tenon. I've also heard that isopropyl alcohol is NOT good for acrylic stems, so I've been doing pipe cleaners and then drizzling 140° water through there.

So, I'll ask the experts. Do you have any specific way you maintain your System pipes and P-Lip stems?

 

[AroEnglish]

I do exactly what you do except for the stem I just run a pipe cleaner through it and call it good. I’m not quite understanding your issue with the tenon. Can you post a pic of your problem?

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

The coating on any new Petes I’ve acquired comes off easily, so I take it off.

Never had an issue cleaning the stem or P-lip. More to do in the shank/mortise than with other pipes but nothing I can’t do with pipe cleaners.

I use warm water with the cleaners and the paper towel pieces I see for the bowl. I really don’t see systems as significantly more work, just clean where stuff collects.

 

[coming to_falling too]

I clean the sump of my Systems with a paper towel, and the rest like I normally would any other pipe

 

[nolan613]

A paper towel to wipe the end of the stem, twist the paper towel in a tight spiral to clean the inside off the stem followed by a pipe cleaner inserted from the pipe end.Parer towels now inserted into the well, pipe cleaner now used cleans the draft hole and paper towel folded and rolled into a larger spiral to clean the bowel. All done in less than a minute with one paper towel and one pipe cleaner every time I smoke my pipe. Simple minds gravitate to simple solutions.

Hope this helps take the "mystery" out of everyday maintenance.

 

[Hillcrest]

I just use water and a pipe cleaner on shank and papertowel on bowl. The bowl coating on Pete's after 2000 is vegetable and charcoal base and doesn't need to be removed but is mostly wiped off with wet paper towel. The old dip staining from 70s and 80s is no longer done. See Peterson Pipe notes for further info.

P.s. You might be just a tad overzealous in your cleaning but I guess it depends on what tobacco you're smoking ... try drying it out more.

 

[Seeleybc1]

Interesting question. Concerning the system pipe reservoirs, or shanks, I’ve wondered about this myself, and try to tell myself I’m just overthinking it, lol, which to en extent I probably am.
ive noticed on the system pipes and even just the regular army mounts that the shank or reservoir holds and soaks up the moisture, which it’s supposed to. But, of course is where the pipe gets gross. After a smoke I use a twisted up paper towel end or folded over pipe cleaner, pretty standard. I’ve been letting the two pieces sit separately and air out though, which i wouldn’t do with a non capped traditional mortise and tenon style pipe. Not sure if it’s bad practice, but does seem to keep the reservoir/shank interior from getting funky

 

[Sacred_summit]

How long do you let it cool down for before removing the stem? I'm not sure how quickly they cool off. Always being cautious I give them more time than needed probably. Trouble is, if I have to do something right after a smoke, I won't be able to remove the stem and clean out all the liquid *allot* that builds in the chamber once it's cooled down. Thus it sits wet for hours. If I knew it's safe within five minutes after a smoke let's say, then I have a better chance of getting it dried before I get to work or whatever it is that's keeping me from cleaning the pipe after a smoke.

My 303 and 307 hold tons of liquid after a smoke. I remove the stem and it poors out onto the table.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Here's one way: Immediately after a smoke, dump dottle, run very hot tapwater through. You'll see a brownish stream at first, then clear. Blow out any excess, then pipe cleaner through stem and stummel. You can then remove stem to dry further, but seldom is that needed.

 

[burleybreath]

Here's one way: Immediately after a smoke, dump dottle, run very hot tapwater through. You'll see a brownish stream at first, then clear. Blow out any excess, then pipe cleaner through stem and stummel. You can then remove stem to dry further, but seldom is that needed.

I remove the stem first and stuff the well with tissue before dumping, holding the pipe level. The stuff in the well is nasty, and it will pour out otherwise. Further cleaning technique of your choice can then be employed. I like the rinse idea. Don't think I ever used it on a system pipe, for some reason. Friggin' thing begs for it.

 

[Hillcrest]

I do exactly what you do except for the stem I just run a pipe cleaner through it and call it good. I’m not quite understanding your issue with the tenon. Can you post a pic of your problem?

+1 - Same. After each smoke or two, I use a rolled up paper towel corner in the tenon, fold over then the shank, fold over then the bowl; pipe cleaner through P-Lip slowly to get it through fully then pull through tenon end (back and forth once or twice) then use clean end for draft hole in bowl. Whole process is under two minutes on a lazy day. Hot water if tobacco is particularly oily/ghosty. A couple times a year I do a full 24 hour Salt and alcohol cleaning on the bowl and shank if necessary (usually only on pipes I smoke heavily/frequently) then run hot water and pipe cleaners through to clear out any remaining salt; let dry and done ready for next time. Once in a while you get a tobacco that smokes particularly messy...I found this with D&R Three Sails ... for some reason my batch left a lot of residue and moisture and had to salt clean a few times. I also had to ream the Vauen bent egg because the cake build up accelerated with this tobacco. (???). Maybe it was me. YMMV.

 

[Hillcrest]

My 303 and 307 hold tons of liquid after a smoke. I remove the stem and it poors out onto the table.

I remove the stem and pour out while smoking outside; that's a benefit of military stems. My XL339S with saddle stem I have to do this 2-3 times per smoke !

 

[AroEnglish]

How long do you let it cool down for before removing the stem? I'm not sure how quickly they cool off. Always being cautious I give them more time than needed probably. Trouble is, if I have to do something right after a smoke, I won't be able to remove the stem and clean out all the liquid *allot* that builds in the chamber once it's cooled down. Thus it sits wet for hours. If I knew it's safe within five minutes after a smoke let's say, then I have a better chance of getting it dried before I get to work or whatever it is that's keeping me from cleaning the pipe after a smoke.

My 303 and 307 hold tons of liquid after a smoke. I remove the stem and it poors out onto the table.

For the system you can take it apart when hot. The tapered tenon and mortise account for any changes due to heating or cooling.

 

[ParkitoATL]

Remove stem immediately, then use a Q-tip to clean the well, run a tapered pipe cleaner through the stem, use the same pipe cleaner to do the air hole, then fold it and run it around the inside of the bowl. Stupid simple.

BTW: I use 9mm filter stems and have never had excessive moisture in the well.

 

[instymp]

What is your preferred routine for cleaning a Peterson System Pipe? I recently acquired a new Peterson System 313 Pipe without a filter and absolutely love this thing! My previous Peterson 303 System has a 9mm filter, so there was rarely much if anything in the well after a bowl. The 313 tends to show much more liquid and gunk. Sometimes in the middle of a bowl I will pull the stem and give the extension a little wipe. I also keep Q-tips handy for swabbing out the well. Afterwards, I run a pipe cleaner through the airway and clean the bowl with a paper towel.

One thing of note is the Peterson bowl coating which has been discussed over at Peterson Pipe Notes. When I mixed my own to coat other pipes, it became very flakey but seemed to help with break-in. This 313 has a coating that does not flake one bit. It seems very hard and glossy and I have had sweet smokes since the second bowl.

One of my main challenges is getting the P-Lip clean. While I love the P-Lip, it's not the easiest to clean, esp with the narrow extension on the tenon. I've also heard that isopropyl alcohol is NOT good for acrylic stems, so I've been doing pipe cleaners and then drizzling 140° water through there.

So, I'll ask the experts. Do you have any specific way you maintain your System pipes and P-Lip stems?

Most or all of the previous posts are great but I started following Petersons cleaning instructions that came with the pipe and very happy.

 

[AroEnglish]

Most or all of the previous posts are great but I started following Petersons cleaning instructions that came with the pipe and very happy.

Were those instructions different from what people said here?

 

[captainsousie]

I've cleaned many a nasty system well and it's not fun. Regular maintenance makes it a whole lot easier. Otherwise, prepare yourself with a bottle brush, q tips,paper towels and pipe cleaners because You're in for the long haul.

Standard maintenance can be found above.

 

[ParkitoATL]

Remove stem immediately, then use a Q-tip to clean the well, run a tapered pipe cleaner through the stem, use the same pipe cleaner to do the air hole, then fold it and run it around the inside of the bowl. Stupid simple.

BTW: I use 9mm filter stems and have never had excessive moisture in the well.

Just realized I replied to my own thread. I learmed a lot in these past eight months!

 

[AroEnglish]

Just realized I replied to my own thread. I learmed a lot in these past eight months!

 

[anotherbob]

What is your preferred routine for cleaning a Peterson System Pipe? I recently acquired a new Peterson System 313 Pipe without a filter and absolutely love this thing! My previous Peterson 303 System has a 9mm filter, so there was rarely much if anything in the well after a bowl. The 313 tends to show much more liquid and gunk. Sometimes in the middle of a bowl I will pull the stem and give the extension a little wipe. I also keep Q-tips handy for swabbing out the well. Afterwards, I run a pipe cleaner through the airway and clean the bowl with a paper towel.

One thing of note is the Peterson bowl coating which has been discussed over at Peterson Pipe Notes. When I mixed my own to coat other pipes, it became very flakey but seemed to help with break-in. This 313 has a coating that does not flake one bit. It seems very hard and glossy and I have had sweet smokes since the second bowl.

One of my main challenges is getting the P-Lip clean. While I love the P-Lip, it's not the easiest to clean, esp with the narrow extension on the tenon. I've also heard that isopropyl alcohol is NOT good for acrylic stems, so I've been doing pipe cleaners and then drizzling 140° water through there.

So, I'll ask the experts. Do you have any specific way you maintain your System pipes and P-Lip stems?

same as an pipe except one huge difference don't put the stem back when resting the pipe. Seriously that makes a difference that is surprisingly huge.