Help with Estate Pipe Question

[PiperJohn]

Hello,
I am a relatively new pipe smoker and I made my first estate pipe purchase: it is an externally beautiful Peterson Standard System 304. This is also my first System pipe. I attached photos of the interior of the pipe bowl as it arrived. As you will see there is some pitting(?) and cracks in the bowl even after the seller reamed(?) it. This is an eBay purchase and the seller's listing said "Vintage Restored. Near Mint." and "The bowl has been cleaned and polished, it's interior is in excellent condition as is the rim."

It is very hard to take photos inside of the bowl, but I did my best, would someone with some knowledge and experience take a look and let me know if this is pipe is nearing the end of its useful life? Or will it be just fine once I get some carbon built up?

Also, this is my first System, and the hole that goes to the stem is a deeper trough than I would have though and it starts up the side of the bowl further than I would have thought, but I am comparing it to a fairly straight Savinelli which has perfect looking precision compared to this pipe. This photo was especially difficult to do any better.

Thanks in advance for any help/advice!

 

[mikethompson]

I wouldn't worry too much about that mark inside the bowl. Don't let it distract you from your new pipe.

As for the drilling, here is a cross section of a system pipe, does this alleviate any fears?

 

[STP]

The draft hole doesn’t look bad, and consistent with many new Petersons. Cake will fill in most of the bowl’s imperfections, or you can make your own with a mixture of carbon capsules and sour cream (tutorials on YouTube). If you’re not satisfied, then contact the seller as I would say that his description wasn’t 100% accurate (near mint)… but it’s not that bad IMO.

 

[ofafeather]

To me it looks like there’s still cake in the bowl and that’s what’s cracked. Hard to tell without seeing it but that would not be a big deal. Gentle reaming or light sanding would deal with that.

 

[sablebrush52]

What would cause those horizontal striations running around the chamber walls? The cracks may be cake, I sure hope they are, but this doesn't look like "near mint" to me. Were I, I'd send it back.

 

[ofafeather]

What would cause those horizontal striations running around the chamber walls?

I was thinking some sort of weird reamer.

 

[sablebrush52]

I was thinking some sort of weird reamer.

Enraged gerbil?

 

[craig61a]

Reamed with edge of a steak knife... ?

There is still quite a bit of cake in the bowl. I would sand the inside smooth and inspect the chamber wall, which is most like fine. A thin layer of cake in the chamber is advisable.

 

[jpmcwjr]

That's the oddest reaming I've seen. yeah, if you don't send it back, I'd ream down to near wood.

 

[craig61a]

What would cause those horizontal striations running around the chamber walls? The cracks may be cake, I sure hope they are, but this doesn't look like "near mint" to me. Were I, I'd send it back.

Seller found these bitchin' pipe reamers at a garage sale...

 

[sablebrush52]

Seller found these bitchin' pipe reamers at a garage sale...

View attachment 78293

Those look like medieval torture devices.

 

[solideogloria86]

From the pictures it looks like "cake" or carbon build up still in the bowl. Doesn't look like it was reamed clean. 3 options really.

1. Like Sable said, send it back if you're concerned.

2. Clean it out the rest of the way yourself. You can use a sharp blade with a blunt tip or you can buy a pipe reamer. Or you could stuff a cotton ball in the bowl, plug the shank with something. I usually stuff it with a twisted up sandwich bag or something similar then rubber band it so it stays. Then saturate the cotton ball with everclear or any other high proof grain alcohol. Let it soak for 24hrs. The cake will be soft enough to remove down to bare wood easily.

3. Just smoke it.

 

[dmcmtk]

Seller found these bitchin' pipe reamers at a garage sale...

View attachment 78293

Yikes! They look more like screw thread cutters.

 

[jhowell]

Yikes! They look more like screw thread cutters.

They are tapered pipe thread dies... I believe it was a joke - at least i hope it was...

 

[anotherbob]

Those look like medieval torture devices.

most of which aren't actually medieval but Victorian attractions. Cause one thing that always makes people feel better is pretending we where even worse in the past.

 

[ChuckMijo]

Some pipe tools have a very small tooth edge. I own one that’s attached to a lighter like this. This is what it looks like when you reem cake with it.

 

[BrokenRecord]

Send it back Piper Calvin. That is definitely not mint.

 

[SpookedPiper]

I think your pictures are great and would like to see the rest of the pipe as well you can.

For me it would depend on how much it cost as to whether I would go through the trouble of sending it back. If you feel like you over payed or feel cheated by the sale and received something that was not true to it's description, send it back. It sounds like the seller is willing to work with you, so that is a plus.

I am not a huge fan of eBay, but have found some that were worth the money I bid on them. There is definitely a learning curve on there and the first few that I purchased were not great. Also, keep an eye out on the for sale threads on here as some really neat pipes come up from time to time and are generally pretty decently priced and true to their description.

Keep us posted on your decision!!