How to Clean Peterson System 31

[adamjames]

Hi guys, this is my first post. Actually, I'm rather new to pipe smoking altogether; I only turned 18 this year.
I know from reviews that the straight system pipes by Peterson are a devil to clean, but I can't find anyone who actually tells you how. There's supposed to be a moisture-well underneath the bowl, or something, which is hard to get at. My Peterson arrived today, and I like it a lot; so I don't want to ruin it.
How should it be cleaned?
(Also, one review I read recommended taking the metal bit out of the stem to stop pipe gurgle. As far as I know, this is a filter of some kind, and designed to catch "bad stuff". Is removing it a good idea? Any further recommendations would be most welcome. Thanks.)

 

[englishdave]

Adam:
My first pipe was a Peterson 301. Still have it, smokes well, and I got it when I was about your age.
You don't really need the metal filter in the stem. It tends to capture gunk anyway. I would pitch it.
I clean the reservoir with a either a pipe cleaner either doubled over, or a q-tip.
The system pipes make it difficult sometimes to pass a pipe cleaner through with the stem still on. But your 31 is a straight pipe, so it shouldn't be a problem. In any event, it has a military mount so it's safe to remove the stem before the pipe has cooled, so you can clean it up at will.
Hope this helps.

 

[adamjames]

Yeah, thanks Dave, that sounds like good advice.
And it's good to see that there are some English people here.

 

[hans]

Don't be so fast to get rid of that metal condenser. It is there for a reason. A system is not a system with a main component of it missing. Also your draw will become much more wide open.
I say stick to the cleaning advice Dave gave otherwise.

 

[rcstan]

Welcome to the forum!
I have 3 Peterson System pipes ( 317, 305 and an African Meerschaum ), but not a straight 31. That one is on my next to get list. Systems have an additional cleaning step. After smoking, remove stem and take a paper towel / thick napkin and shove it in the System reservoir in the shank to absorb all the moisture from there, you might need to do this several times until the paper comes out dry. Then clean as you would any other pipe.
If the reservoir isn't dry ( don't let the juices soak in there but clean religiously ), then your pipe will gurgle , with or without the metal bit. 3 or 4 smokes without soaking the juice at least will yield you a mouthful of nastiness even with the bit in place, let alone without.
rothnh is right, if you ever want to sell that pipe, the lack of the bit takes the value down. Replacement bits for the 31 at mysmokingshop.co.uk are 12 Sterling plus freight IIRC ....

 

[adamjames]

clean religiously
Like it : )
This all sounds great, guys. Thanks.

 

[bentmike]

Welcome Adam!
Peterson System Pipes are simple really and not hard to clean at all. I do Like rcstan says; when I'm done I pop off the stem and twist a paper towel and screw it down into the well and repeat. Twice is usually fine. That takes care of the moisture. Then I swab the smoke hole with a pipe cleaner. That's it. -Takes about 20 seconds longer than cleaning a non-system pipe.
Here's a post with some good pictures of the moisture well on a few bent Systems.

Inside A Peterson System
Enjoy that 31 and let us now how it breaks in for you.