I can’t decide on my next Peterson...

[mtwaller]

I only have 2 Peterson’s that I rotate between, sometimes smoking one (my new Rosslare Royal Irish) for multiple days at a time. So I NEED another one... right? For safety and preservation and research purposes and whatnot. There are quite a few choice specimens that I’m having a hard time deciding between. They are all close enough in price that the monetary difference isn’t substantial enough to make up my mind. So based on merit of each line alone, which would you choose?
1) Harp 53

2) Flame Grain 86

3) System Spigot 314

4) Rosslare Royal Irish 221
I do have a RRA already, but I’m not opposed to getting a nice little curved sibling for it. I seriously can’t decide, guys... thoughts?

 

[ashdigger]

HANDS DOWN get a System Spigot 314

 

[mtwaller]

I have to admit I also think it’s going to be the best performing. It’s also the most expensive so I was hoping someone would talk me down and heap praises on the Harp maybe haha. But seriously those sterling silver spigots are freaking sexual. I’ve never smoked one but they just ooze class.

 

[verporchting]

+1 for System Spigot 314

 

[prndl]

Ebony spigot 03 would be my choice but, hey, I'm a broken record.

 

[jazz]

4) Rosslare Royal Irish 221

This post will likely have Pete's boys flooding to its defence but since you asked about that particular pipe I'll tell you about mine and to be blunt with you, It's a badly finished, gurgling pig. There are tooling marks around the rim of the bowl that didn't appear until it had been smoked a couple of times. The silverwork was poor due to a jagged part that I had to remove myself. Removing said jagged piece was no trouble though because the silver ring it was part of was not glued to the stem correctly and just fell off when I removed the stem from the bowl. The stem is not actually bent as straight as it should be (If you know what I mean). The draught hole is actually really high up in the chamber. I don't necessarily expect one to be right at the bottom in this shape of pipe but this really is too high for my liking and to top off the lot, it doesn't matter what I put in it and when, within 2-4 minutes the bloody thing gurgles like a 5-year olds milkshake and because of the design and execution, putting a cleaner down the stem only fixes 50% of the gurgles.
Yea, it looks pretty but as a smoking instrument, it stinks. I have bought 3 Petes and every one of them has had or still does have issues and they rarely get smoked. You may have more joy with the system spigot but my advice to you is to stay away from that 221.
And, yes, I know the Pete fans hate comments like these and I know many of you swear by them. I'm also aware that many of you have never had issues, lucky you. I understand there has been something of a change around at Peterson and it's possible if not probable that these frustrations are a thing of the past but I was also a fan once, until I wasn't. I avoid them now and it's not because I don't fancy them. If I was in the market for a 221 now, I would want to know about the one I have.

 

[unkleyoda]

I have 80ish Petes, I love them. That said, I don't think you can go wrong with any of these. My choice would be the Flame Grain or the Harp.

 

[pappymac]

I got a Peterson Fermoy 80s last month and it smokes great.

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

but my advice to you is to stay away from that 221.

Why? Because your one bad apple means that all 221 are crap? I find that doubtful. Although, I am sorry you had a bad experience with your pipe. Obviously someone or someones dropped the ball on that one as far as quality control. But I must ask... with all the problems that pipe had, did you try to send it back for a replacement or refund?
Out of curiosity, I looked up photos of a 221 Rosslare Royal Irish. The Rosslare Royal Irish finish, stem, and stem to shank fitment suit that shape extremely well. It makes for a beautiful pipe. I may just have to add one to my collection. It would look great sitting next to my Rosslare Royal Irish 106. My second choice would be the spigot. Peterson's spigots are lovely. And all that silver stands out on the rack. Makes it hard not to reach for them.

 

[mtwaller]

prndl I do quite like the 03 shape, especially with a spigot! That’s one for thought.
And jazz that is unfortunate! My Royal Irish is from 2013 or thereabouts, and it has a few minor issues as well. The stem fit WAY too tight, I had to sand it to even be able to get it on or off without giving myself blood blisters. Also it has a slight gurgle as well. Mine will gurgle at about the 10 minute mark regardless of what I’m smoking, but it will work itself out for reasons I can’t explain. 2-3 minutes later it stops and then it smokes fine.
unkleyoda holy hell thats quite a collection of Peterson’s!
I still have faith that there are great ones out there because my first pipe was a System Standard 313 and it is an absolute joy to smoke, I’ve never had a single issue with it. I’m hoping all future Pete’s I buy will be the same because I honestly don’t gravitate towards many other pipe makers like I do Peterson. Aesthetically they are ideal to me, and If they smoke well then I’m in heaven.

 

[milehighpiper]

I own several Petersons, a pair of Randy Wileys and some MM cobs. I can tell you that I enjoy my Petersons. However, all of them, including the system pipes, collect too much moisture while I smoke. I wish that I had learned of the Wileys before I jumped on the Peterson Train. That answer, in short, is me suggesting you look at Randy Wiley pipes or even a sweet MM cob. With that said, I have been drooling over a Peterson Outdoorsman pipe like the ones below. Also stating, that although my Petes are a burden to smoke (burden=passing a pipe cleaner two or three times per smoke) they are very appealing to the eye and I would still buy more. With this kind of statement, I think I should run for office!
Seriously, buy whichever one pleases your eye the most and see if it smokes to your standards...

 

[jazz]

Why? Because your one bad apple means that all 221 are crap? I find that doubtful

The reason I suggest stay away from it is because of the way it is engineered. I suspect that there is a design flaw with it. I will explain a little more but when it comes to Pete as a brand, for me, it actually wasn't just one bad apple. I have bought three apples from them and all three have been rotten. The first one was never returned because it was my first pipe and it was well smoked before I realised it wasn't just my technique that was the problem but the pipes engineering. And, of course, because it's my first I feel somehow sentimental about it.
The second I ordered from the US and had it shipped to the UK. This one, technically, was not a pipe on arrival. It was blocked solid with sawdust and other crap. As if sawdust had been blocking the pipe and then something like resin, glue or possibly even the stain set it solid. I could not get any air to move through it at all or push the blockage out. Utterly bunged. I had to drill it myself. I would have sent it back but it was not a terribly expensive one and with shipping back across the Atlantic it really was not worth the cost or the effort. The stem was also utterly impossible to remove without putting the pipe in the freezer. I mean it would not twist even a mm and I'm a big man. And, because of the way the thing had been dip stained without blocking the chamber and mortise when smoked for the first 10 times or so, it was rancid and I ended up with a mouthful of dye.
The third was the Royal Irish Rosslare 221 I was talking about. I purchased this against my judgement and experience because I was in love with it. It required ordering from my tobacconist and took 5 or so months to show up. When I spotted the problem with the silverwork I was going to take it back but when I removed the stem the damned ring fell off anyway so I saw an easy enough fix for myself to do. Then, after a few smokes, the damage to the bowl showed up on the rim and because I had been smoking it my tobacconist was not terribly interested in replacing it. The implication was that I had caused this. He never said it but that was his implication. I now order pipes from other places. Perhaps I should have just contacted Peterson directly but for whatever reason, I didn't or don't remember doing so, now. I must have had my reasons.
And the reason I don't recommend that model and in that series, at least, is because of the way mine is engineered and drilled. I know exactly why mine gurgles like hell. I can see the problem. Unless they have changed the design slightly, as in, they have adjusted the dimensions of the drilling a little then I would fully expect this to be a common problem with that model. I'd actually like to think they did change it but would be surprised if they did. It's also possible that mine is somehow done incorrectly. An accident perhaps, but being a factory pipe and actually looking at it, I doubt this. I have also seen another one of these that appeared to be exactly the same in that department and it has been the only other one I have seen up close. Make of that what you will.
Anyway, my intention was only to provide the chap with information regarding that 221. Information I wish I had had before I bought mine.

 

[mso489]

Those are some really nice Petes. I don't have any in the Spigot league, but the ones I have I enjoy a lot, regularly. They are some of the most dependably good smokes on my rack.

 

[mtwaller]

jazz, you have had a terrible go with Peterson’s! I don’t blame you at all for being put off by them. Since my first one is a cracking good little smoker I guess I’m generally optimistic about the brand as a whole. I wonder if the drilling of the draft hole is the reason my Royal Irish gurgles as well... it is up toward the 12 o clock position in the shank and is sort of peanut or oblong shaped, for lack of a better way to explain it. I’m hesitant to try any redrilling of holes on that pipe though, I’d hate to ruin the thing by trying to fix a minor issue.
milehighpiper I will have to check out Randy Wiley’s, I’ve never heard of them before. Also, I’ve heard from multiple sources that those little outdoor pipes smoke wet and hotter than hell. I held one in a tobacco shop and it was gorgeous, but the walls of the bowl were very thin. Even the tobacconist, who loves Peterson’s, sort of grimaced and said eh... it probably wouldn’t be a daily smoker. But to each their own. I was captivated by their small size until I researched and found generally unfavorable opinions on them. If you get one though, let me know how it smokes!

 

[anthonyrosenthal74]

Jazz, that's some crazy issues you've had. Not saying you haven't had a bad experience or two. But on to the 221. The band coming loose could have been caused by not being securely set as it should have been, but then it also could have been due to extreme changes in temperature and humidity. The shank swelling and then returning could have caused the loose band. The same thing could have caused the tight stem. The gurgling could be a number of things, perhaps being drilled a bit too low. Or being a bent, gurgling isn't uncommon as moisture tends to drip down the stem into the bowl causing gurgle. Drying tobacco out more can help with that. Or it could be that you salivate a lot when smoking, hence more moisture down the stem and therefore gurgle. Sometimes that can be remedied with a pipe cleaner down the shank to absorb the extra moisture. Being a bent, sometimes (in many manufacturers) they don't pass a cleaner all that well. Often that's remedied by a slight kink in the tip of the cleaner. Personally, I'm seriously thinking about adding a 221 Rosslare Royal Irish to my collection short list now that I've looked at one. Quite a striking looking pipe. Since I already have a Rosslare Royal Irish, I do plan on at least a couple other Petes I'm hunting for first. But if I grab another R R Irish any time soon, it may well be that one.
I like it.

 

[mtwaller]

It’s a very nice looking pipe. If you get one let us know how it smokes, and roughly when it was made! Interested to see if a newer or older one would be gurgle free...

 

[jazz]

The shank swelling and then returning could have caused the loose band.

Afraid not, Anthony. It wasn't the silver on the briar that was the problem, you see. Twas the silver ring on the stem and if my failing memory serves me correctly the reason it came off was because of the pathetic amount of glue used to attach it and the fact that that silly little dot of glue was only applied to one part of the stem and ring. It was not spread around to create an adhesive seal and then set in place or any other such way of ensuring its secure seating. A tiny blob of glue had been placed on the stem. A dot about 2-3 mm wide and only one dot and then the ring had been placed over the stem. You could clearly see the glue on the stem and in the ring. It was always going to fall off. And I don't believe the person who put it there thought it would ever stay there.
As for the gurgling, I appreciate you trying to help with suggestions but, well, as I said, I can see the cause but explaining it is very difficult. It's to do with the way the well, draught hole and tenon meet in the mortise. Again, it was always going to happen. I'm not really new at this anymore. Well, almost every day for about 8 years I think. Compared to many I suppose I am but gone are the days of me salivating down the stem or stuffing sopping wet tobaccos into my pipe and scolding my mouth to oblivion. It simply does not matter what I put in that pipe. How dry or how wet or how I smoke it. It can be the dryest, crispyest ribbon I could find in the desert and I can take one puff a minute and it still gurgles. And I didn't just make that up, I tried that when in Australia and it doesn't get much hotter and drier than that damned place I can assure you. I have never, not once had a gurgle free smoke out of it with any blend in any circumstance, ever. Running a cleaner down the stem fixes the gurgle 50% of the time but only for a minute and if I'm being honest, that's being generous. If it doesn't get rid of it the only solution is to remove the stem and I'm loathe to do it when smoking. Especially if it means I must do it every couple of minutes. Honestly, if I had not owned this wretched thing I would not have believed a pipe could gurgle this badly. I hardly, if ever, get a gurgle in any of my other pipes, except of course, from one other Pete but even that one can be tamed with selective tobacco chosing and a slightly kinked pipe cleaner.
The fact is, the pipe I own is not a good pipe. It's a dud. And because of its problems I wouldn't sell or give it away and I have accepted that. And I can't recommend it in good conscience because unless they have actually changed something I can see this being a common issue. Some worse than others, almost certainly, but common none the less.
If you do purchase one, or anyone purchases one for that matter, then I sincerely wish you well with it and I genuinely hope that you have none of the problems I have with mine. It is indeed a fine looking pipe. Unfortunately for me, that's all it is.

 

[luigi]

A System Spigot 314 looks the preetiest to me but there are too many negative experiences with Petersons in general to take a chance. I'm really looking forward to see another opinion after somebody acquires a new Peterson.

Not to mention that my pipe rack is full and there's no space for another PAD ... Please, no more, I don't wanna ... -laugh-

 

[btwes7]

My newest Peterson is a Kildare 80s Silver Mounted p-lip. Smoking my 11th bowl through it now and so far so good. Pretty little pipe IMO. Was looking for a smaller bowl for shorter smokes and this is doing the job nicely.

 

[ashdigger]

I have a good amount of Peterson's and they all smoke fine.
Don't buy another Peterson.....more for me.