Greetings Pipers! I am rapidly approaching a dozen pipes at this point and most surprisingly just received my third Peterson. I thought I would share what I have learned so far about the storied brand...
Peterson Deluxe Classic Terracotta Bent Rhodesian 999 P-Lip
Those who have read my earlier essays will know that my first Peterson was a 999. I was immediately attracted to the terracotta Rhodesian style and the classy silverwork. I had no idea what a “P-lip” was, as it was only my second pipe ever and my first was a Savinelli. When it arrived it was smaller than I expected. And the first few smokes were quite problematic — the terracotta finish kept coming off on my fingers and hands, and the P-lip stem was too strange to me. I didn’t quite know what to make of it. Meanwhile, my Sav was smoking wonderfully and I decided to set aside the Pete and get some experience with other brands. A Stanwell, Boswell, two Missouri Meerschaums, and a Mark Tinsky filled the gap nicely.
I almost sold my 999 and wrote the brand off. But Peterson support said that the finish should stop bleeding onto my hands soon (they changed dyes or something), and its relatively small bowl made it a great pipe for trying out new aromatics. So I kept it around. As a result I ended up smoking it quite a bit — the finish did eventually stop coming off (took more than a dozen smokes), and the P-lip experience evolved from strange to intriguing.
Peterson Irish Harp Sandblasted 80s Fishtail
With four other brands purchased and tried, including a second Savinelli, I decided it was time to re-visit Peterson. I wanted the opposite of my 999 -- a medium-size, bulldog-style, non-terracotta finish, and fishtail stem. I found it in the Irish Harp Sandblasted 80s. Thankfully it smoked as well as my Savs from the first bowl! It was also surprisingly affordable. I decided maybe Peterson and I might be able to get along afterall. I was even starting to enjoy smoking my 999 and now had a ‘classic’ style pipe that was a strong performer.
Peterson System Spigot Smooth B42 P-Lip
My success with the 80s made me take a fresh look at Peterson. I started reading threads about their different pipes, their history, and their unique patents. Emboldened by the 80s becoming one of my faves I decided it was time for me to go ‘all-in’: I wanted the full Peterson experience and I was going to purchase a System pipe! The excellent article “Andy Wikes Guide to the System Pipe” on petersonpipenotes.org was really helpful in learning about how the innovations work together to make for a drier and potentially more flavorful smoke.
I originally set out to purchase a “Deluxe System” — wanting the top-range offering with all the bells and whistles. I found a beautiful Deluxe System Smooth B42 on SP and was very close to purchasing it. But something kept drawing me toward the ‘spigot’ style pipes. A Peterson spigot would be very distinct from any of my other pipes. Further research showed that there wasn’t a ‘deluxe’ version of the spigot pipes offered! As far as I could tell, the only structural difference was that the spigot version didn’t have the aluminum chimney or ‘stinger’. It was also almost $150 cheaper (a fact my mind immediately stored away for applying to another pipe in the future)!
The B42 is the largest of my three Petes and my initial smokes with it have been wonderful. I can see it becoming one of my absolute favorites in relatively short time. I am really glad that I stuck with Peterson, kept an open mind, and gave myself the chance to learn experientially. Peterson makes some beautiful, unique, and wonderful pipes and I am proud to enjoy smoking them!
Peterson Deluxe Classic Terracotta Bent Rhodesian 999 P-Lip
Those who have read my earlier essays will know that my first Peterson was a 999. I was immediately attracted to the terracotta Rhodesian style and the classy silverwork. I had no idea what a “P-lip” was, as it was only my second pipe ever and my first was a Savinelli. When it arrived it was smaller than I expected. And the first few smokes were quite problematic — the terracotta finish kept coming off on my fingers and hands, and the P-lip stem was too strange to me. I didn’t quite know what to make of it. Meanwhile, my Sav was smoking wonderfully and I decided to set aside the Pete and get some experience with other brands. A Stanwell, Boswell, two Missouri Meerschaums, and a Mark Tinsky filled the gap nicely.
I almost sold my 999 and wrote the brand off. But Peterson support said that the finish should stop bleeding onto my hands soon (they changed dyes or something), and its relatively small bowl made it a great pipe for trying out new aromatics. So I kept it around. As a result I ended up smoking it quite a bit — the finish did eventually stop coming off (took more than a dozen smokes), and the P-lip experience evolved from strange to intriguing.
Peterson Irish Harp Sandblasted 80s Fishtail
With four other brands purchased and tried, including a second Savinelli, I decided it was time to re-visit Peterson. I wanted the opposite of my 999 -- a medium-size, bulldog-style, non-terracotta finish, and fishtail stem. I found it in the Irish Harp Sandblasted 80s. Thankfully it smoked as well as my Savs from the first bowl! It was also surprisingly affordable. I decided maybe Peterson and I might be able to get along afterall. I was even starting to enjoy smoking my 999 and now had a ‘classic’ style pipe that was a strong performer.
Peterson System Spigot Smooth B42 P-Lip
My success with the 80s made me take a fresh look at Peterson. I started reading threads about their different pipes, their history, and their unique patents. Emboldened by the 80s becoming one of my faves I decided it was time for me to go ‘all-in’: I wanted the full Peterson experience and I was going to purchase a System pipe! The excellent article “Andy Wikes Guide to the System Pipe” on petersonpipenotes.org was really helpful in learning about how the innovations work together to make for a drier and potentially more flavorful smoke.
I originally set out to purchase a “Deluxe System” — wanting the top-range offering with all the bells and whistles. I found a beautiful Deluxe System Smooth B42 on SP and was very close to purchasing it. But something kept drawing me toward the ‘spigot’ style pipes. A Peterson spigot would be very distinct from any of my other pipes. Further research showed that there wasn’t a ‘deluxe’ version of the spigot pipes offered! As far as I could tell, the only structural difference was that the spigot version didn’t have the aluminum chimney or ‘stinger’. It was also almost $150 cheaper (a fact my mind immediately stored away for applying to another pipe in the future)!
The B42 is the largest of my three Petes and my initial smokes with it have been wonderful. I can see it becoming one of my absolute favorites in relatively short time. I am really glad that I stuck with Peterson, kept an open mind, and gave myself the chance to learn experientially. Peterson makes some beautiful, unique, and wonderful pipes and I am proud to enjoy smoking them!
Last edited:
