New Peterson Pipe with Off Center Draw Hole

[Smoke Wagon]

I just bought a new Peterson PSB Sherlock Holmes (you guys are a bad influence). After the first smoke I noticed the stem hole at the P lip is way off center. This is disappointing to me. The wood looks great and it smoked well. But the off center hole on a $200 pipe really hits my ocd and enjoyment of the pipe hard. I’ve contacted the vendor to see if there are any options to resolve it. We’ll see…

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

That would bug me, I'd have sent it back immediately. I've been lucky with "defects" I guess, only two with any of the pipes I've acquired but strangely, the same thing. A couple of random semi circular marks on the top of the rim from some sort of bit/tool that never should get past quality control, IMO. One was on a Peterson and I sent that back, the other is on a Randy Wiley I picked up from SP this year and decided to keep, but it still bugs me and I haven't smoked the pipe, and that one I really didn't expect to see those kind of marks on, but there you are, can happen to any pipe.

 

[smudgersmissingleg]

This guy gives it a thumbs up

 

[jensen]

The wood looks great and it smoked well.....................!

 

[David Wheelock]

I just bought a new Peterson PSB Sherlock Holmes (you guys are a bad influence). After the first smoke I noticed the stem hole at the P lip is way off center. This is disappointing to me. The wood looks great and it smoked well. But the off center hole on a $200 pipe really hits my ocd and enjoyment of the pipe hard. I’ve contacted the vendor to see if there are any options to resolve it. We’ll see…

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It sounds like you've already reached out to Peterson, so I expect that you'll get a response. If I can be of any assistance, please let me know.

 

[anotherbob]

I find these threads weird. I always feel like why do you care, but also like yeah you totally are in the right to ask for some restitution.

 

[mso489]

I agree that at that price level, the pipe stem shouldn't be drilled off center. However, this is more in the area of aesthetics than functionality. If the pipe smokes well, that's the important thing.

Interestingly, I have bought maybe a dozen new Peterson pipes over the last twelve years or so, all of them below that price level, but representing quite a range. None of mine have had noticeable flaws (to me anyway). This time range included a period when Peterson was getting a lot of complaints on Forums on quality control, some decidedly more serious than this.

It made me wonder if the fewer bells and whistle pipes were less likely to have irregularities.

Some brands are very strict about precision. German brands and Austrian for examples.

 

[bullet08]

I don't pay too much attention to stems in general. If they look ok, that fine with me. Factory pipe and all. And Peterson, I only smoke Peterson, isn't great at straight stems. Of course, if the stem is bent at 90° in wrong direction, I'll notice that. Heck, even at 10°.

 

[irishearl]

OK, I'll say it-it doesn't look "way" off center to me. If you are a tad OCD-ish, you may be prone to being hyper-alert to minor imperfections and react accordingly.

 

[Smoke Wagon]

It sounds like you've already reached out to Peterson, so I expect that you'll get a response. If I can be of any assistance, please let me know.

I actually reached out to the online retailer. They offered to buff the minor scratches on the stem, but said the hole position would pass their quality control. Since it’s smoked, nothing more they can do apparently. They did say I could reach out to “LDG“ who could probably get me a new stem fitted. I assume at my cost.

I think I will contact Peterson next to see if this is indeed in spec for them. If so, lesson learned.

 

[Smoke Wagon]

OK, I'll say it-it doesn't look "way" off center to me. If you are a tad OCD-ish, you may be prone to being hyper-alert to minor imperfections and react accordingly.

I’m a carpenter by trade. Crooked things jump out and grab me by the throat

 

[scloyd]

I purchased 14 Peterson's in 2022 and returned 1 due to a poor stamping, Peterson was missing a couple of letters. It bothered me, couldn't stop looking at it.
As for yours, I'd keep it, doesn't look that bad to me.

Good luck. Hope everything works out for you.

 

[Smoke Wagon]

Update. I contacted Peterson directly. They also referred me to LDG. LDG says I could send the pipe to them to inspect. I shipped the pipe out this am. Let’s see where this goes.

interestingly, I bought a sandblast 05 Irish Harp that just came in. It is essentially perfect. That’s much more consistent with my other Peterson pipes.

 

[sablebrush52]

I was under the impression that such eccentric anomalies were a considerable part of Peterson's charm.

 

[Smoke Wagon]

LDG has inspected the pipe and are having a new stem made at their expense. That is the kind of exceptional customer service I had hoped to see. Will post pics when the refitted pipe arrives. The sandblast really does look exceptional to my eye.

 

[craig61a]

Well that’s good. I bought several pipes a few years ago that had issues. I was told by SP customer service that minor off center drilling wasn’t considered a defect. I got a PM from somebody at Peterson who wanted to discuss the issues, then rambled on about how they are doing such good work and Peterson pipes have never been better… Not once did they apologize for their screw up.

I sent the pipes back on my own dime and haven’t bought a new Peterson pipe since.

The finishes and quality of the briar now don’t appeal to me.

 

[Briar Lee]

LDG has inspected the pipe and are having a new stem made at their expense. That is the kind of exceptional customer service I had hoped to see. Will post pics when the refitted pipe arrives. The sandblast really does look exceptional to my eye.

This is why, if people don’t have a pipe and want one, because they see me smoking a Lee, I recommend Peterson’s above all other brands.

It’s a quality pipe, made in Ireland, the one you’ll buy has likely been in the catalog a hundred years.

And people can re-stem one, and will.

 

[Smoke Wagon]

Wanted to provide an update. LDG went above and beyond to provide excellent customer service to a very picky customer. They had me ship them the pipe. They shipped it back after reworking the stem. This thing is now essentially perfect. The first smoke since repair is now in progress. Thanks, LDG customer service!