New Peterson

[tabakpfeife]

I’ve got a quick question. I am waiting for my first new (non estate) Peterson to be delivered. I have heard that they have water soluble bowl coatings. Aside from a paper towel and water, what is easiest way to remove this? I plan on smoking VAs to break it in.

 

[AJL67]

The other top thread in pipe talk says Pete’s just wipe off with a wet paper towel that’s it.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Chamber coatings aren't that big of a deal, but a wet paper towel will wipe them out of a Peterson. Just take care not to get water on the bowl it can leave spotting though that just wipes away.

 

[Jef]

Just smoke it. You won't notice the difference.

 

[PuffingWalrus]

I mainly smoke Petersons and Savinellis both of which have coatings. I have never wiped them away, just broke them in with the normal fashion. I have not noticed any difference between the coating and a "naked pipe". Even a good chance some of the estates you have acquired haven had theirs removed either. I find it is 100% a matter of preference, but as earlier posts have said just a little water will do the trick if you want to remove it. I would use a cloth such as a bandana in place of the paper towel though. It will not break apart when cleaning like a paper towel can.

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

Warm to hot water, paper towels, scrunch up a good piece and squirrel it around, repeat. Depending on how "exposed" you want it and if you do it right/carefully, some fine grit sandpaper can help if there are stubborn spots. Just mind the top of the bowl and don't grind it, lol. It takes very little time.

Or don't do it.

 

[Streeper541]

Aside from a paper towel and water, what is easiest way to remove this?

It doesn't get much easier than that. YMMV

 

[PipeIT]

Peterson told me, that in all their pipes that have black bowls, this coating is a wax mixture of gum arabic, charcoal and water.

You also have to be careful, as an example, say you smoke half a bowl, then leave it overnight and then decide to clean it out later.

Because of the makeup of this mixture, it will harden like glue in the chamber, and unburnt tabac sticking like mad to the side of the chamber walls, and it then becomes a chore to clean it out. I know, because I’ve been there already.

Cleaning it out, or leaving it in, will depend on your smoking style, and how nice or dirty you like your pipes.

 

[scloyd]

I use damp paper towels and wipe out the chamber. I'll do it 3-4 times, that's good enough for me.

 

[tabakpfeife]

OK, thanks. Nothing special then. Looking forward to receiving it.

 

[tabakpfeife]

Peterson told me, that in all their pipes that have black bowls, this coating is a wax mixture of gum arabic, charcoal and water.

You also have to be careful, as an example, say you smoke half a bowl, then leave it overnight and then decide to clean it out later.

Because of the makeup of this mixture, it will harden like glue in the chamber, and unburnt tabac sticking like mad to the side of the chamber walls, and it then becomes a chore to clean it out. I know, because I’ve been there already.

Cleaning it out, or leaving it in, will depend on your smoking style, and how nice or dirty you like your pipes.

What is the purpose of the coating then? This must be an extra step in their process, and no manufacturer adds additional cost with no benefit or savings. The rreason I’m asking is I bought a Stanwell a year ago with some kind of a coating, I didn’t bother removing it and it was a long time before I couldn’t taste it.

 

[PipeIT]

My understanding as explained to me from Jose Rubio, is to protect the chamber on a new pipe, especially for a new pipe smoker, that might smoke the pipe to hot, before it forms a carbon layer in the chamber to protect it, as it could develop hair line cracks in the chamber if smoked very hot.

There’s also the other school of thought, that these coatings might also help with a cooler smoke from the beginning, and might also help aid in the break-in process.

I personally don’t care for coatings, I have no need for them, and I find on nice, higher end quality pipes that are uncoated, the briar imparts a nice wood/nut flavor, and to me personally smoke as a cleaner tasting pipe. But that’s not to say on high end pipes, those pipe makers make bad coatings. People like Tom Eltang, Mike Sebastian and Former coat pipes, it all depends on who’s doing the coating.

So in the hands of pros on fine pipes, it’s just a subjective like/dislike is all. You don’t hear people complaining their Eltang tasted crappy. LOL ?

 

[craig61a]

Peterson told me, that in all their pipes that have black bowls, this coating is a wax mixture of gum arabic, charcoal and water..

That is not a wax mixture…

Gum Arabic is tree sap, and is used in myriad food products. It has no discernible taste.

But it does seem to have become a hot topic of discussion on these boards over the last couple of years, with a new post about said topic every fortnight…

 

[PipeIT]

That is not a wax mixture…

Gum Arabic is tree sap, and is used in myriad food products. It has no discernible taste.

But it does seem to have become a hot topic of discussion on these boards over the last couple of years, with a new post about said topic every fortnight…

What I mentioned, was told to me exactly verbatim directly from Peterson, those were their words, not mine.

P.S. I guess the combination of ingredients to them, they are calling all of it a ‘Wax Mixture’.

 

[PuffingWalrus]

My understanding as explained to me from Jose Rubio, is to protect the chamber on a new pipe, especially for a new pipe smoker, that might smoke the pipe to hot, before it forms a carbon layer in the chamber to protect it, as it could develop hair line cracks in the chamber if smoked very hot.

There’s also the other school of thought, that these coatings might also help with a cooler smoke from the beginning, and might also help aid in the break-in process.

I personally don’t care for coatings, I have no need for them, and I find on nice, higher end quality pipes that are uncoated, the briar imparts a nice wood/nut flavor, and to me personally smoke as a cleaner tasting pipe. But that’s not to say on high end pipes, those pipe makers make bad coatings. People like Tom Eltang, Mike Sebastian and Former coat pipes, it all depends on who’s doing the coating.

So in the hands of pros on fine pipes, it’s just a subjective like/dislike is all. You don’t hear people complaining their Eltang tasted crappy. LOL ?

PipeIT your first paragraph of this made me think. The coating also very much serves a purpose to the collector that likes to look but not so much smoke ( I know very odd but plenty exist lol) or a resale person.
Without a coating of some kind the pipe would develop cracks just on its own with age and changing humidity. For longevity all forms of wood need a coating of some kind to prevent this.
This being said it must also protect the pipe when stored even at its factory of origin.

 

[PipeIT]

PipeIT your first paragraph of this made me think. The coating also very much serves a purpose to the collector that likes to look but not so much smoke ( I know very odd but plenty exist lol) or a resale person.
Without a coating of some kind the pipe would develop cracks just on its own with age and changing humidity. For longevity all forms of wood need a coating of some kind to prevent this.
This being said it must also protect the pipe when stored even at its factory of origin.

Collectors of fine pipes don’t consider coatings, it serves no value standpoint.

Briar will not crack over time because there is no coating in it.

 

[PipeIT]

Take a look at this Poul Ilsted, at the top of the page, that is unsmoked, with no coating, selling for 3333 Euro.

Poul Ilsted, one of the most respected names in Danish pipes, and the pipe world.

Luxury Pipes (XXX) | estatebriarpipes.dk

estatebriarpipes.dk

That is an extreme collectors piece, uncoated.

 

[FurCoat]

My last few Petersons came with coatings that required sand paper to remove. The coating was like tar with sand in it. When heated it could be scraped out and it came out like tar balls. Nasty stuff. It's like Rino lining.

 

[nolan613]

Have a love affair with Petersons and have never bothered with removing the bowl coating...

 

[craig61a]

Without a coating of some kind the pipe would develop cracks just on its own with age and changing humidity. For longevity all forms of wood need a coating of some kind to prevent this.
This being said it must also protect the pipe when stored even at its factory of origin.

Baloney...

I've got pipes that have not been smoked that are 120 years old and not coated. They haven't developed cracks.

Wood tends to harden with age though. The white pine used to build my house is nearly hard as steel after 85 years. So, there is a risk that a pipe of that age unsmoked might crack, when first smoked after all those years, however a coating such as is applied nowadays would hardly mitigate that.