Peterson Amber Stem / Maker's Series worth it? Or Alternatives?
- Thread starter Milleniumsmoker
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These amber stems weren't always so brittle, but time and loss of oils will turn them so. The old stems used for making this series weren't what they were when they were first shaped.
As for buying a prestige pipe for one's collection, there are a lot of ways to go. Why not commission a pipe from a top artisan maker? Then it's really your pipe and not something stamped out by a company. Moreover, for what you'll spend on a high end factory shape, you'll have something truly unique and personal.
As for buying a prestige pipe for one's collection, there are a lot of ways to go. Why not commission a pipe from a top artisan maker? Then it's really your pipe and not something stamped out by a company. Moreover, for what you'll spend on a high end factory shape, you'll have something truly unique and personal.
Love the unanswerable question. Is it worth it? Well no it isn't if you've got to ask. It's what it is which is a rarity and if you want that rarity more then you want the money it cost then it's worth it. There isn't anything magical about it. Just like nothing magical about a 2000 dollar hand carved artisan pipe either. They're what they are and if that tickles your fancy then worth every cent, if not you could spend your money better then.
I think I’d like the romance of the idea (and the pictures) more than the actual finished product in this case.
I think that might be a better option to be honest. I mainly like the amber stem aspect of the pipe and it seems the maker's series doesn't afford much beyond that, at least for my purposes
I mean in terms of quality of briar and grain, etc. Is there anything really that special about it or is it just marketing.
yes it has an amber stem. Decent pipe all around but other then that you're not going to get anything you wouldn't get in any other quality factory pipe. And that really means you have to look at the individual pipe because well these days almost every single pipe is made with high quality briar and the grain on a factory pipe is going to be organically occurring and either really tickle your fancy or not. If you want a certain grain you have to look for it and outside of artisan pipes which can be carved to accent the grain the way the carver wants it really is just a matter of luck.
60 - 80 million years ago I imagine they were quite pliable...
In the SP video when they announced the rollout of the amber spigot pipes, they noted that some of the stems were already roughly shaped, and just needed final finish sanding and shaping, while other pieces were in raw form.
If properly kept, amber doesn't degrade much over time. Sunlight, temperature extremes, exposure to chemicals will cause it to degrade and crack and crumble.
Savinelli makes some amber "colored"-stemmed pipes if you just want that. Amber itself is not recommended. Check out Savinelli's Dolomiti pipes for the look. I have the 645 KS Dolomiti and I love it.
I love Peterson. Classic look and way they feel in the hand. I agree with others, for my taste, the amber is out of synch. As to quality, they have many grades and price points. Peterson’s own web shows hige selection. Not always available. Guess you order and wait