Peterson System Pipe Cleaning

[boudreaux]

Okay, another rookie question about Peterson System pipes. I saw several comments about them being a p.i.t.a. to clean. My question is why? Is there something I'm not doing properly?
I read about the separate chamber that collects moisture, but I'm no sure if there are two holes through which I need to run a pipe cleaner. If there are, I've yet to discover a second one when I insert a cleaner and poke around in the stummel where it meets the bowl.
Is it not any more difficult than cleaning a regular pipe? If not, I don't understand why the comment about difficulty was made.

 

[shutterbug]

As far as I'm concerned, it's not necessarily a PIT, but just a cost of doing business with the Peterson Systems. I find the extra step is using a Q-tip to sop up any moisture in the 'system' chamber, and then after that's all dry and clean, running my pipe cleaner through the reverse side (i.e. going in through the bowl side rather than through the stem side). I find that if I do it that way, I don't have to 'thread' the cleaner through the system chamber to get to the draft hole. Without the Peterson System, you can obviously just run pipe cleaners through to sop up any liquid. Like I said, just a cost of business to put up with whatever benefits you get with the Peterson System.
Shutterbug

 

[boudreaux]

Ouch! Missed the earlier, almost identical thread from a month ago. Sorry - Please delete this one if you can, admins.
But I am not exactly clear on the use of the q-tip. By that I mean, where is it inserted? Through the stummel and into the bowl like the pipe cleaner? I am not "feeling" the existence of the moisture chamber described.

 

[boudreaux]

Thanks, Shutterbug. Maybe there's a YouTube video that shows what you describe?

 

[4dotsasieni]

With a Peterson System, since you can remove the spigot-type stem even when the pipe is still warm, there shouldn't be any issue accessing the stem and the chamber. Just remove the stem, run a THIN cleaner (I've found Falcons to be best) through that, then just use a regular cleaner on the shank/chamber/bowl. I actually find them a lot easier to clean than my non-system bent pipes.

 

[shutterbug]

Think of it like a mini Calabash system. Where the draft hole opens into a seperate chamber right below it. As 4dot says, if you remove the stem, you are looking straight into the 'resevoir' chamber. Often times, you will not be able to run a cleaner through stem, shank, resevoir AND draft hole without threading perfectly. So ultimately, I remove my stem, Q-tip the resevoir, and then take care of the hole (if it needs cleaning of debris and what have you).
Shutterbug

 

[boudreaux]

I think I may have to revisit a look at the diagram of the system, showing the location of the moisture reservoir. Could not locate a YouTube video on the subject.

 

[boudreaux]

Okay, found it on here. Will take another look at both my bent and straight pipes. Just want to make sure I get any gunk out so that it doesn't accumulate and sour the smoke.
Thanks, guys.

 

[bullbriar]

Never really had a problem cleaning these. I have a 312 and a 314. As soon as I'm done with the pipe, I take off the stem, run a cleaner (with a few drops of 151 rum on it) through the stem. Next, I thinly roll a paper towel and "corkscrew" it in the reservoir. Finally, I run the same cleaner through the draft hole, from the reservoir side, and done. I rarely get a bad smoke from my Systems pipes.

 

[boudreaux]

@bullbriar - "Finally, I run the same cleaner through the draft hole, from the reservoir side..."
This is one thing that I wonder about - "from the reservoir side"?
From the diagrams I see, it looks like the reservoir that collects the moisture is a "dead end," so how could you run a cleaner from the reservoir side, as you say?

 

[bullbriar]

The draft hole is at the very top of the reservoir, and goes down at a steep angle. Slide the pipe cleaner down, along the bowl side of the reservoir, and it will slide right in. After a few times, it'll be second nature!

 

[bentmike]

Systems are a piece of cake to clean. I took some pictures of the reservoir side of my systems. The pics make it much easier to see the layout of the System pipe. Inside A Peterson System

 

[boudreaux]

Thanks for the link to the photos, Mike. Makes it crystal clear how the System looks, and along with bullbriar's description, I should have no trouble.

 

[boudreaux]

Update: The photos by bentmike helped to see what had to be done on my Peterson System 301.
However, my #31 small billiard, not so good. Using a flashlight, I just can't see the draft hole, and when I insert a pipe cleaner into the stummel and poke around, I'm not able to find the hole either.
Additionally, I've now found that this new #31 is bleeding orange stain onto my hands. groan..... (Yes, have read the remedies, and none seem to be a permanent fix other than to go back to use of the tripoly(?) Don't know what that is - have a buffing disk on my bench grinder, but saw that applying Paragon wax may not solve the problem.
The stain issue is not as important as being able to keep the draft hole clean. Right now, I'm just blowing into it to remove any tobacco flakes, but not sure how long that will work if cake builds up.