I bought a Peterson Christmas 2012 bent bulldog a few months ago. I have been having trouble with moisture in it. I first thought it was my technique, but I don't have any trouble with my other pipes. The other day I noticed that when I tried to put a pipe cleaner through it, it stopped dead in its tracks. I took the stem out, and looked inside the mortise where it meets the shank. They ended up drilling it wrong, and re drilled it, but didn't fill the crater that they left. It seemed pretty wet in there. Could that be my problem with moisture? If so is there a way to fill that?
Peterson!
- Thread starter didimauw
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Sadly more examples of how far Peterson Quality Control has dropped. I love all my Pete's but they are all over 20 years old now. I don't think I would pay the asking price for a new one. As far as your question is concerned. Yes there is a good chance that this change of turbulence is causing some of your issues. Do you have issues with other pipes smoking wet?
Lots of non-system Pete bents have that "mini-well" in the shank. I don't actually regard it as a defect. And many bents, not just Petes, do not pass a cleaner easily (or at all, in some cases). I'm not saying there aren't some QC issues with Peterson, nor am I saying you should ignore things about a pipe that you don't like. But Petes get so much criticism that I wanted to come to their defense. Yours sounds fine to me.
Was the moisture problem you experienced a gurgle thing, or a leaking when you set it down thing?
Was the moisture problem you experienced a gurgle thing, or a leaking when you set it down thing?
This is a shame, because I have this exact same model and mine smokes fine. I really like that line compared to this years Christmas pipe.
It could be because the steam is condensing inside of that hole almost like a system pipe. I don't know if pipe mud would be a viable option for filler. Anyone who repairs pipes might be able to steer you in a better direction, but I don't think epoxy and wood filler, even if you can get it in there, is the safe way to go.
It could be because the steam is condensing inside of that hole almost like a system pipe. I don't know if pipe mud would be a viable option for filler. Anyone who repairs pipes might be able to steer you in a better direction, but I don't think epoxy and wood filler, even if you can get it in there, is the safe way to go.
I think what's going on in these system-like Petes is that there's a reservoir intentionally built into these bents, to trap moisture. And unfortunately the draft hole in the shank doesn't always line up with that in the stem. Meaning of course, that the cleaner will not go all the way through to the bowl. Unless you take out the stem. Which you shouldn't do on a hot pipe. Some people swear by these pipes. Others swear at them. I tend to stick with straight pipes, or if I do buy a bent pipe, I prefer to have a military mount, so I can take out the stem mid smoke to sop up the wet spot. Cleaners, I've found, often get hung up in bents. Even if the holes are lined up perfectly, the bend of the stem, especially in severely bent stems, can often hinder a cleaner's passage.
After billy's post I went an looked at mine. There is some room in the shank similar to their system pipes but there is only 1 draft inside of that.
My Aran 86 does gurgle a bit but honestly, it doesn't bother me. It smokes quite wonderfully apart from that - especially since I've managed to break it in - and does me as a great latakia pipe. I will have to run a cleaner down it maybe once per smoke, but it's not a big deal.
This could help you if you haven't seen this trick it does help with some pipes. It doesn't work every time like it claims but most of the time.
pipe cleaner trick
pipe cleaner trick
I've learned to here on the forums to put a slight bend in the cleaner. You kind of have to twist the cleaner a little while moving the cleaner in and out just a bit, and that slight bend will find it's way through eventually. I've also been using falcon cleaners (they're thinner) for my pipes that don't seem to pass a cleaner as well. The slight bend and the thinner cleaner usually does the job. Just to be on the safe side, I'll use the other side of the cleaner and perhaps a second if needed.
The only half and full-bent pipes I buy any more are Ser Jacopo. They all pass a pipe cleaner as easy as a straight pipe. Some special flexible drill or something they use.
And I have a Peterson Standard System coming, sure hope it doesn't gurgle, I hate that. When you guys are talking about "chamfering the tenon", on the Peterson army-style stem, do you mean creating a funnel-like depression in the flat end, or tapering around the outer rim of the end of the tenon?
And I have a Peterson Standard System coming, sure hope it doesn't gurgle, I hate that. When you guys are talking about "chamfering the tenon", on the Peterson army-style stem, do you mean creating a funnel-like depression in the flat end, or tapering around the outer rim of the end of the tenon?
+1billypm and +1 Kashmir!
I have 9 bent Petersons (including 2 system pipes), the 7 non-system pipes all have the mini-well and none of them will pass a cleaner. I believe Peterson intentionally drill the draft hol a little high in the shank for the mini-well to serve its purpose. That being said, I also have many other bent pipes of other makes, including Savinelli, Lorenzo and others. Out of all of them, the only one that will pass a cleaner is a Jobey "355" 3/4 bent acorn.
I've had pipes that smoked wet at first, but after they are well broken in they begin to smoke dryer. I've also had pipes that smoke dry as a bone from day one. A pipe not passing a cleaner is not necessarily what makes a pipe smoke wet, that can be caused by a number of factors, and this is not limited to Peterson. Some of my Petes gurgle slightly from time to time, but the more I smoke them, the less they do.
My advice would be to give it some more time, and more smokes. Smoke to the bottom of the bowl, and give the pipe plenty of rest and drying time between smokes.
I have 9 bent Petersons (including 2 system pipes), the 7 non-system pipes all have the mini-well and none of them will pass a cleaner. I believe Peterson intentionally drill the draft hol a little high in the shank for the mini-well to serve its purpose. That being said, I also have many other bent pipes of other makes, including Savinelli, Lorenzo and others. Out of all of them, the only one that will pass a cleaner is a Jobey "355" 3/4 bent acorn.
I've had pipes that smoked wet at first, but after they are well broken in they begin to smoke dryer. I've also had pipes that smoke dry as a bone from day one. A pipe not passing a cleaner is not necessarily what makes a pipe smoke wet, that can be caused by a number of factors, and this is not limited to Peterson. Some of my Petes gurgle slightly from time to time, but the more I smoke them, the less they do.
My advice would be to give it some more time, and more smokes. Smoke to the bottom of the bowl, and give the pipe plenty of rest and drying time between smokes.
I just remembered, my Jobey is not the only bent I have that will pass a cleaner. I also have a Castania 3/4 bent volcano that will.
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