What Does “System” Pipe Mean?

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OverMountain

Lifer
Dec 5, 2021
1,394
4,961
NOVA
While I love my system pipes, pretty much this! ETA: I've pulled the stingers in each and drilled for 9mm filter, I've never actually sucked up from the well, it certainly won't happen now.
Their 9mm pipes are really nice.

To clean the chamber I just run a pipe cleaner that I’ve bent the tip back on and swab it out like a civil war cannon 🤣.

Doesn’t take but a sec. I don’t know that it really matters if you dry your tobacco and sip. I have a straight 106 that I can’t tell a difference AT ALL between system and non system Petes. YMMV.
 
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K.E. Powell

Part of the Furniture Now
Aug 20, 2022
588
2,169
37
West Virginia
I plan on my next pipe purchase being the Peterson System 2s. Do you guys know if there is any difference in performance between models as far as moisture? That bent apple shape does it for me.
The 2s or XL02 is my favorite Peterson shape. I can say it functions well when compared to other models, all other things being equal.

As a general rule, system pipes work best, in my humble opinion, in larger pipes with a generous bend. The 2s is hardly the biggest Peterson shape, but it's a pretty good size.
 

K.E. Powell

Part of the Furniture Now
Aug 20, 2022
588
2,169
37
West Virginia
That was going to be my next question. How do you clean it? That shape would seem to be difficult with just a pipe cleaner.
There are many ways, but my favorite is using a q-tip. Cleaning one after a smoke takes an extra 15 seconds at most.

I will say the one downside to systems is they do require some diligence in cleaning; forgo consistent cleaning and your pipe will foul up something fierce. On the other hand, in conjunction with other system pipe functions (i.e. p-lip and the army mount), they can aid in providing a cooler smoke. And there aren't many other pipes quite like them on the market. Army mounts in particular are just rad. I love them.
 

churchlady

Lurker
Mar 15, 2024
41
129
Alabama
I was asking because I got an estate honeymaster off etsy. When I was cleaning it the first time I was having trouble getting the pipe cleaner to go through the shank reliably. I checked this evening, and it does indeed feel like there's another hole or divot or something down in the base of the shank.
 

paulfg

Lifer
Feb 21, 2016
1,627
3,086
Corfu Greece
the peterson system sump is easily cleaned as stated above with either a qtip or rolled piece of kitchen roll,every so often I employ a warm water flush to really keep the sump clean.

Now if you buy a neglected Pete ,yes it can take some work to clean the sump but if cleaned every smoke about an extra 20 seconds.

Leaving the stem off allows the sump to dry and is recommended by Peterson.

Falcon pipes could also be classed as system pipes
 

Pipeoff

Part of the Furniture Now
Jun 22, 2021
928
1,556
Western New York
I have several Peterson pipes that are great smokers but prefer the straights with a flatter stem including a P lip. But do not have the system. My septic tank cleaner warned me not to smoke near the vent because the methane gas produced is very explosive. Maybe the system could blow up in your face .
 
Aug 1, 2012
4,881
5,686
USA
I was asking because I got an estate honeymaster off etsy. When I was cleaning it the first time I was having trouble getting the pipe cleaner to go through the shank reliably. I checked this evening, and it does indeed feel like there's another hole or divot or something down in the base of the shank.
Either that or it's a standard case of bad drilling. Seen that on plenty of bent pipes.
 
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Zeno Marx

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 10, 2022
271
1,376
I find that moisture still stays in the stem and doesn’t drip down. It just keeps getting sucked up. Maybe it’s just me, but the “system” cavity just complicates cleaning.
I've always been confused with this moisture situation. Sure, I've had pipes, or rather tobaccos or humidity levels, that resulted in more moisture than others, but 95% of the time, it's not an issue. It certainly doesn't happen often enough that i need a special system or design to remedy it. Not knocking Peterson for it, but more of a general observation and experience.

Maybe tobaccos were juicier back then? Or more likely, a person had a single pipe they smoked multiple times in a day, bowl after bowl, so everything became saturated and eventually wet smokes? I'm leaning towards that theory. After ten bowls, you could probably remove the stem, tip the bowl, and have condensation pouring out of it.
 

K.E. Powell

Part of the Furniture Now
Aug 20, 2022
588
2,169
37
West Virginia
I've always been confused with this moisture situation. Sure, I've had pipes, or rather tobaccos or humidity levels, that resulted in more moisture than others, but 95% of the time, it's not an issue. It certainly doesn't happen often enough that i need a special system or design to remedy it. Not knocking Peterson for it, but more of a general observation and experience.

Maybe tobaccos were juicier back then? Or more likely, a person had a single pipe they smoked multiple times in a day, bowl after bowl, so everything became saturated and eventually wet smokes? I'm leaning towards that theory. After ten bowls, you could probably remove the stem, tip the bowl, and have condensation pouring out of it.
It's the latter. Many people, especially back when pipe smoking was commonplace, would only own a few pipes, perhaps only one. Clays and cobs were meant to be disposable, but if you were willing to pony up the dough for a quality briar, well, it needed to be sturdy. Because chances are it will be one of only few briars you own. A lot of manufacturers, Peterson included, tried to stand out from the pack with gimmicks. Some worked better than others.
 

Briar Lee

Lifer
Sep 4, 2021
4,960
14,329
Humansville Missouri
Did any other pipe makers use an extra chamber for dealing with moisture? Is this something you might run into with estate pipes, or it just with Petersons?

WDC (William Demuth Company) either paid royalties or exploited a legal loophole to make countless “System Type” Wellingtons for 75 years.

IMG_4050.jpegIMG_4118.pngIMG_0557.jpeg

The Wellington was among the first, if not the first, cheap machine made pipes. They used a molded stem. The bands were stamped like coins. The stummels were cut on copying lathes. Jigs were used to drill them. Most of the ones I’ve seen and own were filled, stained and varnished. If a machine could do it, they used a machine. At one time WDC was the largest pipe company in the world.

In the thirties WDC tried making the bottom of the bowl from molded plastic (Bakelite).
 
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Douglas

Starting to Get Obsessed
Apr 1, 2023
210
2,277
Georgia, USA
Actually, as providence would have it, it looks like it was predestined for me to find out what a system pipe is, and as a result know that I don’t want one

Actually, as providence would have it, it looks like it was predestined for me to find out what a system pipe is, and as a result know that I don’t want one.
Amen and amen.
 
May 8, 2017
1,658
1,839
Sugar Grove, IL, USA
I find that moisture still stays in the stem and doesn’t drip down. It just keeps getting sucked up. Maybe it’s just me, but the “system” cavity just complicates cleaning.
I think the metal condensers on the higher-end versions work better than the ones on the standard models, which are essentially an elongated tenon. I rather like System pipes.