Problems with Peterson?

[triplepass]

I’ve returned just recently to pipes and have experienced recent problems with Peterson pipes. Because I’m not as knowledgeable in pipes as most here, I’d like to ask the opinion of the aficionados. The last two Peterson pipes I’ve received have had issues I didn’t feel I could live with. Both pipes were purchased from SP.

The first pipe I received and sent back was a XL02 Newgrange spigot. The draft hole in the shank was drilled completely off center and entered the bowl at least 1/4” above the bottom of the bowl. A pipe cleaner inserted through the shank would enter the bowl and travel across to the far side if the bowl without even coming close to the bottom. I didn’t see any way the pipe would smoke right, so I sent it back. Keith with SP told me 90%+ of the Peterson BENT pipes were drilled high.

The pipe I received today is a Peterson smooth horn stem spigot 408 - not a inexpensive pipe. The horn stem turns freely inside the silver pressed fitting attached to its end, or what I would consider to be the male tenon. I have boxed it up and intend to return this pipe also, unless someone here knows a fix. It was suggested by Keith at SP that I hang on to the pipe for a day or two to see if the wood inside that fitting would expand and the stem tighten up. First off, I’m not sure that wood is the second material inside that fitting. It looks more like a nylon material. Second, even if it would tighten up, I would be concerned it would again loosen up in cold conditions.

My questions are... Am I being too picky? Was the pipe that was drilled high really the problem I thought it was? My thoughts were it would never smoke to the bottom of the bowl. Has anyone here experienced these problems and if so, what was done about them?

 

[Kentos]

Spigot, so a military mount right? Meaning the stem is tapered and press fit into the stummel vs a tenon that is the same diameter all around.

Military mounts, from what I have in my stable, will turn freely until it firmly pressed into the stummel. To remove it I just give it a slight turn and a tug and it pops right out.

Some more experienced smokers will surely chime in, but without me testing it myself it would be hard to say if it is faulty or not from. Maybe some pics would help?

 

[Price]

99% of Petersons you come across are made by machine, so they tend to not meet the exacting tolerances a handmade pipe should be expected to meet. I've yet to come across a bent Pete that passes a pipe cleaner easily - some you can fiddle around with and find just the right angle to pass, others simply will not. That's something I've come to accept, although the handful of Petes I own are all of the former variety. Regarding the drilling... the tolerances involved with drilling by machine mean that the pipes will rarely be drilled spot on perfect. Since drilling low would be disastrous, most machine made pipes are drilled a little high, which is to be expected. It is fairly easy to fill in the floor with pipe mud if dottle really bothers you. That said, I would say that 1/4" high is excessive. I would have returned that pipe as well.

Regarding your horn-stemmed pipe, different materials expand and contract differently with temperature. Without seeing it (maybe a pic would help?), I really can't say with any certainty whether I would consider what you have to be a problem. However, ultimately what matters is whether you consider it to be. There is no sense keeping a pipe you are unhappy with. However, I will say that, if you are looking for tighter tolerances, perhaps Petes aren't the best choice - handmade pipes, while generally spendy, tend to be much more carefully drilled and shaped.

 

[Senshi]

I could not write a better response than what Price has already said.

 

[triplepass]

Spigot, so a military mount right? Meaning the stem is tapered and press fit into the stummel vs a tenon that is the same diameter all around.

Military mounts, from what I have in my stable, will turn freely until it firmly pressed into the stummel. To remove it I just give it a slight turn and a tug and it pops right out.

Some more experienced smokers will surely chime in, but without me testing it myself it would be hard to say if it is faulty or not from. Maybe some pics would help?

Yes and no on the military mount. While it is a military mount, it's one that has sterling silver both on the shank and the stem. On the shank, the silver is pressed onto the end of the wooden shank. On the stem, the silver band is crimped or press fit over the end of the stem. If I detach the stem from the pipe and grip the silver band, the stem turns loosely inside this fitting. So it's just loose.

99% of Petersons you come across are made by machine, so they tend to not meet the exacting tolerances a handmade pipe should be expected to meet. I've yet to come across a bent Pete that passes a pipe cleaner easily - some you can fiddle around with and find just the right angle to pass, others simply will not. That's something I've come to accept, although the handful of Petes I own are all of the former variety. Regarding the drilling... the tolerances involved with drilling by machine mean that the pipes will rarely be drilled spot on perfect. Since drilling low would be disastrous, most machine made pipes are drilled a little high, which is to be expected. It is fairly easy to fill in the floor with pipe mud if dottle really bothers you. That said, I would say that 1/4" high is excessive. I would have returned that pipe as well.

Regarding your horn-stemmed pipe, different materials expand and contract differently with temperature. Without seeing it (maybe a pic would help?), I really can't say with any certainty whether I would consider what you have to be a problem. However, ultimately what matters is whether you consider it to be. There is no sense keeping a pipe you are unhappy with. However, I will say that, if you are looking for tighter tolerances, perhaps Petes aren't the best choice - handmade pipes, while generally spendy, tend to be much more carefully drilled and shaped.

Thanks, Price. I had Ben at Tobaccopipes dot com go into his warehouse and check some more of his bent Petersons and none of them had a draft hole that came out at the bottom of the bowl. Some were close but none were acceptable to me. I had him check some other Peterson pipes and ultimately decided on the Peterson spigot red spray 999 pictured above. It's not a picture of the actual pipe I'll be getting but he went through his inventory and is sending me the nicest 999 he had in his warehouse. I've got a Peterson bent bulldog and it's drilled as close to perfectly as I could ask for. Peterson's off center drilling doesn't bother me too much in the spigot pipes as I can separate the stem and run a pipe cleaner into the bowl. It's the height of the draft hole above the bottom of the bowl that bothers me and that I find unacceptable.

I'm going to return the horn stemmed spigot, as I think it's probably a defective pipe. It's a shame because it's a beautiful pipe, imo. Here's a picture... That pretty horn stem is what turns in the sterling fitting on its end. Spins like a top...

I'm seriously considering a Tinsky. Don't know whether to buy off his Mark's site or from SP. Anyway, thanks again, Price.

I could not write a better response than what Price has already said.

I appreciate you thinking about it though.

 

[Kentos]

Ahh gotcha! The silver sleeve spins? Dang.

 

[Kentos]

P.S. if you are getting a Tinsky you might as well commission one from him me thinks.

 

[Price]

If the horn is loose inside the silver of the stem, that is definitely no bueno.

Regarding a Tinsky, although I'm a big fan of SP, I would 100% recommend buying direct from him. You'll have a much broader selection, or if you so choose he will work with you on a custom - probably for less than that horn-stemmed spigot cost. Unless time is of the essence and you want it within a few days, I'd say get it straight from Mark.

Edit: Kent, great minds think alike.

 

[Kentos]

We are two wise guys.

 

[triplepass]

I was already leaning in the direction of buying straight from Tinsky but after hearing you two recommended it, I'm pretty sure I will. I'll go study what he's got going. If you don't mind, what's the normal lead time ordering one off his site vs. ordering a custom pipe? ---- Note to self: Kent and Price are both wise guys.

 

[Kentos]

Not sure how long the wait is...but have you seen Price’s Christmas Tinsky Pipe? Not sure if your are into Bulldogs/Rhodies but...

2012 Dunhill Flake in my 2012 Tinsky Christmas pipe...


View attachment 849849

That is on my list for Mr. Tinsky .

 

[Hirsute]

I was already leaning in the direction of buying straight from Tinsky but after hearing you two recommended it, I'm pretty sure I will. I'll go study what he's got going. If you don't mind, what's the normal lead time ordering one off his site vs. ordering a custom pipe? ---- Note to self: Kent and Price are both wise guys.

Ive done a few commissions w Mark, and the time varies. It’s been anywhere for a few days to a month. Blasts take longer since he sends them to Rad Davis for blasting and collects a batch before he sends them off. He’s usually pretty prompt and a decent communicator via email.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Razorfaust]

I must admit listening to your complaints echo my sentiment towards the Petersons I have purchased. My first bought pipe before I knew what to look for in a pipe was a Peterson. Im going to tread lightly but drafthole turns out to be too high and being a bent Peterson wont pass a pipe cleaner the holes just dont match up. I eventually just pipe mudded the bottom and called it good. This pipe wasnt so cheap it was a Christmas edition and it was my first major pipe purchase so it kinda put me off. Second problem with my first pete was that the draft hole burnt out so to speak. Draft hole was high but well formed after a half a dozen smokes it carbonized and fractured in a stellate fashion after some time I reamed the pipe and you cant even see the draft hole it disintegrated into the stem. OK maybe it was me smoking too vicious or something . Well bought another Pete some time later this was an XL90 Drilling was a bit better but same issue no pipe cleaner could get through without pulling of the stem, sigh. After a few weeks of use draft hole again just burnt away into ashes hmmm. I also bought a few Savinellis in parallel with this purchase and had absolutely none of the Peterson problems. I smoked them all smoked them hard, whatever only the Petes gave in. I love the look of these pipes, I want to love them but have little faith that they will provide anything but disappointment. I may try again at some point I would love a spigot or maybe just a straight pipe( What could go wrong eh) something I thought was bullet proof in design.

 

[DE Steve]

Just an FYI

SP will inspect a pipe your thinking of buying over the phone. You will be told of ANY defect before making the purchase. I do this all the time. SP has specific numbers assigned to each pipe.

 

[triplepass]

Not sure how long the wait is...but have you seen Price’s Christmas Tinsky Pipe? Not sure if your are into Bulldogs/Rhodies but...


That is on my list for Mr. Tinsky .

Matter of fact, I'm looking at two of his Bulldog/Rhodies now. I seem to gravitate to the bulldogs, both straight and bent. I've got one each in Savinelli and Peterson.

Ive done a few commissions w Mark, and the time varies. It’s been anywhere for a few days to a month. Blasts take longer since he sends them to Rad Davis for blasting and collects a batch before he sends them off. He’s usually pretty prompt and a decent communicator via email.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks for the heads up. I've found a couple of pipes for sale on his site and really, I couldn't possibly design a custom pipe any better than he already has.

I must admit listening to your complaints echo my sentiment towards the Petersons I have purchased. My first bought pipe before I knew what to look for in a pipe was a Peterson. Im going to tread lightly but drafthole turns out to be too high and being a bent Peterson wont pass a pipe cleaner the holes just dont match up. I eventually just pipe mudded the bottom and called it good. This pipe wasnt so cheap it was a Christmas edition and it was my first major pipe purchase so it kinda put me off. Second problem with my first pete was that the draft hole burnt out so to speak. Draft hole was high but well formed after a half a dozen smokes it carbonized and fractured in a stellate fashion after some time I reamed the pipe and you cant even see the draft hole it disintegrated into the stem. OK maybe it was me smoking too vicious or something . Well bought another Pete some time later this was an XL90 Drilling was a bit better but same issue no pipe cleaner could get through without pulling of the stem, sigh. After a few weeks of use draft hole again just burnt away into ashes hmmm. I also bought a few Savinellis in parallel with this purchase and had absolutely none of the Peterson problems. I smoked them all smoked them hard, whatever only the Petes gave in. I love the look of these pipes, I want to love them but have little faith that they will provide anything but disappointment. I may try again at some point I would love a spigot or maybe just a straight pipe( What could go wrong eh) something I thought was bullet proof in design.

I've bought 3 Petersons, 4 if we count the one I've got coming from tobaccopipes. The last 2 I got from SP either have been or are going to be returned. The first one's due to be delivered to them today and the second one's getting mailed back today. So far the bent bulldog I have been smoking is drilled perfectly and shows no signs of burnout anywhere. Like you, my sipping tempo is up tempo, so time will tell. Again, like you, I love their look but my trust in their QC is pretty much nil.

Just an FYI

SP will inspect a pipe your thinking of buying over the phone. You will be told of ANY defect before making the purchase. I do this all the time. SP has specific numbers assigned to each pipe.

I have been ordering on the web but if I order again, I'll be asking someone to look at the pipe before I commit to buying it. I don't think another Peterson will be in my future. SP did a 360 video on the sterling silver spigot I bought and still sent me a pipe with a loose stem. I find it hard to believe someone could handle the pipe during a video and not notice the stem problem. But maybe... I'm not trying to trash SP by any means. I'm still going to use them as a vendor - just not going to buy another Peterson.

 

[jstr2112]

I am in the process of a Commisioned pipe from Mark, something he has not done before and it is beautiful. Great to work with Highly recommended!!

 

[Ponycarman]

This saddens me to hear about peterson. Its one of the brands I would like to add to my collection in the future. I'll be sure give any prospects a good look over.

Makes me wonder though. I know what a pipe should be and why but how would things like this with the draft hole effect it smoking?

 

[jstr2112]

Fyi, I have never had an issue with Peterson, and surpised to see most of my pipes are actually Peterson, thinking that when I started they would be Savinelli

 

[Ponycarman]

Fyi, I have never had an issue with Peterson, and surpised to see most of my pipes are actually Peterson, thinking that when I started they would be Savinelli

haha I've noticed that. You do have alot of petes ha. I'm way behind in that department. I really would like a nice peterson. It is high on my to buy list.

 

[jstr2112]

haha I've noticed that. You do have alot of petes ha. I'm way behind in that department. I really would like a nice peterson. It is high on my to buy list.

And I have one one the way....

Actually it is a bigger bend than any of what I have so I will pay close attention to the drilling and report back