Peterson pipes being dipped into staining tanks

[kola]

Many new Peterson pipes are being dipped in staining tanks. They seem to be totally immersed in the solution and then shipped out for sales. I have no idea how long this process has been going on but I find it very displeasing.

Now I am just making a mountain out of a molehill but isn't this poor quality and craftsmanship?

I have been shopping for a new Pete but every pipe I encounter has been slopped up with stain that covers the entire interior of the stummel. I have been told to sand it out or use alcohol and cotton swabs and clean it out. I have also been told to be a real man and just "smoke it out." Yeah right, I just love heating up toxic chemicals and inhaling the fumes.
I am not going to pay 100-300 bucks on a new pipe and then have to play around with the darn thing or "smoke it out". This blows my mind. Peterson goes on and on to say how they sell the most pipes and have the highest standards of excellence etc,etc but yet they continue to have this "backyard woodchipper" mentality where they decide to slop the thing up (to save time of course) and then expect the new owner to clean up the mess. I emailed the owner of Peterson and his answer was to send back the pipes and they would repair it. He further stated that as of last year they started plugging the stummels with corks to avoid this. That might be all fine and dandy but there must be a ton of Petes floating around out there with dipped stained bowls because I find them everywhere. As far as sending it back to Ptersons to br cleaned up? I do not want to spend my money and then have to ship it back to Peterson and wait umpteen days to have it fixed and re-shipped.

Thoughts, rants, raves,

Kola

[Sasquatch]

Uh. Yeah. Well, that's why you see a dozen "How do I clean this crap out of my Peterson" threads on every pipe forum. Of course it's a stupid practice, and of course it tastes like shit when you light up a new Peterson. That's part of their charm.

[KurtHuhn]

They've been doing that for decades. It's easy, can be done on a mass scale, and reduces manpower costs. If they've stopped that practice, I'll wager it's due to changing market demands and Peterson's attempts to follow the market.

[kola]

I can not understand it though, as they boast about their quality of excellence yet continue doing this. I tried to discuss this topic on SF Forum but it was turning ugly as some folks took offense to my questions and did not want to discuss the truth of the matter. I was trying to find out if they dipstain even their high end pipes...and when this process started...and why it continues. And yes there many many people displeased with this dipping so it is not just me whining away to no end.

So, are their highend pipes getting dipped and anyone knbow when they started cutting corners like this?

It is quite disappointing as I like the Peterson shapes and was going to buy a new one but I can not buy a product that is based on lies...nor will i buy one and clean it myself or " just smoke it out" <grunt grunt>

Kola

[KurtHuhn]

They've been doing it for as far back as I can recall. Other factories did it as well. I bought a new-in-box GBD about ten years ago that was decades old, and it also had stain in the bowl. It's easy for factories to pump these out from a fraising machine, give them a quick sand, dip a tray in stain, then finish them off lickety split.

This is just one item in a long list of things that separates handmade pipes from factory pipes.

Have you considered commissioning one of the makers here to make a similar pipe to one you're looking at? Depending on shape, you could probably get away with spending the same amount, but end up with a much, much better pipe.

[Sasquatch]

Yes when I do a Peterson shape for customers I always ask them if they would like it completely dip-stained and would they like the famous Peterson-gurgle or should I leave it out? But then.... I guess I'm kind of an asshole maybe.

Actually, as far as smoking properties go, I think Peterson's better pipes are very good. But I had 3 system pipes at one point, and they all had completely different tenon shapes, and one of them worked much better than the others. If someone wants a "good" Peterson I recommend looking at the year pipes and special editions because you get ebonite stems rather than the cheaper vulcanite you find on the production pieces, and there's a chance that the mouthpiece will be cut comfortably (Plip or fishtail - Peterson's production buttons are bad).

Lots of people love Petes, and good for them, I guess. I have learned to have higher standards for balance, for comfort, and for smoking properties. It makes me laugh (and cry) when someone is talking about how nice their Peterson smokes and then half way through they'll say "All I have to do is run a pipe cleaner into it two or three times during a smoke". LOL. What a great smoker indeed!

There ARE Peterson pipes that are high performers. I've got one, and it's an ass-kicking pipe, I'd put it up against any pipe in the world. But that's not every Peterson by any means. I couldn't keep my 606 lit, couldn't get my 315 not to gurgle, and the stem on the 303 is so thick and uncomfortable that I never smoke it (actually it's in the shop for a re-fit). But the 140th Anniversary pipe is a pipe to behold, and a pipe against which to measure the performance of other pipes.

[baweaverpipes]

But then.... I guess I'm kind of an asshole maybe.

CONGRATULATIONS! You have just joined the selective few, Thad Johnston, Rod Davies and me, B.A. Weisinheimer. Yes, you are an asshole and find joy in the fact you're not a douche like E Marble.

[kola]

Thats funny sasquatch.

Kurt, thats a great idea. I really like the Peterson 221..no in fact I LOVE the 221 shape. Anyway, who might you recommend? Has any of the carvers here made some Peterson style pipes? It would be nice to see pictures of them as well. And BTW, I dislike that p-lip stem, its awkward and annoying to say the least. I like a nive slim fishtail stem and the red cumberland is sweet (not the plastic looking cumberland stems but the real McCoys)

Has anyone her ever made a spigot style pipe? I like the that silver hardware look a lot

Asking a lot, I know, lol

BTW, I own 3 Petes, a 302, 307 and 221. All of the smoked hot and I am a slow puffing kinda guy. I had to open up the draftholes on all of them to make them good smokers.

back to my dipstaining complaints, I was quite shocked to see some of the Peterson fans reactions to my questions. Theyt actually took it as being offensive and some quickly came to stand up for Peterson. OTOH many agrred with me and quickly it became us versus them which was not my intention. They also wanted to sweep the entire issue under the rug and end the thread as quickly as possible. Maybe I think different than the average fool but if I love Product A and there is a flaw in the product I would sure as hell work to have it corrected, not deny it or make some silly excuse. Nor would I condemn someone for bringing it up for discussion. The entire episode really left a bad taste in my mouth (pun). Really, how much money is Peterson saving by dunking their pipes like cheap donuts in a tank of stain? And then compare how many pipe smokers have sunnbed their noses and refused to buy a Peterson pipe because of this poor quality technique. Trust me, there were a boatload of people whi emailed me venting their frustrating with the dipstaining procedures. So it wasn't just me and a few knotheads blowing stream. It's a big issue and IMO should be addressed of Peterson wanst to keep their image or better yet IMPROVE their image and live up to their claims of "Excellence." As for me, Peterson just lost another customer.

Kola

[Sasquatch]

This one's nice: Button work is still humungous....

http://www.smokingpipes.com/pipes/estat ... t_id=64113

I'm sure someone here has done a spigot type fitting. I haven't because my metal-working skills are pretty well non-existant. But lots of guys here could probably do it.

The 221 isn't a hard shape to do especially, just a bent billiard with a bit of a fat ass, really.