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→Guide Listings of the Peterson modern series
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The new 2010 Christmas pipes are now available in the Classic shapes and can be sourced world | The new 2010 Christmas pipes are now available in the Classic shapes and can be sourced world | ||
wide, from approved Peterson distributors. | wide, from approved Peterson distributors. | ||
====A closer look at the famous Peterson Standard System Pipe==== | |||
[[File:System2.jpg|thumb]]Perhaps the most notable design from the Kapp and Peterson factory was Peterson's famed 'Dry | |||
System' pipes. The original patent was issued in Great Britain and Ireland on Aug. 8, 1890, | |||
Featuring a small reservoir intended to collect moisture before it reaches the smoker, the 'System | |||
Pipe' makes for a cool smoke that minimizes tongue bite, the bane of every pipe smoker. Indeed, it | |||
is on this ground breaking design that the worldwide reputation of Peterson grew.<br> | |||
In '''1898''' another of Peterson's innovative pipe inventions became available and was also patented. | |||
the Peterson-Lip (P-Lip) mouthpiece, designed to offset the inhaled smoke to the roof of the | |||
mouth,thus avoiding tongue bite.<br> | |||
The famous P lip stem incorporated into the system pipes mouthpiece directs the smoke flow | |||
through a small hole at the top of the stem to the roof of the mouth. | |||
Generally when pipe smokers get together and discuss the system pipes they are divided as to | |||
whether they like or dislike them,in particular the P lip stem which has many detractors. The main | |||
criticism being that in directing the smoke to the top or roof of the mouth, this can become tender | |||
and sore after a while through the concentration of hot smoke.<br> | |||
The cleaning and maintenance of the System pipes also appears to be problematic to some pipesters. | |||
Often the criticism is in regard to the 'infamous' pipe cleaner test,ie can a pipe cleaner be passed | |||
down the stem opening and out the opposite end easily and without obstruction. Of course smaller | |||
pipes are more problematic than the larger ones,coupled to the stem shape being more angular in | |||
full bent examples. I have never really found this to be too much of a problem as I will use the | |||
smaller finer pipe cleaners such as those made by Falcon,which seem to pass easily. | |||
Personally I enjoy my System Pipes, to me they epitomise the true essence of Petersons heritage | |||
and style. Being a habitual clench-er I find the P lip ideal 'anchorage' for dangling from my | |||
mouth,particularly as the majority of my pipes are bent s. I suspect that the majority of my weekly | |||
pipe smoking activity is with 'Systems',I love em!<br> | |||
The Peterson System pipes are the standard bearers of the Peterson pipe family, famous for the | |||
excellent smoking pleasure they provide. | |||
Often imitated but never equaled, the Peterson System smokes dry, cool and sweet, thanks to the | |||
scientific effectiveness of the original design. The heart of the System is the unique graduated bore | |||
in the mouthpiece. This makes the suction applied by the smoker 15 times weaker by the time it | |||
reaches the tobacco chamber. The result is that all the moisture flows into the reservoir and, thus | |||
cannot reach the smoker's mouth. | |||
The Peterson Lip further enhances the effectiveness of the graduated bore by directing the flow of | |||
smoke upwards and away from the tongue. This achieves a uniquely even distribution of smoke and | |||
virtually eliminates any chance of tongue-bite or bitterness. | |||
Furthermore, the shape is contoured so that the tongue rests comfortably in the depression under the | |||
opening. Each "P-Lip" mouthpiece is made from Vulcanite. | |||
<gallery widths=400px heights=350px> | |||
File:System1.jpg|An illustration from a 1905 catalog showing the two design features. The draft holes are exaggerated, especially in the center stem illustration. | |||
</gallery> | |||
For the Peterson System pipes to work properly, the stem/tenon has to have an extension, the tip of | |||
which will pass by the draft hole from the bowl and into the sump. Upon the smoker drawing in | |||
smoke, this extension then directs the smoke down and around the sump to dispense a lot of the | |||
moisture before the smoke enters the extension and stem. On the System Standards and other less | |||
expensive systems, this extension with be made of Vulcanite turned integrally with the stem. On the | |||
more expensive System pipes this extension will be made of metal which screws into the Vulcanite | |||
stem. This extension on the earlier pipes will be of brass and the newer pipes will be of aluminium. | |||
Most smokers not knowing this function of the metal extension, assumes that it is a | |||
condenser/stinger and will remove it as they do with the metal condensers of Kaywoodie, etc. | |||
Should you have a System pipe with this metal extension, do not remove it for it will make the | |||
System function properly and give you a dryer smoke. | |||
Another feature of the Peterson System pipe that helps in removing moisture is the stem itself. It | |||
will have a relatively small draft hole entrance at the extension which will open out rapidly and then | |||
closes back down near the bit. Of course these varying diameters have smooth transitions. The idea | |||
behind this is; the smoke leaving the smaller diameter and entering the larger diameter will expand | |||
and slow down, thus dropping more moisture before entering your mouth. | |||
To some people the cleaning of system pipes can appear to be problematic,in fact they are in most | |||
cases easy to clean. A pipe cleaner dipped in alcohol will do a fine job of removing any dried | |||
tobacco juices in the mouthpiece or shank. If there is any difficulty with the pipe cleaner accessing | |||
the narrow P-lip,I would suggest using the finer narrow pipe cleaners made by Falcon, which are | |||
still widely available. The sump pit on a system pipe can be cleaned with a Q-Tip swab or piece of | |||
rolled up paper towel, likewise preferably dipped in alcohol before use. If you suspect the sump pit | |||
contains a significant amount of liquid, remove the mouthpiece, dump the liquid, and reassemble. | |||
I would recommend running a pipe cleaner down the stem, as far as it will go, immediately after | |||
finishing a bowl, but disassembly and thorough cleaning can wait until the next day or any other | |||
convenient time. | |||
Most of the standard systems are made from good quality briar. All are fitted with nickel mounts | |||
and army style mouthpiece. There are fourteen models to choose from, with a choice of highly | |||
polished or rustic finish. Nearly all are bent s,except for one straight model (Reference 31). | |||
As well as the traditional Walnut finish,there are also additional colour choices with Red and Ebony. | |||
I have included some photos of examples from my own collection to help illustrate the diversity of | |||
shape and finish of choices available. | |||
==Why choose a Peterson Pipe?== | ==Why choose a Peterson Pipe?== | ||