Peterson quality?

[Mikem]

LOL and here I thought you were only allowed to bash Dunhills (just kidding). I don't think anyone is really bashing any brand just giving honest opinions of their experiences with a particular pipe they purchased.

 

[Ranger107]

Agreed. Guess one might think I was bashing Dunhills. I am sure they are decent pipes and in the early days when they were only half again or even twice as much as other "good" pipes they were probably worth the cost. Now that they are 3, 4, 5 times the cost of a high end pipe, just don't see how the cost is justified. I have a James Upshall that I scored off ebay for 80 bucks and it smokes like a dream. I would put it up against any Dunhill of any price.

 

[smoker13]

No matter how many "artisan" pipes I'm seduced into shelling out for, it seems I'm always buying a Peterson every so often. And yes, they ALL smoke perfectly well, none have ever disappointed.

 

[Ranger107]

No matter how many "artisan" pipes I'm seduced into shelling out for, it seems I'm always buying a Peterson every so often. And yes, they ALL smoke perfectly well, none have ever disappointed.

Glad to hear. Restores my confidence in getting another.

 

[Idlefellow]

I have at current count 20 Petersons, ranging from a couple of pre-Republic pipes through to the Sherlock Holmes rusticated Deer stalker I just bought a few weeks ago and many in between. Maybe I'm just not as discerning as some, but I've found every one to be a decent smoking pipe and a great value for the money. I'll never pay the prices I see for "bespoke" pipes and frankly most of them don't really interest me anyway. I think I paid around $30 for the first Pete I ever bought, and the last one was over a hundred, which I never would have imagined when I started down this road. I'm not a collector, I'm a pipe smoker, and for me Petersons get the job done. I imagine there are other brands out there that fill the bill as well; I just happen to like Petes. And p-lip, please

 

[ftrplt]

So, guess that makes us both old codgers,,lol. If you are only 2 years older, how were you working in a pipe shop in the 60s? Oh, that's right, we didn't have child labor laws back then. Guess it could have happened. I worked on a bridge construction crew my first summer out of high school in 66. Too bad we didn't have a crystal ball, would have bought up all the Dunhills we could afford.

Born in 1946, graduated from high school in May 1964. Entered college September 1964 (just turned 18!). Got job in Pipe/Tobacco B&M in Spring 1965; worked there thru my college years. Great experience!!!

 

[Timbo]

Never had a Pete smoke bad for me out of thirty plus of them, however some smoke much better than others and it's not to do with price. A standard system I have circa 1940 is my best smoker of all my pipes and a system deluxe from 1983 is one of my wettest, though still a decent smoke thanks to being a system pipe. I also tend to stick to older estate Pete's when buying if that makes any difference.

If the pipe isn't doing it for you, sell it and move on to another, hopefully better pipe.

In case you hadn't guessed, if a pipe doen't work for me within ten or so smokes, off it goes to blueroom briars. My deluxe would of gone there but for the fact I really like the 302 shape.

Cheers,

Tim

 

[Ranger107]

Born in 1946, graduated from high school in May 1964. Entered college September 1964 (just turned 18!). Got job in Pipe/Tobacco B&M in Spring 1965; worked there thru my college years. Great experience!!!

Wow, nice experience for you. Born 48, graduated 66, started college fall 66. After one semester decided I wasn't ready for college. Went into service mar 67, did two Nam tours, got an early out and returned to college fall of 70. The B&M pipe shop you worked at was probably very similar to the one I frequented at ISU in Ames.

 

[Ranger107]

Never had a Pete smoke bad for me out of thirty plus of them, however some smoke much better than others and it's not to do with price. A standard system I have circa 1940 is my best smoker of all my pipes and a system deluxe from 1983 is one of my wettest, though still a decent smoke thanks to being a system pipe. I also tend to stick to older estate Pete's when buying if that makes any difference.

If the pipe isn't doing it for you, sell it and move on to another, hopefully better pipe.

In case you hadn't guessed, if a pipe doen't work for me within ten or so smokes, off it goes to blueroom briars. My deluxe would of gone there but for the fact I really like the 302 shape.

Cheers,

Tim

Thanks for the input. Have been scouring ebay for some good finds. Quite a few on there but prices seem high rivaling the cost of new pipes. Will just keep looking. No hurry.

 

[Timbo]

Yeah ebay prices for Pete's have been going UP over the last few years and their Meerschaums, yeeeesh.

I keep a watch list for pipes I'm after and occasionally get lucky with a sleeper auction with no starting bid. So they are out there, patience is the key.

 

[Ranger107]

Yepper, watching about 6 Dunhills all under $75. But usually by auctions end they are pushing 200 or more. Same with Petes. Won't pay 120 to 150 for an "estate" pete when smoking pipes has new for 115 to 150. Have bought most of my meers from meershaummarket.com. some are pricey, but with patience and some astute shopping, there are good ones to be had. Recently got an I. Baglin hand carved with large bowl for $165. Smokes good and a beautiful pipe.

 

[Ranger107]

Well, you guys convinced me to take another dip in the peterson pool. Just ordered a Rosslare smooth bent pot xl from smoking pipes. Not top of the line but well above bottom level. Keeping fingers crossed.

 

[Johnwe]

I have about 13 or 14 Petersons, mostly their mid range pipe (none of their really high end ones. I may have just gotten lucky with all of them but have never had any issues, well except one seems to be a wet smoke no matter what tobacco i use.

Drill your draught hole out (BY HAND) to 11/64. I did this with most of my Pete's and it really cut down the gurgling moisture problem. Now I just drill all of them out and none have done a gurgle since.

 

[Bullwinkle]

Never smoked a new pipe before cleaning and running a pipe through it.

 

[mtvernon]

Didn't buy it, but my previous job position entailed entertaining clients and came with a very high limit expense account. And I can say this for a fact. While very good, I never had a $100+ wine that was 5 times better than a $20 bottle. Back when I could afford them, say $250/300, good savinellis were $40/80. So, I figured the same comparison. Did not see how a $250 pipe could be 5 times better than a $50 pipe?? I see new ones now over a grand. Please enlighten me.
We must be brothers. I’ve always said the same about wine, and had the same situation. Fancy work dinners, fancy wine, I got nothing. I proudly call it my peasant’s palate, because I’m easily satisfied. With pipes, I wouldn’t call it an exhaustive study, but I’ve had basket pipes outperform $400 pipes all day long, so I’m now more focused on aesthetics. I’ve had “good” pipes and midrange pipes. I can get them to work to more or less the same degree, depending on tobacco, packing, breathing technique, etc. lots of mine, Peterson and others, are impossible to pass a cleaner through. I had no idea until recently that that could be a deal breaker for some - I just think of it as a normal occurrence and never give it a second thought.

 

[Ranger107]

Didn't buy it, but my previous job position entailed entertaining clients and came with a very high limit expense account. And I can say this for a fact. While very good, I never had a $100+ wine that was 5 times better than a $20 bottle. Back when I could afford them, say $250/300, good savinellis were $40/80. So, I figured the same comparison. Did not see how a $250 pipe could be 5 times better than a $50 pipe?? I see new ones now over a grand. Please enlighten me.
We must be brothers. I’ve always said the same about wine, and had the same situation. Fancy work dinners, fancy wine, I got nothing. I proudly call it my peasant’s palate, because I’m easily satisfied. With pipes, I wouldn’t call it an exhaustive study, but I’ve had basket pipes outperform $400 pipes all day long, so I’m now more focused on aesthetics. I’ve had “good” pipes and midrange pipes. I can get them to work to more or less the same degree, depending on tobacco, packing, breathing technique, etc. lots of mine, Peterson and others, are impossible to pass a cleaner through. I had no idea until recently that that could be a deal breaker for some - I just think of it as a normal occurrence and never give it a second thought.

I like that term peasants palate. I just thought it was because I was thrifty, read cheap, lol. In some cases more is better and justified, like with jewelry. A $1000 diamond is probably 10 times better than a $100 one. A $10,000 horse is likely much better than a $1,000 nag. Other things not so much. Gazing over bourbons at the liquor store couple of days ago and wondering who buys a $500 bottle of bourbon. Anyway, on pipes, I agree. I do think my mid range pipes are better than low end in most cases, Petes, Don Carlos, etc. However, I have a couple of low end Stanwells that are excellent smokers. The last one I got from P&C for $30. Always wanted a Dunhill, but not at $600+. Guess I will continue to be a peasant, lol.