All Pipes Considered: How To Pack & Clean Your Peterson System Pipe

Now I know why I've avoided the Peterson pipes.
heh

I own 2 Peterson System pipes and enjoy both of them extremely well. I will for sure practice this packing technique and thanks for the great tips

I like Peterson pipes. They are my favorites. However, they have gotten expensive since you guys took over.

I bought my first Peterson System pipe over 40 years ago and I still have it. I've added other - the Spigot, and so on. All are well-made and easy. It's funny that the procedures you suggest I have been doing down through all those years. Maybe they are why all of my Petes are in good shape.

Andy, Shane: Another brilliant episode. I'll be trying Shane's packing method and Andy, fantastic tutorial on the smoking process itself. Don't tell Sykes, but in some of my restorations, I have indeed seen charring around the back and base of the air hole from time to time, which he believes is due to the bent cant of the System pipe. Shane's packing method should, however, minimize that from happening & keep us happy who love the lighter "moment arm" and comfortable clinch of a well-bent System mouthpiece. And I should hasten to add these are pipes from the 1930s and 40s, so I guess 80 to 90 years' worth of smoking isn't bad for the bend!

@Astrocomical So glad to hear you enjoy the Peterson pipes! I looked into some of the larger Peterson lines(Aran, Donegal, System Standard, etc.) and since Laudisi acquired Peterson, the retail prices on these have actually gone down. Is there a specific line that you were concerned about?

Thank you both for another helpful video. I'm quite new to pipe smoking but did manage to buy a Peterson about 40years ago. It, and other pipes from other makers, now get smoked much more often. However, I was battling to recognise the pipe Shane was smoking. Was it an XL02 standard system? It seemed to have a nice, wide chamber.

@Grey Mist Shane is smoking a System Premier 03, so similar to the XL02, but just a little smaller!

@Cassie D: Thanks, Cassie. I'll have to pin that one and the XL02 to my favourites list ... which is getting rather long ... so many pipes, so small a house ...

Sorry for the late note but Good Job! After 40 years a new way to enjoy packing my Systems.

I have a new System pipe (first one) and got to see this video actually before I even smoked it.
Thanks guys, I have used your advice since the very first smoke.

I think the Peterson literature is suggesting to cant the packing toward the side of the air passage. It says "point of finger towards the side of the stem". I'd try both ways to prove what peterson meant.

I had several pipes prior to my System Standard. It takes little more effort to maintain but the difference in smoking is huge. I love the Petersons, well worth the effort.

If you point your finger towards the stem as illustrated, the more densely packed tobacco will be at the bottom of the bowl against the side OPPOSITE the airway. The top of your finger (where your fingernail is) will be against the side with the air hole and will shove the tobacco the opposite way, toward the pad of your finger, which again, is OPPOSITE the airway. That will bevel the first pack AWAY from the stem, not towards it. Not putting more tobacco against the airway, but LESS.

If you don't believe me, go ahead and orient your finger as illustrated with the top (fingernail side) of your finger towards the stem, and push down some tobacco. The bulk of it will be pressed AWAY from the air hole, not towards it.

Considering this discrepancy, I think the best bet is to try both and whichever one works best for you will apparently be the right way.

Cheers!