You are currently viewing 411. SPECIAL BULLETIN: 2024 Peterson Pipe of the Year Coming Soon!

411. SPECIAL BULLETIN: 2024 Peterson Pipe of the Year Coming Soon!

After a dearth of special releases this year, the wait for the Pipe of the Year seemed like it would never end, but lads, we’re almost there.  I just received four samples and want to pass along some photos and early intel.

I know photography has commenced at SPC but don’t think it’s been completed, so the drop probably won’t be this week, but maybe next.  Usually there’s something from K&P on social media about a week before, but apart from one non-official social media photo of a rustic pipe that somehow escaped in the past week or two, no one has reported any sightings to me.

No information on the drop date or the exact finishes to be offered, but I’ll post another Special Bulletin if I find out anything. I do know video was shot in the factory several weeks back and I believe it was of the making of the POY, so we can expect that at some point on the Smokingpipes blog, along with some conversation from Josh or Andy and the gang.

The big news this year, as you can read in the “Chat” brochure above, is that the POY is a brand-new System shape, the first since the Darwin / B42 of 2009 fifteen years ago (not sure where the “Chat” writer got thirty years). K&P Pipe Specialist Giacomo Penzo’s original design is a beauty, squarely within Peterson’s design language yet offering some new riffs as well.  The shank is a thing of beauty and when that’s added to the wear-gap B stem we’ve got something fresh and frankly amazing.

It always helps me to understand a shape by first seeing it from its 2D right-flank or obverse. From that I can get an idea of the proportions and angles of bowl, shank and stem, but to do that it’s best to see it in as pure a silhouette as possible–something you’ll never get in a glamor shot:

Whew! Get a load of this shape.  Seen from this vantage, a lot becomes clear. The shank and stem pair seamlessly with the bowl to create that “golden mean” feeling of Binet’s formula–what we talked back in the Fibonacci sequence back in Post #297.  The B or tapered wear-gap stem pairs with the shank to produce a swan neck recalling shapes like the X69 back in the Early Republic and the X160 from Patent era, but also radiates that “1896 Patent Catalog” vibe, something that Charles Peterson himself might have come up with.  Fans of bulldogs and bent rhodesians should feel ripples of familiarity wafting their way. Penzo, friends, is an Artist, and we’re so fortunate to have him batting for our favorite team.

The visual and felt weight of the POY2024 is right there with the full-size Systems: shapes like the 306, 308, 309, in other words of classic dimensions. If you’re comfortable cradling and / or clenching those shapes and the B42 and 9, this will feel like an old friend.

If I understood what Josh told me over the phone a few weeks back, this shape may be moving over into the regular System catalog.  I’d love to see it with the ferrule or AB mount.  You remember the Darwin was launched simultaneously as a commemorative and a System shape back in 2009.  (Minor note to self: it would be great to see the “Chat” shape chart updated, since the System HOUSE PIPE and Pub Pipe have never been formally placed among those esteemed silhouettes.

FINISHES

Could be my eyesight, but the Terracotta stain seems especially bright this year.

POY2024 851/1100 Terracotta Smooth–
Measurements & Other Details:

Length: 5.50 in / 140 mm
Weight: 2.35 oz / 67 gr
Bowl Height: 1.82 in / 46.30 mm
Chamber Depth: 1.46 in / 37.1 mm
Chamber Diameter: 0.79 in / 20 mm
Outside Diameter: 1.77 in / 45 mm
Stem: Glorious P-Lip Ebonite
Shape: Swan Neck Rhodesian
Finish: Terracotta

The Terracotta finish is seen to ample advantage in #851 seen above.  When there’s a bit of blonde grain that comes shining through it’s like a sunrise over the Aran Islands, or standing on top of Michael Skellig.  I’ll guess that we can expect the normal spread of recent POYs, which should fall out in numbers in a close approximation of a classic bell curve. From rarest to most plentiful, it might look something like this, with the majority falling in increasing numbers from the Terracotta to the Rustic:

Supreme Sandblast
Natural
Silver Cap (Terracotta, Rustic, ?)
Ebony Smooth
PSB Rua
Terracotta
Heritage
Black Sandblast
Rustic

Looking at the Heritage finish of the new POY with a current Dunhill Bruyere 5113 ($854.25), notice any difference? Me neither.  The Heritage got a lot of flak in the US when it first appeared a few years back, despite its mirroring of a long-standing classic Dunhill finish. That was then, this is now, but when someone carps about the Heritage, you’ll remember to mention the Bruyere, won’t you?

When Josh sent me a photo of the blast finish seen above, it was love at first sight.  I know this combination of gritty blast and satin black has been been around a few years, but I’ve never really stopped to admire it. While some PGs are devoted almost exclusively to the Natural and Supreme Blast finishes, I love most K&P finishes, and my rotation reflects that kind of diversity. It often depends for me on the shape of the pipe.  I knew with the 2019 4B that I had to have the rustic: it was like a front row seat at a Gojira or Animals as Leaders concert: prog metal.   Likewise when the System Anniversary pipes dropped last year in the Barley tanshell, it was a must: how could I say no to a System so endowed?  Or the 14B Mark Twain POY–the Rua PSB topped the chart in my opinion.  Without seeing the others, at the moment I’m totally hoping for the right Terracotta and Blast.

Moving on, the twin beads are crisp on all the samples. Notice also the inner bevel, which shows to special advantage on the Terracotta but is present on all finishes.

 

STAMPS

As you can see, once again the indefatigable Jonathan Fields (Factory Manager) has the shank stamps arranged elegantly on the bottom of all the shanks. “Peterson” in script is over the small block caps “OF DUBLIN” with the serial number below that group. To the right, the proud oval MADE IN IRELAND is over 2024. The POY2024 is serialized, as you see, in an edition of 1100, which comprises the total of all finishes.

As has been their practice for a while now, on the sterling the “Peterson” in script over the small block cap “DUBLIN” is on the front facing the bowl, with the small block cap “PETERSON” over the hallmarks on the back.  This year’s hallmarks are all legible—always something to be thankful for—and the HM (N this year) can easily be read.

 

SYSTEM ENGINEERING

So now I’ll get a little geeky.  Too geeky, probably.  Consensers may change from one shipment to another, although this is one of the crispest and best finished I’ve seen.  The threaded end is flat-topped, however, which means that your pipe cleaner will stick on it instead of sliding through.  This is an easy fix as we’ve discussed in early posts, and I’m not totally convinced it’s necessary.  Leaving the condenser in if the stem threads continue up into the tenon leaves some unswabbed territory, and if there’s any kind of change in the internal walls, tar and moisture will build up at those points. The only way around this is either to have a Hamilton Super Condenser installed or have the factory figure out a way to stop the threading at the exact point the condenser threads into the tenon.

Pete Geek Terms You Need:

DCEM: depth the condenser extends into the mortise

BESH: bottom edge of the smoke hole, the air channel that travels from the mortise to the chamber bottom

Over the past few months, Gary Hamilton and I have been discussing flux in System engineering design since the 1890 patent, and one one thing we’re just about convinced of is that when a De Luxe System’s condenser reaches to the bottom lip of the shank’s air channel or below it—as specified in the 1890 Patent—the pipe smoker has an excellent chance of obtaining a smoking experience equal to or better than any pipe ever made, artisan-mades included.*  This conviction is borne out by our study of the original Patent document, my decades-long System smoking experience (De Luxe and Premier Systems in particular and in the context of Standard Systems) and Gary’s expertise in fluid dynamics engineering.

To measure the POY2024’s System engineering against the Patent benchmark, it’s necessary to measure the DCEM (depth of the condenser in the mortise) and then measure the BESH (bottom edge of smoke hole) thus:

(You can see I’m a graduate of M.I.T., right?**)

Measuring the BESH requires only a bright Anglepoise-style adjustable lamp and a digital caliper.  To measure the DCEM on a new stem, push a small piece of  blue carpenter’s tape into the wear gap with the straight edge of the top at the top of the mortise and use your digital caliper to measure to the tip of the aluminum condenser.

Measuring the DCEM on an older De Luxe pipe is much easier, as there will almost always be a slight oxidation mark dividing the part of the tenon inside the mortise from that outside in the open air.

For the Terracotta I measured the BESH at 22.7mm and the DCEM at 31.7mm. Subtract the BESH from the DCEM and you find the condenser extends 9 mm beyond the bottom edge of the smoke hole. Bravo! The POY2024 exceeds Patent specs. (If you have a 12.5 De Luxe, you’ll find this pipe always exceeds specs, which is one reason I think it’s such a fantastic smoker.)

What about the reservoir?  Gary and I have talked a lot about this as well, but there is a great deal of diversity over the decades and between shapes here, ranging from  the vintage 308 with its thin mortise walls and cavern of a reservoir to some Systems of just a few years back with little to no reservoir at all.

The Terracotta’s reservoir drilling (measured at the narrow ledge where the second mortise excavation commences) begins at 22.7mm and extends to the bottom at 44.5mm.  That’s 21.8mm, giving the reservoir plenty of scope to do its work.  The reservoir’s width is 5/16th in., not quite 8mm (I need to get a set of metric drill bits).

With a steady hand, it could probably be widened to 3/8ths, but as the saying goes, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” and until I’ve smoked the POY2024 a few dozen times, I won’t know–and  even then it’s hard to say whether creating an even larger reservoir from an already sufficient one would effect any smoking improvement, as this is where the complex fluid dynamics thing comes in with math far above my pay grade.

This year we’re treated to another great Irish tweed pipe sock, something I think really sets the POY apart from other releases.  (And wow, K&P, when do we get to order our matching tweed sport coats with leather elbow patches stamped “”Peterson of Dublin” on one side and “Thinking Man” on the other? Or the matching Dubliner Flat Cap?) There’s also the sterling pipe cloth, of course.

I’m looking forward to the Drop Party and seeing the POY2024 in its remaining finishes, as I know that reveal will help me make up my mind.  Last year it was held, I believe, around midnight.  This year, we should stage a global Zoom.  I mean, if political candidates can do it, why not Pete Geeks?  Until then—

“Smoak” in Peace!

Mark

 

 

 

 Many thanks to Josh Burgess at Peterson
and Kaz Walters at Laudisi.
Banner photo by Josh Burgess and Sinéad Carroll, K&P.
Dunhill photo courtesy Smokingpipes.com.

 

 

 

*Muskogee Institute of Truckers

**Other variables being equal, things like briar density (curing), smoker’s cadence, tobacco used, etc.

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John H. Schantz Jr.
John H. Schantz Jr.
4 months ago

Ehh. Silly large wear gap. It makes the stem base diameter look larger than the end of the shank…..maybe some are? The wear gap could be cut in half, or more, and still, probably, be plenty for today’s pipe smokers.
Yep, I’m opinionated 😉

Gary Hamilton
Gary Hamilton
4 months ago

Hey Professor John, I’m in the same camp as you on being opinionated with regard to the wear gap stem. For whatever the reason is, I simply cannot get past the wear gap stem.

Rick Myerscough
Rick Myerscough
4 months ago

John… does the “Wear Gap” do anything for the smoker… or is it just visual design feature?

John H. Schantz Jr.
John H. Schantz Jr.
4 months ago

It is an engineered feature intended to keep the mortise-tenon fit tight with use. Over time, with heavy use, the mortise can expand slightly. The gap allows for the stem to stay seated tightly, by letting it seat deeper in the mortise. I’m not sure how long or how many smokes it would take to close the gap, but I know it wouldn’t happen in two or three of my personal smoking lifetimes. I just don’t smoke that much. That and I have tons of pipes. Even if I smoked a single “wear gap” Pete every few days, I doubt… Read more »

Howard
Howard
4 months ago

Am fan of large gap.

John H. Schantz Jr.
John H. Schantz Jr.
4 months ago
Reply to  Howard

To each his own.🙂

John M Young
4 months ago

Wow, is all I have. That is a gorgeous pipe. The blast is ideal well, my ideal at least. Thanks, Mark.

Trent
Trent
4 months ago

There was a short video about this on Peterson’s Instagram account featuring Glen and Giacomo. I was hoping you were going to cover it today. I’m very excited. 🙂

Trent
Trent
4 months ago
Reply to  Trent
Ha. Stoe.
Ha. Stoe.
4 months ago

Wow!
Hopefully I’ll be quick enough this time to get my hands on at least one terracotta …

chris mendoza
chris mendoza
4 months ago

Excellent!! I’ll definitely be buying one…..

Stah
Stah
4 months ago

It’s a real Atomic Bomb. Three, please.

Stah
Stah
18 days ago
Reply to  Stah

I’ve been mistaken. I took four.

Andy Camire
Andy Camire
4 months ago

This is the finest shape I’ve seen released since the Mark Twain POY, in my opinion. What a work of art this is. And hopefully the shape will be included in the regular system shape catalog as you mentioned.
On another note, quoting Mr. Schantz, I’m opinionated as well, and that wear gap had better be shortened to half of what is shown. Then I’ll get in line to grab one for sure. Fantastic job by the whole crew at Peterson’s, from the engineering to the finished pipe. Bravo.

Erik R
Erik R
4 months ago

Bravo! I’m really digging this year’s offering. Last year I was lucky and scored a rua POY, this year I’m shooting for a terracotta. I really like the flow of the bend right into the bowl. Looks comfy to clench.

D.H. Billings
D.H. Billings
4 months ago

I saw the unofficial picture and wasn’t sure if the size. If I am reading this correctly, this is pretty akin to the 2S/302/XL02 in size. And if that’s the case, this year’s POY is perfect!

Nate Lynn
Nate Lynn
4 months ago

About time they release this pipe. Can’t wait to get my hands on a few of these. What a great looking shape.

Al Jones
Al Jones
4 months ago

Wow, I love that shape and beadlines. I’m not a big wear gap guy, so I’ll hold out for the AB stem version. What really bothers me is the p-lip profile – the top edge is so worn. Who is cutting these buttons? I returned my 2023 POY for the same issue, and they made a new stem. My old 02 House pipe button I’m smoking now has a much prouder profile. I circled the issue here. https://i.postimg.cc/k4CWd01y/Beveled-Rim-Double-Beads.jpg

Jon O
Jon O
4 months ago
Reply to  Al Jones

I also prefer a much more defined p-lip profile and bite shelf. I think the 2021 and 2022 POYs achieved that very well. I absolutely loved the 2023 POY shape, so I bought multiple, and some had more defined p-lip profiles than others. I recall seeing yours in the forums and agree that it looked quite squishy and difficult to clench. It looks like this year might vary a bit as well. This 2024 shape is absolutely beautiful, though. Very inspired design.

Scott Forrest
Scott Forrest
4 months ago
Reply to  Al Jones

Some of the bits in Mark’s examples look just fine, but the Terracotta one seems to have the same ‘blurry’ bit that most of the recent plateau pipes had. I can’t handle that and see no excuses for it.
I will be ready for the drop and whether I get one or not will just depend on what my finger decides to do at that moment 🙂

Bob Cuccaro/TLIP
Bob Cuccaro/TLIP
4 months ago

Sign me up!! The POTYs is like an excuse to clear out my bank account 🙂

Jon Umpherville
Jon Umpherville
4 months ago

This is a beautiful design and I love it, especially the size. I think ill have to break my promise of not buying any new pipes and get one. Great looking out on the measurements and functions of the internals. I know TLIP and myself have discussed the original patent design and chimneys passing the draft hole and everything that applies for the best smokes in the past as well. Glad to know I’m not the only person who over thinks these things 🤣 And a big BOOOO!!! HISSSSS!!!! to the shop who sold one of these early and the… Read more »

Jason Canady CPG
Jason Canady CPG
4 months ago

I’m dubbing this new shape “squat baskerville” because that’s what it reminds me of. I’m excited about the new shape and it looks like my kind of pipe. I passed on last years and so did a few friends. I think they nailed it this year.

Claude
Claude
4 months ago

It definitively is a very nice shape! I fail to see the similarities between the Bruyere and Heritage finishes? The Bruyere is red/dark red as where the Heritage is dark brown. The Bruyere stain allows the grain to pop up after some pipefuls as where with the Heritage, it depends largely on the grain pattern and how much stain has been applied. I’ve received pipes that had so much stain applied that no grain was ever visible; and some with a bit of grain visible and patches of ‘foggy’ spots due to stain saturation. Contrary to the Heritage finish, the… Read more »

Claude
Claude
4 months ago
Reply to  Mark Irwin

Mark, I was just sharing my experience with both finishes.
The truth is, I find the Heritage finish has a LOT of potential but obviously, Peterson needs to dedicate much more work to achieve something equivalent to the Bruyere finish.
As for the pipe, independantly of the finish, this is one sexy new shape. It’s elegant, the transitions are smooth, and it’s very well proportioned. I really like it and I think it will become a solid favorite among Peterson’s fans.

Claude
Claude
4 months ago
Reply to  Mark Irwin

Mark, I just meant to share my experience with both finishes. The Heritage finish has a LOT of potential but, to mirror the Bruyere finish, the chaps will need to work some more on it and select nicer grain.
Regardless of finish, this new shape is one gorgeous, sexy one. It’s very elegant and well proportioned. I think it will become a solid favorite among Peterson fans.
Was there a shape number assigned yet?

John H. Schantz Jr.
John H. Schantz Jr.
4 months ago
Reply to  Claude

The reason the Heritage finish exists is because they are using up stummels with little to no grain, but free of major defects. They can still get a smooth finish (less labor than either sandblast or rusticated) and still sell the pipe. More money, more money, more money. You can’t blame them though, it keeps their prices down overall….or should. P.S. My Heritage XMas pipe stained my hand brown for it’s first smoke. I got out the Everclear and wiped it down, it’s had a lighter finish and the grain comes through. It’s not spectacular grain, but it’s not “bald”… Read more »

Claude
Claude
4 months ago
Reply to  Mark Irwin

Mark, as you mentioned the Heritage finish mirrors the Bruyere’s, I just meant to share my experience with both finishes.
The Heritage finish has a LOT of potential but, to mirror the Bruyere finish, the chaps will need to work some more on it and select nicer grain-not that a Bruyere always has nice grain.
Regardless of finish, this new shape is one gorgeous, sexy one. It’s very elegant and well proportioned. I think it will become a solid favorite among Peterson fans.
I’m just wondering is there was a shape number assigned yet?

Claude
Claude
4 months ago
Reply to  Claude

Apologies for the triple posts, lads; I thought I had ‘lost’ the first 2. Mark, is there any way you could delete those? Thank you.

Scott Forrest
Scott Forrest
4 months ago
Reply to  Mark Irwin

I have an unsmoked Dunhill Chestnut in front of me, and to me it looks very similar to the Heritage, but with more gloss.

Jon O
Jon O
4 months ago
Reply to  Claude

I feel like the Heritage finish has darkened since its initial release, as has the Dark Smooth. I think the initial Heritages did allow some grain to show through, which I found handsome and reserved, but it looks to have darkened over the years to be mostly solid matte now in most cases (though I am able to find some that might show a little grain on one side). I can appreciate the odd ones that have a higher sheen and show a little grain, but the fully solid matte ones aren’t for me (they’re a bit like Ebony pipes… Read more »

Trent
Trent
4 months ago
Reply to  Jon O

I have a few recent Dark Smooths and they show some pretty nice grain (better than the pictures on SPC anyway). I have one Heritage, which shows no grain and the stain bleeds like crazy. I kinda like the matte look of it though.

Jon O
Jon O
4 months ago
Reply to  Trent

I have a couple Dark Smooths and they definitely have some beautiful grain, though dark. It’s possible I’m mistaken about the Dark Smooths darkening over time, but most of the ones Peterson list on their official website are a lot lighter than what I’ve seen lately and than what I own: https://www.peterson.ie/pipes/system/deluxe-system-dark-smooth/

For the Heritage finish, though, you can see very clearly from the PPN’s original entry on the launch of the finish that the original ones actually had quite clear grain visibility, quite unlike most of the current ones being produced from what I’ve seen: https://petersonpipenotes.org/tag/peterson-heritage-system/

John H. Schantz Jr.
John H. Schantz Jr.
4 months ago
Reply to  Trent

“Bleeds”, yes, that’s the term. Personally I like shiny though🙂. After wiping down my XMas Heritage with Everclear, I gave it a nice buffed wax shine. Much better👍🏻

Craig Hairrell
Craig Hairrell
3 months ago

I did the same with a recent POY Heritage. Fortunately, the grain that was revealed was interesting. Perhaps the finish has improved since then, but mine refused to take any sort of shine, even with waxing. My several Dunhill Bruyere pipes maintain an attractive sheen and are decidedly more red-brown than the brown-black of the Heritage finish.

Mark Derington CPG
Mark Derington CPG
4 months ago

Looks like Baskerville and the 999 had a baby! Definitely going to have to buy one or two!

Martin
Martin
4 months ago

Nice read. Sitting Here still in Sweden with my 264 iora and some sun bear.
That new poty ist truely amazing.

Brandon
Brandon
4 months ago

I really like it. And I’m probably the odd man out, but I really like the rustic with this shape.

Marlowe
Marlowe
4 months ago

It’s fun to see a new shape. I’m not blown away by it but is nice. With funds at a bit of a low I’m waiting to see what the PPN POY might be – if indeed we are blessed to have such an offering. Mark?

Doug Owen
4 months ago

Hi Mark: I have been told by Laudisi that the retail shop drop will be sometime in late August. I have seen the prototype, absolutely spectacular and a welcome addition to the already impressive line of system pipes. Grab the terra cotta finish if you can, they will be in great demand. I am hoping to get a few for my store but it will be difficult for me not to fire one up for my personal rack. I keep telling myself that i am in business to sell these things but sometimes it is hard to resist. LOL.

Jon O
Jon O
4 months ago

What an exciting shape release! Thank you for the heads up, Mark. I think Giacomo Penzo did a stellar job designing this new shape. He really is an artist. When I saw the pipes in the photo at the top of this post, I fully expected to read on to find images of early patent era brochures that you’d dug up listing this as an early but discontinued Peterson system shape. It absolutely looks like it has always belonged in the system shape chart. I love the swan neck and the tall top of the bowl above the beadline. The… Read more »

Jon O
Jon O
4 months ago
Reply to  Jon O

Also, I love the B stem on this. I like that they’ve been using the B stem on a lot of special releases lately. I’ll be excited to see how this new shape looks with a Deluxe saddle stem if and when it gets added to the regular line-up.

Chris Streeper
Chris Streeper
4 months ago

That is lovely looking pipe. I’ll be keeping an eye out for this one for sure.

Patrick
Patrick
4 months ago

Is it confirmed there will be silver caps?

Nevaditude
Nevaditude
4 months ago

Thanks Mark, been a wondering what it might be… HAPPY for a brand new shape. Looks wonderful & now I need to prioritize the order of attack finish by finish as availability dictates.
Happy hunting all & be well…

Rick Myerscough
Rick Myerscough
4 months ago

A beautiful shape… You brought my attention to something I never knew the name of…
“Wear Gap”… Does this have a purpose…? I just always thought it was simply visual appeal….
Thanks Mark and John

Trent
Trent
4 months ago

The wear gap is designed to account for wear, so that the stem always fits snugly despite conditions that might otherwise cause the stem to become loose. There’s a good article here: https://petersonpipenotes.org/closing-the-gap-the-mythos-of-petersons-space-fitting-system-stem/

Howard
Howard
4 months ago

Looking forward to this shape. Am a huge fan of the initial Mark Twain shape and any other full bent shape.

Matt Rogers
Matt Rogers
4 months ago

A great design from Peterson, however like a few others the profile on the PLip is shallow I prefer a more raised profile on the PLip for clenching, I’m definitely going try and go for a Terracotta finish

Steve Gervais
Steve Gervais
3 months ago

Any info on the SP.EU drop date and time?

Rob Guttridge
Rob Guttridge
3 months ago

Well, this year’s shape was certainly more popular with us than last year’s. Today there are still 44 2023 POYs on the SPC site, but I just got the second-to-last 2024, and now they’re all sold, only 28 hours after they dropped. Perhaps it is the fact that this year’s POYs are Systems?

Steve Gervais
Steve Gervais
3 months ago
Reply to  Rob Guttridge

It was certainly a hit! I scored a nice terracotta and a rusticated that I’ll thoroughly enjoy. The overall shape and “charm” of the pipe did it for me. The fact that it was a system and a full bent didn’t hurt. Just the perfect storm, in my opinion. Grats to all that scored!

John Waugh
John Waugh
1 month ago

My ebony POTY 2024 is peeling. There is blistering on the heel and the finish is flaking off. I’m heartbroken. Has this happened to anyone else?