Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona daoibh!
Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all of you!
Back when the 160th Anniversary pipes came out, I had a chance to ask Giacomo Penzo (Peterson’s pipe specialist) about airway drilling in the 160th and also the System pipes. Recently, I got another opportunity to ask him about the System’s airway bore and mortise.
MARK: The 160th Pat OBs all have the airway drilled at the top center of the mortise, with a slight dimple at the base of the mortise. This seems typical across a wide range of Peterson P Lips I’ve owned. Why not in the center? I’m sure this is naive on my part, but I’ve had so many people snark at why a Peterson airway hold isn’t drilled in the center that I thought I’d ask. These people will go on to say that “it won’t pass a pipe cleaner and on a System, I know the answer. But on other Petersons, I don’t.
GIACOMO: The reason is just technical on the Pat OB. You know that on the bent pipes the drilling has to follow a different angle than the shank angle to arrive on the bottom of the chamber. For this reason, the draft hole starts lower than the center of the shank, which allows the right quantity of material at the neck to maintain the structural integrity of the material and avoid the little gap on the bottom of the tenon drilling.
For the 160th Anniversary pipe, the stem is very thick and bending it was very challenging so to avoid any deformation of the tenon during the bending ( possibly increased by the little gap I just talked about, especially for the 9 mm filter), we opted for the drilling angle you see.
Even with the P-Lip, however, you can usually get a pipe cleaner to pass through to the chamber on the 160th Pat OB: bend up the tip of the pipe cleaner before you fit it into the pipe, as shown this the video I made for you:
When a Peterson shape permits us to match the draft hole with the center of the tenon hole, we do. But that’s rare and it happens only on semi-bent shapes or bent shapes where the shank angle matches the draft hole angle.
Because most of our bent shapes are used for System pipes, we need to drill all of them with the angle for the System—that is, higher than would otherwise be the case—to permit the drilling of the well and guarantee its functionality.
We drill the draft hole before the grading process when we don’t know what finishing and series a bowl will fall into, which is why we need to drill most of them with the angle for System pipes. If we drilled them lower or in the artisan way before the grading process, most of them wouldn’t be suitable for the System.
Likewise, if we drilled the draft hole after grading—that is, during the manufacturing process—it would take an enormous amount of time setting and resetting the machine and wouldn’t guarantee the same accuracy of the drilling. Drilling the draft hole after drilling the mortise hole would be incredibly difficult because of the different angle and size of the two holes.
MARK: Thanks. Next, let me ask you about the width of the mortise bores on DeLuxe System. Can you tell us about the historical changes and how it’s been done in the past twenty years or so?
GIACOMO: To standardize production, we use only two tapered bore sizes: medium and large. I think the most logical reasons for the De Luxe System drilling changes are the following.
Previously the bore of the airway was not standardized; I found small differences in all the old Peterson pipes I examined. Due to heavy use, a poor proportion between the mortise walls and the stem tenon, and humidity/moisture production during the smoking session, this part was very delicate and often cracked or deformed despite the added reinforcement of the ferrule. For these reasons, Peterson slightly reduced the size of the bore and the tenon to improve the product, giving the fitting more strength and solidity. The well/reservoir size was reduced due to the modifications, but it’s still large enough to offer a good draft, contain eventual moisture production and guarantee an efficient and pleasant smoke experience. Standard and Premiere Systems follow the same concept.
Honestly, I don’t think there are significant differences in smoking quality between the very big vintage bore airway and the current one. And many other factors are involved in this consideration that we can’t control: tobacco type and humidity, ambient smoking temperature, and the smoker’s habits and methods.
I think the drilling currently done offers the best compromise for achieving a good draft and a moderate quantity of moisture production, ensuring great efficiency.
MORSE TAPER
My dad was an engineer, and while I don’t understand anything about drawings like these,
I did make a “B” in 8th grade drafting class. Does that count?
Regarding the mortises in the DeLuxe System pipes, yes, they are tapered. This kind of fitting was invented and first used in mechanical and engineering tools.
Tools with a tapered shank are inserted into a matching tapered socket and pushed or twisted into place. They are then retained by friction.
The taper angle is 3.5 degrees for the medium DeLuxe Systems and 2 degrees for the large DeLuxe Systems. The De Luxe Classic Series does not have a tapered stem/bore.
MARK: Thanks! Finally, I’m excited to hear you and Glen Whelan talk about bowl shaping at the Chicago show at the end of April. As other Pete Geeks may have know or even have seen, you’ve been doing some redesign work on the System shapes. I’ve seen the 05, which was one of the first you did, and was fortunate enough to find one of the new B42s, as I understand these are being turned in factory and only a few have been sent out so far.
One of my all-time favorite Systems: oh to find a DeLuxe Natural in the New Improved Version!
GIACOMO: Thank you for the nice words about the B42 redesign. I increased the angle of the shank enough to allow for efficient drilling and a better reservoir without compromising the shape. It was an important modification we had wanted to make for a long time, and we finally did it. I redesigned the shape to bring back its original chubby bent apple form while also drawing inspiration from the original Charles Peterson O.1 with the engraving on the band that we have in our museum.
While certain *ahem* old-time purists may not care for it, for my money, with its new-improved slightly narrower and deeper chamber
and larger reservoir, this may finally be the 301 for me!
We actually did the same for the Bent Pot—we modified the shank’s angle to improve the System’s efficiency and functionality.
MARK: Nice! You may have just made a convert. This was my Dad’s favorite shape, and I’m feeling a little filial need to honor him by companioning one of these with my next bowl of MacBaren Mixture Flake….
Measurements & Other Details
New B42:
Length: 150.90mm
Weight: 68.50g
Bowl Height: 52.46mm
Chamber Depth: 45.40mm
Chamber Diameter: 21.17mm
Outside Diameter: 46.48mm
New 301:
Length: 144.57mm
Weight: 53.70g
Bowl Height: 45.45mm
Chamber Depth: 39.76mm
Chamber Diameter: 21.10mm
Outside Diameter: 37.91mm
Stem Material: Acrylic
Shape: Short Dutch
Many thanks to
Giacomo Penzo
and thanks to Clint Stacey
for the 1909 postcard
Intellectual property of Kapp & Peterson
reproduced with their gracious permission.
from
The Pipe Smoaker’s Book of Apothegms:
GAELIC LUNTING PRAYER
Be Thou a smooth way before me,
Be Thou a guiding star above me,
Be Thou a keen eye behind me,
This day, this night, for ever.
I am weary, and I forlorn,
Lead Thou me to the land of the angels;
Methinks it were time I went for a smoak
To the court of Christ, to the peace of heaven;
If only Thou, O God of life,
Be at peace with me, be my support,
Be to me as a star, be to me as a helm,
From my lying down in peace to my rising anew.
adapted from Alexander Carmichael’s Carmina Gadelica, #266, p. 241.
AUSTIN QUINLAN recently released two new pipes, and this morning (if I don’t break down) I want to celebrate (between sobs) what is (aside from the AQ Ken Sigel snagged) my favorite, which is not only an homage to the celebrated Kaffir of the 1906 catalog, but in my humblest of opinions, worthy of being a regular production K&P shape. Just take a look:
It was, natch, GONE by the time I saw it. I know who has it, but he’s bigger, tougher, and meaner than I am, and as well as looking manly in a kilt (unlike me and Al Jourgensen, who look like Mr. Potato Heads on toothpicks) can fly planes and shoot straight. So I won’t name his name, because he is, actually, one of the Great Guys among PGs. So… to return to this pipe which AQ did NOT even OFFER me the chance to buy… Lookit that BIRDSEYE. Whew.
Next notice that like the original from 1906, and unlike the subsequent homages, this one has a straight line running from button all the way down the shank line. That means the rim is parallel to the button. And THAT means you can SEE the rim when you light it! Now this isn’t a big deal to those of us who use those See-Around-the-Corner Mirrors sold at Grogan’s War Surplus to be mounted on WWII BAR and Thomas machine guns. But when I tried (and tried) to light my homages, all I did was burn the rim. (Oh, and lookit that BIRDSEYE.)
Finally, note the chubby effect of this one. For once, AQ has made a pipe that’s not a nosewarmer (always a good thing for him to nose out of his comfort zone) and make a manly, full size briar:
- Length: 5.93 in./150.62 mm.
- Weight: 2.40 oz./68.04 g.
- Bowl Height: 2.12 in./53.85 mm.
- Chamber Depth: 1.87 in./47.50 mm.
- Chamber Diameter: 0.72 in./18.29 mm.
- Outside Diameter: 1.70 in./43.18 mm.
- Stem Material: Vulcanite
- Filter: None
- Shape: Kaffir (see 1906 catalog)
Oh, and did I say it has an AWESOME chamber size? 18.29 x 47.50? Just right for MY KIND of tobacco? No?
Well, knowing my luck, he’ll make another one but sandblasted. Or 3 1/2 inches long. Or sell it to another of my big, burley friends.
I have started a petition, however, to Peterson, to bring THIS EXACT SHAPE to a future POY.
All seriousness aside, congrats to Austin for realizing a perfect Kaffir. It’s amazing. And lookit that birdseye!
MATT RAMSEY CPG, one of the great pipemen, sent me photos of his 160th Set Natural – Silvercaps. He also sent some advice from Glen Whelan on the cases: “to get the bent pipes to fit snugly into the case, it is best to insert the stem first from the button. You should then be able to press the bowl down for a snug fit in the mould.” There you go!
And I’ll say it once again, for everyone who now companions a 160th: what a great job everyone at Peterson did, and what awesome designs from Giaco. Well done.
PSA
It’s true! I’ve been invited by the CPCC to its monthly meeting at one of the great brick & mortars, Arlington Pipe & Cigar Lounge. I’ll be making a presentation on how the System delivers such a remarkable smoking experience.
